How to Cook without Adding Fat

We’ve all seen the cooking shows. The first thing to hit every chef’s pan is a few big swirls of oil or a couple pats of butter. Adding fat to the pan serves a few functions including keeping foods from sticking, adding flavor and encouraging browning. 

But did you know that each tablespoon of oil contains about 120 Calories?  The good news – there’s other ways to achieve the functions of fat without actually using it!

Recommended Kitchen Equipment

A few things I highly recommend you add to your kitchen equipment if you don’t already have them are either a non-stick or a well-seasoned cast iron pan and silicone baking mats.  Both keep food from sticking without adding any fat. The pans actually also encourage browning as long as they are cleaned and stored properly. The silicone mats are an easy way to line baking sheets without greasing them.

Browning with Salt

If you’re having a hard time achieving the browning you desire in a dry pan, add sprinkle of salt to the pan, let the pan heat up and then add the food. The salt helps to pull out the moisture from the food item lending to additional browning. To make sure you’re not increasing the sodium content of the meal, make sure to decrease the amount of salt you use later in the recipe when it calls for it. If you really can’t live without the oil in the pan, pour a little bit onto a paper towel and spread a thin layer as opposed to just pouring and swirling.

Adding Flavor

Experiment with low-sodium broths, juice, wine or a mixture of water and a flavored vinegar. Some of my favorite combos are white wine with lemon juice or red wine with low-sodium beef broth. All will add a different layer of flavor to your dish. These liquids can be added for stove-top cooking or roasting in the oven. 

So there you have it my healthy chefs! You can successfully make dinner without going over your fat servings for the day. I can't wait to hear what you make and how it turns out! 

Flushing Out Extra Water Weight

You’ve been working hard… eating right for the most part, getting in regular exercise, so why is the scale always fluctuating? Weight loss can be a little more complicated than calories in and calories out sometimes, your fluid status is usually to blame in this case! It could be as simple as that restaurant meal you had yesterday (even though you may have picked something low in calories, it was still likely loaded with sodium!). Honestly, though, lots of things can cause a little extra water retention and therefore a stall in your weight loss – anything from the time of the month (ladies) to not moving enough during the day. And my pregnant mamas, don’t think I forgot about you…50% of pregnant women struggle with water retention, some retention of fluids is just part of the pregnancy process, but please notify your doctor if you’re gaining weight rapidly or if you notice significant swelling in your hands or feet. This could be a sign of a pregnancy complication and your doctor should dictate management.

While extra water weight is never really something you’re shooting for, there can be times that it’s particularly annoying. If you’re trying to look your best for something, avoid sodium as much as possible, drink your water and try to include the following foods in your diet:

Anise

This is your go-to if you’re attributing your water weight to the time of the month, ladies! Not only does it possibly have diuretic effects to help you shed the puffy water retention, but also potentially effective for easing menstrual discomfort. Pregnant mamas, anise found in foods is considered safe, but avoid larger medicinal amounts or concentrated forms.

Celery

Celery is thought to increase urine production, which can help to decrease fluid retention. Try it in a green smoothie! Mix 1 medium stalk of chopped celery with 1 small peeled banana, ½ cup cubed pineapple and 2 cups of baby spinach. If you’re feeling bold, swap out the spinach for 1 cup parsley for an extra diuretic boost! Pregnant mamas, don’t go crazy with the celery- large amounts of celery (especially in celery oil or celery seeds) may be associated with uterine contractions possibly leading to miscarriage or preterm labor.

Onion

Onions have been used for their diuretic properties (among many other health benefits) since ancient Egyptian times. Scientists have identified approximately 150 phytonutrients in onions, with quercetin being the most understood.  Chew on some parsley after eating onions to get rid of onion breath and increase the diuretic potency!

Parsley

In some recent studies, it has been seen that parsley decreases the reabsorption of sodium. Since water follows sodium, water is flushed from the cells leading to increased urine output and diuresis. Try to use it next time you’re making a pesto!

Eggplant

Eggplant is made up of about 90% water and is a good source of potassium. Both of these attributes help to battle sodium and flush out the body’s excess water.  Eggplant is thought to improve circulation and also boasts antioxidant properties.

Asparagus

Asparagus contains the amino acid asparagine, which acts as a natural diuretic. This is also the amino acid to be blamed if you notice a funny to odor to your urine after eating asparagus.

*** Try this recipe! ***

Roasted Eggplant with Anise Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

2 large eggplants

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil


1/2 medium onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced


1 (28-ounce) can whole or chopped tomatoes, with juices 


pinch dried red pepper flakes


1 tablespoon grated lemon peel (about 1/2 lemon)


1 star anise pod

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley

coarse salt &
freshly grated black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Halve the eggplant lengthwise and with the tip of a knife, score the flesh deeply in a diamond cross-hatch pattern by making two or three long cuts, cutting at a steep angle, and then rotating the eggplant to make another set of similar cuts. Brush the eggplant lightly with olive oil. Roast for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and light golden brown, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic to the saucepan and cook another minute. Add the tomatoes and their juices and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Add the red pepper flakes, lemon peel, eggplant and star anise and then lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, taking some time to smash the tomato pieces so the sauce is more pulpy than chunky. Sauce can be left simmering at lowest temperature until eggplant is ready to be served. Stir in the chopped parsley. Check for flavor and season appropriately with salt and pepper. Remove the star anise pod.

The eggplant is ready when it has slightly collapsed and the bottoms turn a deep brown caramel color. Let cool considerably before handling, at least 20 min. Top with sauce and serve.