By Carla Schuit RD, LDN, MPH
When people think healthy they often think boring, tasteless and uninspiring. It doesn’t have to be that way! We can add flavor to our healthy meals by the way they are prepared without adding a lot of fat and calories. When I say broccoli your eyes don’t perk up as much as when I say bacon, but we can make it just as exciting.
- Broil/Roast/Grill- High heat will caramelize sugar and intensify flavor. Whenever you roast a vegetable, fruit or protein can bring out sweetness and really maximize their flavor. Roasted broccoli is one of my favorite things ever! Coat with some olive oil, put on a cookie sheet and pop in the oven at 400F for about 12-15min when just browning. Enjoy!
- Spices- Garlic, curry, oregano, saffron, ginger. The list goes on and on. Spices can be used in so many ways there really is no end. You can also roast spices to deepen their impact. Experiment! My favorite chili recipe has cinnamon, cloves and cocoa powder.
- Marinate- Chicken, fish and other neutral proteins can get monotonous after a while. Marinades are a great way to add flavor and moisture to your main dish. However, store bought marinades can provide a lot of sugar, salt and preservatives. Make them at home and use those spices! The base for any marinade is an acid and a fat. Your acid typically is vinegar or citrus juice of some sort and your fat is an olive, walnut, avocado or even hemp oil. After that the world is yours for the taking- add shallots, onion, thyme, soy sauce… The possibilities are endless. My favorite is balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic, rosemary and some honey on chicken. Add quinoa on the side for an amazing complete meal!
- Wrap it up- A popular camping cooking method is to wrap all of your meal in to a pouch and toss it into the fire. This same idea can be done at home as well. Take a piece of foil or parchment paper and make a pouch. Add your veggies, spices, broths and protein. Wrap up the pouch and toss in the oven. All of the food baking and steaming together in the pouch will create a little flavor dome and a great meal! Here is an example recipe from Whole Foods http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/parchment-baked-salmon-lemon-and-basil.
- Poach- When you poach something it gives it a very unique texture. It is cooking in liquid which maintains moisture and keeps the food tender. You can poach in water, broth, stock or other flavored liquids. Some chefs even recommend keeping the poaching liquid and use to make soups or homemade broths. I do this with any water that I cook vegetables in. When you see all that colored water and pour it down the drain I see all those vitamins and minerals going to waste.
Eating healthy can be fun and like a blank canvas allow for experimentation and customization. It doesn’t have to feel like a burden or be boring. Dieting is not restrictive but reconstructing your meals and food choices. Maintain a wide variety of foods. Rotate proteins between beef, chicken, fish, nuts and pork. Eat as many different colors of vegetables and fruits you can. Maintaining variety in your diet and boosting the flavor at meals will increase commitment to eating healthy, help avoid those tempting indulgences as well as avoid diet boredom. We all have lists we bring to the grocery store and staples we keep in out pantries and refrigerators. I encourage you to try one new recipe a week. Try new things at the grocery store. Not only will this keep our diet inventive and exciting but it will also provide our diet with a broad spectrum of nutrients we wouldn’t be exposed to if we eat the same thing constantly. Explore, experiment and enjoy!