1. Learn to Cook From Scratch
No other diet makes it so vital to cook from scratch. Most prepackaged foods, as well as restaurant dishes, are high in oils and fat, which the Ornish Diet discourages. By learning to prepare your own meals, you can ensure that only the proper ingredients go into each dish. Meats, full-fat dairy products and nuts are all banned from the diet, so it is also important to learn how to make substitutions for these items. Use tofu, tempeh and soy milk in recipes, and find fat-free versions of popular items like sauces and concentrates.
2. Eat Raw Foods
The easiest way to follow the Ornish Diet is to concentrate on fresh fruits and vegetables, mushrooms and other items that require little-to-no cooking. This will ensure that your meals are high in nutrients but will also make it easier to avoid high-fat add-ons, such as oils and sauces, which are normally needed during cooking. Raw meals don't have to be boring or tasteless. Salads, smoothies, cold soups, stuffed mushrooms and wraps can all be made easily with just a few ingredients. The raw-food movement has evolved significantly over the last few years, and it is now possible to find recipes to make everything from appetizers and finger foods to breads and cakes, without having to cook any of the ingredients.
3. Use a Lot of Spices
Since oils and fats need to be excluded from the diet, you will need to rely on spices to provide flavor and body to your meals. Almost all condiments are acceptable in the Ornish Diet as long as they contain no fat. You can use fat-free mayonnaise, for example. Aside from spices like cayenne, cinnamon and basil, you can also use unsweetened fruit spreads, low-sodium soy sauce, Tabasco sauce and mustard to add flavor to your dishes. When buying bottled dressings or sauces, always read the label to make sure that no oils have been used in making the product.
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