How to Cook Without a Drop of Oil
If you have never spent a week without using oil in your meals, the thought of excluding it from your diet may sound crazy. You may have heard about the no-oil fasting rule of the Orthodox Church and thought it was crazy, but you will think otherwise when you learn that all types of oil (regardless whether we are talking about flax, canola, olive oil, or any other type) are associated to major negatives.
All oils have high-calorie values, which will surely get you interested if you plan to lose some weight. However, you should also know that choosing fats that are still in their natural form of whole foods is a much healthier decision your body will appreciate. Read the following tips and you will understand that it’s easy to cook without oil if you turn your creativity on.
How to cook oil-free vegetables
You can still sauté vegetables on the stovetop, but you can replace your usual choice of oil with some vegetable broth or water. You will need only a small amount of the liquid because the vegetables will release the water they naturally contain during the cooking process. Don’t worry, they won’t stick if you don’t use oil, but you will need to keep your eye on the pan a little more carefully than usual.
Why is the process of sautéing vegetables in broth or water better than using oil? You will actually taste the natural flavors of the food.
You can also ditch the oil when baking or roasting vegetables because they will still get tasty and lightly brown if you cook them long enough.
How to bake without oil
What makes you think that you cannot get the rich taste and soft texture in baked goodies without oil? There are many replacements you can think of, such as tofu, dates, soaked dried fruit, applesauce or fresh apples, as well as bananas. Cornbread can be softer than you imagine if you replace the oil with a combination of banana and quinoa.
Instead of coating the pan with oil or butter when baking cookies, cakes, or bread, you should put some parchment paper into use or simply get some silicone bakeware (don’t worry, it’s safe and functional).
How to make salads without oil
This is quite a challenge, but it’s nothing you cannot overcome with some creativity. If you are following a salad recipe, you can avoid the oil and put all other ingredients as they are, but you can also add some juice or water to add moisture.
Instead of topping your usual salads with oil and vinegar, you should prepare a dressing of balsamic vinegar, mustard, and some fresh juice of celery, carrots, lime, or lemon. The salad will be fresher and yummier than ever.
Conclusion: Start making healthier choices by avoiding oils
If you are used to cooking all your meals with oil, it may take some adjustments and efforts for you to get used to the new taste, but you’ll definitely be happy with the effects of your efforts. Your food will not only taste naturally fresher but will also be much healthier for your body and mind.
Don’t worry; you will still get the healthy fats by including avocados, peanuts, almonds, walnuts, pecans, olives, and other healthy food choices.
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