Tricks and Alternatives of Oil-free Recipes

Within a balanced diet, it's ideal to moderately consume fats. There are many tricks and recipes without oil that we can integrate into our daily menus.

Consuming fats moderately is a healthy alternative to lose weight and maintain an adequate diet. These tricks and alternatives of oil-free recipes will help us prepare delicious dishes without losing the rich flavor of each ingredient.

Even though some oils are healthier than others, such as olive, coconut, or soy oils, the excess isn’t healthy either. Likewise, it’s not convenient to stop consuming them since they have monounsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E, which is a natural antioxidant.

In any case, it’s more convenient to obtain this energy charge directly from the food. Nuts, flax or sesame seeds, hazelnuts, avocados, or olives are foods rich in healthy fats. So are pumpkin seeds, some legumes, and green leafy vegetables.

To nourish ourselves better, another recommendation is to purchase utensils that facilitate cooking without oil. Frying pans made of ceramic, stainless steel with a thick base, non-stick or cast iron with an enamel cover will favor cooking.

Additionally, silicone molds prevent food from sticking when baked. Steamers, woks vegetable paper and light frying pans (that are deep) are also very useful.

Tricks and alternatives of oil-free recipes

There are several tricks and alternatives for cooking without oil, in a simple way and ensuring a healthier intake. The best thing is that the flavor of the food remains intact so that we can enjoy delicious and healthy dishes.

Despite what many may think, it’s easy to become familiar with the taste of oil-free recipes. After a while, when we consume dishes with an excess of oil, they’ll taste greasy and we’ll feel heavy.

• To cook meat, just place a drop of oil, preferably olive or soy, in a non-stick pan. Wait until it’s really hot as it’s a mistake to add more oil than necessary and try to cook the food when the oil isn’t hot enough. We can also cook the meat on a grill.

• When it comes to fish, we can replace the oil with a little lemon juice. The important thing is to use non-stick utensils that prevent sticking. The taste is delicious and the result will be a much healthier dish.
• Another option is to cook the fish on a bed of vegetables that prevent it from sticking. With its own juice, it will bathe them and give them a delicious flavor. With this, we’ll avoid using oil and keep the flavor intact.
• Both meat and fish can be cooked in their own juice. Just cover them with aluminum foil and place them in the oven over low heat so that they cook completely.

Types of oil-free preparations

Although it doesn’t seem possible, it’s easy to make all of these recipes without oil, regardless of the method of preparation. If we want to saute the vegetables, we can do it with water or broth; add the liquid in small quantities, as often as necessary to make them brown. It’s necessary to stir the vegetables to avoid burning.

• If we want to bake cookies or pies, we can substitute the oil with crushed bananas. Apple, dates or pumpkin puree, and compotes are also good choices.
• To roast vegetables, simply cook them at low temperature in the oven for a long time. You should moisten them with water or vegetable broth and sprinkle them with herbs or spices. Gratinating them at the end of the cooking process will leave them more crispy.
• Even though we use oil as the main dressing in many dishes, there are some spices that can replace it. Oregano, soy sauce, curry, or ground pepper guarantees an exquisite flavor for your preparations. Wine or brandy are also very useful.
• Fried eggs don’t have to disappear from our diet. In this case, we’ll replace the oil with salt water and we’ll have a good outcome. The egg will be ready to serve if we break it into the pan when the water is already boiling.

More tricks for healthy cooking

Vegetables are more delicious and nutritious when you wait until the water is hot enough to boil them. This way, they lose fewer nutrients and vitamins.

On the other hand, if we prepare the broth over low heat and with well-chopped vegetables, it becomes more tasty and nutritious. To enjoy delicious grilled vegetables, but with less fat, it’s convenient to place them in the microwave first and then in the grill or pan.

These tricks and alternatives of oil-free recipes will allow us to enjoy some delicious and healthy dishes. Simultaneously, we can lose weight without sacrificing the taste of food. Don’t hesitate to try them!