When you take care of yourself and become relentless about living a healthy lifestyle, it shows. Not only does it show through your ability to age well, but it also reflects your standard of self-worth and self-care. What you put in your body is essential to your overall health. Start with your healthy cooking journey. When you add variety to the experience, you’ll make it more enjoyable. Consider the following ways you can turn up the heat and flair in the kitchen.
Make Small Changes
Don’t try to eliminate sugar from your diet immediately. This can lead to deprivation, discouragement, and binge eating. Instead, find ways to gradually cut sugar out of the diet. Finding a good sugar alternatives could help with this. For example, if you love iced tea, use raw honey instead of white sugar. If you love dairy-based sauces, make gradual ingredient substitutions until you find a healthier recipe alternative. You can also try adding small details to a recipe to improve it. For example, if you don’t like plain Brussels sprouts, try seasoning them to your specific tastes.
Use the Best Ingredients
Get acquainted with the produce section. Find different fresh herbs and vegetables that you can incorporate into your food. If you’re opting to use vegan butter instead of the dairy version, purchase fresh rosemary, sage and thyme. Let the herbs simmer in the butter on low heat. Using the high quality, fresh ingredients instead of the dry alternative will add to your dishes and bring out unique flavor combinations each time for an unforgettable addition to meats, sauces and more.
Add New Flair to Old Recipes
If you love a great breakfast casserole, consider wrapping the casserole ingredients in a burrito. This will make it convenient as well as help with portion control. Instead of using the same grilled chicken in salads, add the authentic taste of high-quality Mexican chorizo. The small switch will give you something new and fun to look forward to while still have a nice salad. If you’re in love with fettuccine Alfredo, add some kale and make a homemade kale pesto fettucine. Pesto is a sauce anyone can easily make at home and enjoy while kale is a superfood that’s filled with nutrients.
Consider Different Liquid Bases
Instead of using a fattening cream sauce to make the sauce for your beef wellington, make a cream sauce that uses fat-free coconut milk as the base. Add vegetable stock, fresh seasonings and allow the ingredients to simmer on low heat. If you’re not a fan of brown rice because of the flavor, add low sodium chicken stock to the pot instead of water. Rice tends to take on the flavor of whatever it’s cooked in. Smoothies are great meal-replacement options when you’re on the go. Instead of opting for water as the liquid base, try almond milk or macadamia nut milk. You’ll achieve a creamy taste that’s out of this world.
As you begin to implement these tips and tricks, you’ll find that your creative juices will begin to flow. Then, it becomes an organically intuitive experience. Before long, you’ll be a professional in the kitchen, and you’ll have the healthy body to show for it.