How to Lighten a Recipe: Part 4–Try Different Cooking Methods

Strategy 4: Use Different Cooking Methods To Bring Out Flavor.

Deep frying is bad.  We all know that.  Foods absorb a ton of oil, and at 1 point per TEASPOON of oil, that’s really bad.  Pan frying and sauteing are also bad since they use oil to brown, crisp, cook and add flavor.  So what do you do to add flavor, texture and taste?

• Oven Frying. Well, this is the obvious substitute for deep frying, and it comes out well if you coat well and use non-stick spray to help crisp up the coating, you’re golden!  Crush up some corn flakes or Fiber cereal (Fiber One Original) to resemble crumbs.  Use Egg Beaters to coat your food (meat, veggies), let the excess drip off and then coat the food with the crumbs.  You can season the crumbs in lots of ways–use Ranch dressing mix, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, lemon pepper, etc.  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  I like to line my baking pan with aluminum foil for easy clean up.  Spray the foil with non-stick spray.  Place your breaded food on top.  Spray the top of the food with more non-stick spray.  Bake for 10 minutes, flip over, spray again.  Bake for another 10 minutes or until food is done.  Food cut into strips, flat rounds, etc. cook fastest.  Now you have a crunchy and delicious oven-fried alternative.
• Braising. Braising is a “slow food” technique that enables the flavors to develop and meld.  You brown your meat (do so in a non-stick pan with some non-stick spray) add aromatics (veggies, herbs, spices) and braising liquid (a good stock is always nice, wine is great), cover your pot and let it simmer over low heat either on the stove or in the oven.  After the meat is so very tender, strain the liquid and reserve the solids.  Place the liquid back in the pot and skim off any fat.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a good simmer, and reduce the liquid until thick and the flavors are concentrated.  Adjust the seasoning.  You can also thicken the liquid with a cornstarch slurry (mixture of cornstarch and water or another cold/room temp liquid) by adding the slurry to the boiling liquid.  Boil and stir a couple of minutes.  Add the meat and solids back into the sauce OR cut up the meat and serve the sauce on the side or over the top.  YUM!  To keep the recipe light, make sure you use lean meats and strain off all the fat.
• Saute. A nice skillet saute is a great method of keeping fresh ingredients crisp and delicious.  It’s also a way to create a quick meal with little fuss–just one pan.  First, make sure everything is cut (nice dice or julienne–small pieces cook quickly).  Start with some onions in a non-stick pan and a little non-stick cooking spray.  Cook on medium-high heat until they are translucent and a little brown.  Now add your meat.  Saute to add a little color to the meat and to develop flavor.  Add your vegetables and your seasonings.  Saute for a minute or two, then add your sauce ingredients.  Heat until everything is cooked through and sauce has reduced to a glaze (or thicken with a cornstarch slurry).  Serve over brown rice or simply on its own.  Yum!
• Grill. Grilling adds lots of flavor to meats and vegetables without a lot of calories.  Make sure you use non-stick spray rather than oils to keep the foods from sticking and to keep calories low.  Marinated meats are especially nice on the grill, but make sure that  your marinade is low in fat and sugar to keep calories low and to keep the food from burning on the grill (sugar burns very quickly over high heat).
• Pan Roast. Pan roasting starts the cooking on the stove and finishes it in the oven.  You need to make sure that your pan has an oven-safe handle (that won’t melt).  Heat the pan, add some non-stick spray, and add your seasoned meat (salt and pepper).  Brown on the first side, flip and brown on the 2nd side.  The browning will caramelize any natural sugars in the meat and build flavor.  Place your meat in a hot oven (I use around 400 degrees) and roast for a few minutes.  Check your meat for the proper level of done-ness (is that a word?) and remove.  Remember–your meat will continue to cook outside of the oven, so a little under done will make the meat perfect when you serve it.  Let the meat rest for a few minutes and serve.

These techniques help you create flavor and texture without fat to create wonderful meals.  Get out of your rut and try something new!