There are several different ways to please the palate while at the same time flinging away the fat when you’re making meals at home. While preparing healthy foods is great, you can increase the healthiness by changing the way you prepare them.
A prime example is zucchini. If it’s sautéed in olive oil vs battered and fried, there’s an obvious difference between the lean.
If you eat a three-ounce breast of chicken, you’ll reduce 50 calories if you eliminate the skin.
Butter isn’t better. That’s a pretty hard and fast rule. There are other ways to flavor your steamed veggies. Instead, try squeezing lemon or lime juice on vegetables and/or seasoning with herbs. The flavor is amazing without adding calories.
I’ll be cheesy for a second now—literally. If you’re going to load up a baked potato with cheese, avoid the mild flavored ones like Monterey Jack. Mix in a sharp cheddar, aged parmesan, or light sodium feta cheese. You can use less cheese and get more flavor – your taste buds will be tantalized while consuming less fat.
Cottage cheese works great when mixed in with heavier cheeses like ricotta on pasta dishes. If you go half cottage and half other, you’ll be shedding fats while retaining proteins and calcium, as well as the taste and texture of your cheese-topped dish.
If you’re planning on accompanying your steak with a baked potato, try to at least load some vegetables on your plate as well. Remember, vegetables alongside a potato are better than no veggies at all.
The same concept applies if you’re looking to start your day with an omelet. If you feel you have to have bacon or ham in it, minimize the amount and add some mushrooms and/or chopped asparagus to balance your breakfast. Or if you’re looking into a spaghetti dinner and just can’t do without meat sauce, you can curb the carbs with broccoli mixed in with the sauce.
The ways to eat healthier when preparing dishes at home are limitless. It’s tough to cut out all the things that have become habit, but there are plenty of variations to those habits that can help. RPCoaching can help with your nutritional needs as well as your fitness programs. Cutting calories can be easy. Are you ready for a change in your eating habits? Email me today for a FREE Nutritional Consultation, rita@ritapociask.com or call 239-848-0888.
