Cooking Techniques
The three principles of heart healthy cooking
Heart healthier cooking is easiest when you keep the three basic principles in mind. Whatever you are cooking, try to:
- Reduce fat, especially saturated fat.
- Of the fat you do use, choose unsaturated fat
- Boost fibre
Start with healthier ingredients
The menu planning section of this web site can help you here. It has terrific suggestions on heart healthier choices in every food group, and a handy shopping list that you can personalize and print out. Be sure to visit!
Use heart healthier cooking methods
- Grill, barbecue, or roast meats and allow the fat to run off.
- Try steaming foods instead of frying.
- Braise meat in broth or tomato juice instead of frying it.
- Refrigerate soups and stews overnight, and skim off any fat before serving.
- Try to prepare foods without deep-frying.
- Use non-stick frying pans or woks so you'll need very little added fat.
- Before cooking, remove all visible fat from meats, and the skin from poultry and fish (this will significantly reduce the saturated fat in your food).
Helpful ingredients to have on hand
- Brown rice, whole wheat pasta, bulgur, and couscous
- Canned beans, chick peas, and lentils
- Canned fruit (in light syrup or juice) and canned vegetables to make purées
- Lower-fat mayonnaise-type dressing
- Frozen fruit and vegetables. Use frozen fruit juice concentrate for dressings and glazes
- Evaporated skim milk to substitute for cream
- Vegetable oil, such as canola, sunflower, olive oil
- Soft, non-hydrogenated margarine that is low in saturated and trans fat