Dropping the extra pounds you might have gained enduring a Chicago winter doesn’t have to be difficult or tasteless. If you use your imagination, your Chicago apartment’s kitchen can be responsible for creating some incredible, low-cal and low-fat dishes. In fact, if you come up with the right substitutions, you might not even have to shelve your favorite recipes to enjoy nutritious, healthy food.
Simple substitutions can go a long way toward making most recipes healthy or at least healthier recipes. Some of the ways to include more vitamins, less calories and less fat in favorite dishes include:
Eat More Chicken – As the famous restaurant slogan goes, this is a great substitute for the fattier and more calorie laden beef in many recipes. Try experimenting with your favorite beef recipes by adding chicken or turkey instead.
Stuffed peppers, for example, can taste great with chicken or ground turkey. Chicken Lasagna and chicken tacos can be awesome, too. There are plenty of ways to substitute in chicken and still have a great taste left behind. Besides, the nutrition facts are clear – leaner meats like chicken and turkey are better for you than other options.
Try Low-fat Dairy – Low-fat, low-cal dairy products, such as sour cream, cheese, milk and butter can taste excellent. This minor substitution can go a long way in making meals more nutritious, and healthy, too. You can still get your daily calcium but with fewer calories and less fat.
Use Whole Grains – Whole grains, gluten-free flours and other similar substitutions can be used in baking and overall cooking. Instead of white rice, for example, give long grain wild a try with chicken and fresh vegetables. The texture and flavor can add a lot to a meal, and the vitamins contained within whole grains are generally higher in content.
Change Your Idea of Oil – There’s no reason to use fatty oils and lard anymore. Try cooking in olive oil, peanut oil or canola instead. The lighter, crisper flavors tend to be more delightful than the heavy, oily tastes fattier oils can leave behind. Plus, you’ll save on the calorie count in the process.
Grill it Up – One of the best ways to lock in flavors and add a little style to favorite recipes is to change the way of cooking the ingredients. If a recipe calls for frying meats, consider grilling instead. Or, try cooking vegetables on the grill rather than boiling or nuking them. Check out the following websites for a variety of grilling recipes:
- BBQ and Grilling Recipes – AllRecipes.com
- Grilling Recipes – BetterRecipes.com
- Favorite Grilled Recipes – Food Network
Just about any favorite recipe can be preserved when the right healthy food substitutes are made. With a little imagination and a desire to experiment, you can cook up your favorite meals and cut calories without cutting flavor.
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