Healthy Cooking Tips!!!

How to increase flavor and nutrition while reducing calories, fats, sugar and salt??? 

Is a common question that comes to most of the home makers. Here are some simple tips by which you can balance between the ever demanding tastebuds and the health of your loved ones!!!!

*   Buy only the freshest fruits and vegetables available in the market

*        Do not refrigerate food for a long time.

*        Wash fruits and vegetable just before cooking /serving.

*        First wash then chop fruits and vegetable.

*        Do not soak vegetables for a long time.

*        Use cooking methods like baking, grilling, broiling, sautéing, poaching, roasting, steaming or microwave to avoid excess use of fats and also to keep the nutrients intact.

*        Use non-stick pans and or pressure cookers to cook your food.

*        Use water, vinegar, wine, tomato puree, etc as a cooking medium instead of oil. Avoid cooking in hydrogenated fats(Vanaspati), ghee or butter.

*        Make gravies with low fat curds, skim milk, tomato onion purees, garlic ginger pastes.

*        Season with herbs and spices like cinnamon, coriander powder curcumin, cumin powder, black pepper, white pepper, oregano, basil, thyme etc.

*        Use natural sweet flavors instead of excess sugar such as vanilla, cinnamon, almond and cherry extracts, raisins, banana or sweet fruits.

*        Do not throw away the water in which the food has been cooked. Any excess cooking water - can be used to make soups, dals or to knead your chapati dough.

*        Use low fat dressings for your salads. Prepare dressings with skim milk and wheat flour, prefer olive oil for dressings.

*        Select fresh fruits as sweet desserts.

So, enjoy cooking and serving healthy, nutritious and tasty food!!!!!