Saturday, January 9, 2010

Cooking healthy


Cooking healthy does not mean that your food has to be boring, expensive, or less flavorful. Most people can attest that cooking is not an easy chore, however, if you start to look at less as a chore and more as a way to better your health, you can quickly be on your way to starting great eating habits and a more healthier you!

Utilize what you have access to in your home. Most people today have a computer, if so you have access to thousands of easy and healthy recipes at your fingertips. Take advantage of the resources in your home. There may be cookbooks sitting on your counter that you have never even attempted to look through, take a few minutes to find some creative new dishes that keep you feeling healthy.

When you begin to make changes in your eating habits there are certain things that your going to have to eliminate entirely to lose weight and feel better. The things you have to look at are what your consuming on a daily basis that is contributing to the way you feel. Fast food, access caffeine, soda's (and yes diet also) and greasy food all contribute to poor dieting and an unhealthy way of living your life. Start to substitute the bad fat with the good fat. There are healthy fats your body does need. Olive oil and coconut oil are great ways to incorporate healthy fats into your cooking and diet.

Start experimenting with different fruits and vegetables. Go shopping and pick a few things maybe you have never cooked with before or even tried. You would be surprised at how many different ways you can prepare fresh food and have it taste delicious. Incorporate fresh herbs into your protein dishes such as chicken and fish. If you can not afford fresh herbs you can always look in your spice rack and add a few teaspoons of what you already have. Fresh herbs provide the best flavor but using a dried substitute is still a great way to add extra taste to your dishes.

Prepare certain things ahead of time to save you time during the week. Most of the time when people resort to unhealthy eating is because they are rushed and do not take time to prepare a healthy meal. Chicken can be baked ahead of time and late cut up and placed on salads or in sandwiches for an easy meal. Salads, if stored properly, can be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator for a quick meal.

If you start making positive changes in your diet and eating habits, you will feel at first that it takes more time or more effort, but after a few days you will get excited about how you feel and realize that it is worth the 5 or 10 extra minutes to look for healthier ways to prepare food. After all, if you do not have your health, you do not have much at all.

A great website to access for delicious healthy meals. Delicious Living
photo credit:passaicnews.wordpress.com

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