Low Fat Eating
Low-Fat Cooking Techniques
From the Million Dollar Body Club - Join Today and Workout to
Win!
Excerpted from the
P90X Nutrition
Guide
Learning just a few basic skills can
make you a low-fat chef with good habits you'll use for life. Cooking with
liquids other than fat can trim the fat content of a dish by up to 1,000
calories. This can have a positive effect on your total health and well-being,
and maybe even prevent illnesses such as cancer and heart disease. And on top
of all that, you can lose lots of weight.
A
Better Sauté
 Eliminate the fat used in traditional sauts by
substituting flavorful liquids for butter, margarine, or oil. Choose from
chicken or vegetable stock, dry sherry, red or white wine, fruit juice,
vinegar, soy sauce, or a combination of two or more.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of liquid in a
sauté pan over medium-high heat.
- When the liquid begins to steam, add
ingredients and stir.
- Continue to saut, stirring
frequently, until the liquid in the pan evaporates. Quickly add 2 more
tablespoons of liquid, stirring to scrape up the glaze at the bottom of the
pan.
- Continue to cook, adding liquid as
necessary, until done.
Pasta and Noodles
 Always select pasta made without oils or
eggs.
- Skip adding oil and salt to the
cooking water.
- Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling
water, adding pasta to the pot gradually so the water continues to
boil.
- Two ounces of dry pasta yields 1 to
1-1/2 cups cooked, depending on the type of pasta.
Grilling, Baking, and Poaching
 Grilling is the fastest cooking method, and
is best suited for thicker cuts. Begin with a preheated grill or broiler,
turning meat over when the grilled side is done (fish should flake; poultry
should begin to brown). Cook the other side. Depending on thickness, grill 5 to
7 minutes per side; the second side will probably take less time than the
first.
- Baking is a slower cooking method.
Bake most cuts at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Poaching involves a slow simmer in
liquidsuch as water, stock, or winethat you can flavor with herbs, onions,
shallots, or garlic. Poaching is a gentle cooking method that works well for
delicate cuts like chicken breast, fish fillets, and shellfish. In a wide
saucepan, heat enough liquid to just cover your ingredients until it reaches a
very slow simmer. Add ingredients in a single layer and cook uncovered 7 to 10
minutes, or until cooked through.
For added flavor and moisture, brush
seafood, meat, or poultry with fresh citrus juice, mustard, Worcestershire
sauce, soy sauce, or fresh herbs before grilling or roasting. Or use an
oil-free marinade—for best flavor, marinate at least two hours or
overnight in the refrigerator.
For more tips on low-fat grilling and
eating, see Joe Wilkes' "11
Tips for Cooking Out Without Pigging Out." |
