Devin Dishes - Step inside Your Kitchen and Start Cooking Your Way to a Great Shape
Though it may sound paradoxical, cooking is the key to successful, pain-free weight loss. When you’re in control of ingredients, cooking methods, portion sizes and even the type of cooking tools you use, it’s so much easier to lose excess pounds and enjoy better health. Best of all, the wisdom learned cooking healthy dishes can keep you and your family on track for a lifetime of looking and feeling great.
I’ve spent thousands of hours in my kitchen perfecting tricks and techniques to transform decadent dishes into healthy ones without losing flavor or total satisfaction. I’m delighted to share some of these tips with you so you can enjoy every meal, guilt-free:
- Healthy cooking begins with having the right equipment, especially nonstick cookware and bakeware. Infinite Circulon, a beautifully styled collection of hard-anodized nonstick cookware distributes heat evenly and releases foods easily, even when little or no fat is added to the pan. If you cut 1 tablespoon per day of even olive oil (120 calories; 14g fat), you could lose up to 12 pounds in one year. Infinite Circulon is also dishwasher safe and compatible with all types of ranges, including glass and state-of-the-art induction cooktops. High-quality Circulon Bakeware, which features a durable, light-colored nonstick surface allows you to save calories while enjoying scrumptious sweet and savory baked dishes. Best of all, it’s super-easy to clean. Cooking and baking should be simple, hassle-free and guilt-free. With Circulon, it is.
- Get pumped with a delicious and nutritious breakfast. Losing weight was just about impossible for me until I started eating breakfast. A morning meal revs up your metabolism so you burn calories more efficiently throughout the day. A solid breakfast with the right balance of protein, carbohydrates and fats gives you energy and keeps you satisfied for hours. Try my Bacon & Egg Breakfast Quesadilla. Yes, you can have bacon and lose weight! Watch how easy it is to make this dish by viewing my web cast.
- Weigh your food to master portion control. Let’s face it, calories do count, and a kitchen scale can be tremendously helpful in guiding you to see what smaller portions look like. Now don’t get me wrong…it’s not like you have to be tied to your scale. But using a scale from time to time can help ensure your version of 4 ounces is truly 4 ounces.
- Misting trumps pouring olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil is very good for your heart, and because it’s unsaturated, it’s wise to replace butter and other saturated fats with olive oil whenever possible. Nonetheless, one tablespoon has more than 100 calories, so in my kitchen, I make sure not to overdo it. The easiest way to enjoy olive oil guilt-free is to use a sprayer to mist your “unfried” favorites as well as other foods.
- Mini’s make my day. I’m big on making mini sized treats and snacks. You’ll see a whole bunch of tempting “mini” recipes, such as “Tiny Tacos” and “Banana-Coconut Mini-Muffins” in my cookbook, “The Most Decadent Diet Ever!” (Broadway, 2008). My philosophy is that eating a whole mini-sized muffin is much more satisfying than half or a third of a standard sized one. Search out cookware and bakeware that fits the mini mentality.
- Fire up the grill. Grilling gets high marks for enhancing food without adding fat and calories. It’s one of my favorite cooking techniques, whether it’s done outside on a gas or charcoal grill, or inside using a grilling pan. There are lots of great grilling pans on the market today to give foods appealing grill marks anytime of year. Check out the Circulon “Cook Great, Look Great” 11-inch Square Deep Grill Pan. The pan’s deep grooves guarantee you’ll get a professional-style sear that’s the hallmark of juicy, great-tasting burgers, steaks and other favorite grilled foods.
- Tasty substitutes to high-fat ingredients. . Today’s market place is chock-full of great tasting alternatives to high-calorie, high-fat foods. Here are some of my favorites: Yogurt in place of sour cream and mayonnaise. Look for plain, all natural fat free or low-fat yogurt, preferably Greek-style or strained for a thicker, creamier consistency that’s more like sour cream. Reduced-fat or light cheese, such as blue cheese, cheddar and mozzarella. Just a little sprinkle of shredded or crumbled lower-fat cheese makes just about any dish taste decadent. Light butter in place of regular butter. You do need to make some adjustments in liquid and dry ingredients in a recipe to compensate for the added moisture in light butter, but it’s worth the savings in calories. For baking, be sure to choose the stick variety, rather than the tub-style. Smoked sausage, kielbasa and pepperoni made from lean turkey. Sausage can be very unhealthy if it’s not made from lean meat, so check the package for nutritional information. Lower fat versions are ideal for soul satisfying pasta, chili, soup or stew.
- Go for the Leanest Cuts of Beef. I love a juicy burger, the kind that requires a napkin. Contrary to popular opinion, you can enjoy juicy burgers and steaks using the leanest cuts. The trick is to make sure you season the burger or meat properly, and place it on a grill that’s well heated to sear in the flavors. Still skeptical? Try my scrumptious “Blue Cheese Mushroom Burger,” made with reduced-fat blue cheese, recipe available in “The Most Decadent Diet Ever!”
- Oven Roasting Bags Rule. You may remember oven bags from the days when your mom cooked for you. They were a big hit in the 70s, and I think they’re perfect for making lean, yet tender roasted turkey breast. Try roasting a bone-in turkey breast half, an often overlooked, but excellent option for cooking healthy meals. Leftovers are terrific for low-fat sandwiches, salads and creative pasta and rice dishes the next day.
- Don’t ignore your fast food cravings. Sometimes by denying ourselves, we set ourselves up for failure since it’s our nature to want what we can’t have. But instead of hitting the drive-thru, save money and calories by recreating your favorite dishes at home. Fast food recipe makeovers are my specialty, having researched and written a book with more than 75 mouth-watering selections. Have a hankering for Subway® Meatball Marinara? I have a guilt-free recipe you won’t be able to tell apart from the original. It’s a terrific make-ahead recipe that you can double for family meals during the week ahead. If you’re short on time, you can even use a low-fat jarred marinara sauce instead of making my homemade version. For step-by- step instructions for this dish, view my web cast.
- Add balance to high-carbohydrate dishes. For classic pasta dishes, save calories by sticking to one serving of noodles. While, being more generous with add-ins of lean protein like grilled chicken, shrimp, or even extra lean sausage. This way, you can still indulge without the repercussions of a traditionally high-carb meal.
- Grate cheese finely to indulge in this potentially high-fat food. Lots of my would-be favorite dishes include high-fat cheeses. In my kitchen, I usually stick to lower-fat cheeses and shred or grate them finely so that they melt better. Also, when they’re finely grated, you need a lot less cheese to cover the surface area of food, so every bite is satisfying, while also lower in calories.
- Intensify the flavor of chocolate without adding a lot of calories. One of my favorite tips for making low-fat chocolate desserts decadently rich-tasting is combining cocoa powder, which is naturally low in fat, with instant espresso powder or coffee powder. The rich coffee flavor deepens the chocolate flavor for a sinfully rich finished dessert.
- When baking cakes, replace whole eggs with egg whites. For each yolk that is removed, you save 5 g of fat. So substituting 2 egg whites for each whole egg called for in many cake recipes is one of my favorite tricks to lower the fat content of a recipe without diminishing its appeal.
- Be adventurous with fresh herbs, citrus zest, spices, and low-calorie condiments. Healthy dishes that are truly satisfying often get their flavor punch from the use of commonly found herbs, such as parsley, dill, basil, thyme and cilantro, as well as dried spices, like cinnamon, chili powder, cumin and black pepper. Easy to find supermarket condiments, such as salsa, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and even good old American ketchup are also ideal add-ons to many savory recipes with little or no added fat. Try adding freshly grated lemon or lime zest to dishes during cooking or as a garnish to brighten and intensify flavors without adding a significant amount of calories.
