Looking for flavor with less fat and calories? The best cooks know the secrets for preparing great tasting food that’s good for you. They know how to make it healthy and delicious. They’ve learned ways to prepare flavorful healthy food and so can you. They bake, steam, toss, grill, simmer, top and stir-fry their way to flavor and health. Tasty, healthy food starts with the right ingredients, but the way you cook it can make all the difference.

Cooking methods such as grilling and baking help add flavor and lock in nutrition. When you use these methods to cook meats, the high temperatures seal in juices. Little or no fat needs to be added, keeping extra calories at bay. Steaming has been traditionally used for vegetables and fish. Many people shy away from steamed vegetables if they’ve tasted over cooked or mushy steamed foods. The key to steaming is timing so that vegetables do not overcook and remain crisp, tasty and nutritious.

Cooking time is important with stir-frying too. Stir-fried foods cook quickly and retain their vitamins and minerals. The secret to a stir-fry with great texture and flavor is a hot enough pan with small amounts of healthy oils so that veggies and meats cook quickly.

Simmering is slow cooking food in liquid. By simmering at a temperature just under the boiling point, meat or beans become tender, juicy and tasty. Very little fat is needed when cooking simmered foods.

Lower the Calories

Baking, grilling, steaming, stir frying and simmering are all great cooking methods for adding flavor with less fat and calories. To make your foods healthy and delicious at home, remember to use less butter, margarine and oil and follow the cooking times and temperatures for all your recipes.