Lighten up!

[miles]

I'm probably not alone in this, but at home, I try to lighten up what I cook and put more nutritional bang into every meal in an effort to lead a healthier lifestyle. Some of you may be doing this at work, as well, to offer some healthier choices to customers.

What are everyone's favorite techniques and approaches for creating healthier meals while delivering all the flavor?

At home, I rarely use cream and very little butter when cooking, I usually use stocks, reductions, vinagrettes, and "salsas" in lieu of heavier cream sauces.

I use pomace olive oil almost exclusively at home for saute and for spritzing on food for the grill. I also have a wide selection of extremely flavorful extra virgin olive oils and some flavored oils.

I use a lot of citrus and other juices for flavor and acidity in sauces and marinades.

This is a new one, prompted by some of my fiancee's dietary restrictions: using stevia powder or honey in lieu of refined sugar.

I frequently substitute veg, especially sauteed greens for starches.

What's everyone else doing to help the waistline and the heart?

Mike

[blwchef]

I ahve been trying to do the same as you but I need my starches and carbs for enrgy or I'm a total dead head (not greatful /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif). I eat more steamed rice instead of roasted or mashed potatos and keep the butter to a minimum. I realy try to get lots of fiber and keep simple carb starches to down. I eat way less pasta and white bread than I used too. Partially because it upsets my stomach. Last night we had a nice greek salad followed by lean beef bourgougne with fork crushed boiled potatoes drizzled with e.v.o.o. and a nice bottle of sangiovese. Cooking mostly asian food at home helps keep things on the lighter side too. I've also reduced my Spam consumtion greatly. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

[RETREVR]

I just don't seem to keep two pounds of softened butter next to my stove at home.
This time of year, anything that gets cooked at home goes on the grill.

[Fred]

I'm on a weight reduction program as we speak. I've lost 41 lbs. so far since late April. I do very little to change what I cook and how I cook it. I just eat less of it. I use the grill a lot (every day) but I still brush some olive oil on the meats and veggies and season them before grilling. I still use butter and maple syrup on my waffles. I put butter or sour cream on my baked potatoes. My sandwiches get a light but real spread of mayonnaise. I just eat less volume. I gave up baked goods for the most part except for bread and I don't drink anything other than water or an occasional glass of wine but I eat whatever I like. Good food, good diet, good weight loss.

[Eddie]

I completely agree with this approach, reduced portions of "real" stuff. I tried a low carb diet years ago and lost 60lbs in half a year. Later, I had the chance to spend two weeks in Europe, including France and Switzerland where, of course, I could not find any "low carb" products and had to eat the real thing every day.

I lost an additional 3 pounds after the trip and that suprised me because I have not had any low carb, low fat stuff while I was there. The only difference is that I had smaller portions of everything. (and lots of walking)

[Peter]

[ QUOTE ]
I could not find any "low carb" products and had to eat the real thing every day

[/ QUOTE ]
Poor boy.

Here's my 2Ct. Of course, just eat less but better food. Fresh air and not too much alcohol. There's no correlation between fat comsume and overweight.

Every trend like low fat, low carb etc. made U.S. citizens fatter. Today you can see it in Germany, too. The more convenience foods they eat the fatter they get.

When I quit working as a joiner and started operating computers I had to learn it myself. The less you move the less you should eat.

Peter

[miles]

You're absolutely right. Portion control is definitely a big part of it. I didn't even think to mention that.

If you make really good, flavorful food and keep the portions to a sensible size, you're easily halfway there.
You just have to reorient yourself and change the way you think about portion sizes. Unfortunately, as a society, we've all fallen into that value oriented supersize mentality driven by fast food and chain restaurants. That really skews your perception of what a proper portion actually is. I'm always reminded of this when I'm weighing out portions while breaking down a salmon or a cut of meat.

Maybe if every kitchen in the US had a scale that people used to actually weigh what they put into a pan, it would finally hit home just why we seem to be such an unhealthy society.

It doesn't help that we all drive EVERYWHERE. The last time I was in Europe, I walked everywhere and, like you, I came back a few pounds lighter.

[Peter]

[ QUOTE ]
It doesn't help that we all drive EVERYWHERE

[/ QUOTE ]
A few years ago I've been to Montgomery, AL. and I lived in an outskirts barracks. You couldn't do anything without a car. No sidewalks, next mall or Supermarket 10 miles, city 10 miles etc.

Another point. I'd keep away from glutamate and food with too much salt or sugar, you loose your sense of taste and get too hungry.

Peter

[Eddie]

Real food usually suprises us. The first time I tried game meat was in a Swiss city called Stanserhorn. I usually don't have any problems to finish off a plate of food, but the meat with a side of some sort of legume was much more fulfilling than my usual striploin with vegetables and I left food on the plate and did not feel hungry for the remaining of the day.

I have always been told to eat a fruit between meals if I feel hungry, but I think this only opens up my appetite. I'd rather have some nuts instead. The fat in the nuts seems to help with the cravings.

[Fred]

In my experience preservatives enhance hunger. If you cook with high quality fresh ingredients, you can eat less and not be hungry. It is really a life style change, not a change in diet.

Peter, I think fast food has been the cause of much of our country's overweight problem. Fast food could be healthy but it isn't. I've seen people get in their car and drive to the end of their driveway to pick up the mail or a morning newspaper. That's bad. I ride my bicycle 20 miles or so per day and I feel better than I did 15 years ago. A healthy lifestyle promotes a healthy body. One doesn't need to eat badly in order to lose weight.

[VHo]

olive oil on popcorn instead of butter.

someone recently turned me onto this and I think it's brilliant. tastes great, don't feel like I'm missing a thing.

[Grouch]

[ QUOTE ]
olive oil on popcorn instead of butter.

someone recently turned me onto this and I think it's brilliant. tastes great, don't feel like I'm missing a thing.

[/ QUOTE ]This is probably a healthier choice but, calorically, there's no difference. In fact, butter is lower in calories (due to a little protein and water) than an equal measure of any oil.

[VHo]

yes, it 's not about calories. more about reducing saturated fat, and increasing good unsaturated ones - lowers cholesterol.

[Sid Post]

[ QUOTE ]
You're absolutely right. Portion control is definitely a big part of it. I didn't even think to mention that.

[/ QUOTE ]

The people from Europe I meet always comment on the HUGE portions they are served everywhere they eat.

Your average can of beans or soup is normally about 3 servings. Care to guess how many servings are in a small bag of potato chips? I don't see anyone treating a 20 ounce Coke out of a vending machine as multiple servings either.

Now add things like trans fat acids and all those ingredients no one but a chemist can pronounce.

The results are easy to see in the American population. Diabetes is becoming a huge problem in adults and children. Then there are the heart related issues as if stress, and in my case, genetics wasn't enough.

It isn't easy to change the ways of lifetime but, it can be done. After enough small changes and minor victories in your diet, you will transform your diet and improve the quality of your life.

Another difference I find so dramatic between Europe and the USA is the time spent eating. In the USA we eat like it is a race and just shovel huge amounts of stuff down our throats most of the time. People eat in their cars while they run errands or eat at their desk while they work. In Europe, I was initially a little irritated because it took so long to eat dinner in the evening. After a while I looked around and saw the leisurely pace of everyone in the dining room and finally made the mental shift. Eating out is enjoyed and savored with friends and good conversation. Meals are brought out slowly partly because they are made from scratch but also partly to facilitate the social scene in the dining area. I miss that.

[louisianacook]

Plus when you eat slower you don't eat as much, unless you are tailgating. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif