The thought of cooking without oil is unheard of for most people that like to cook. However, olive oil, or any oil for that matter, is SO BAD for us. I know what "they" tell us....olive oil is "heart healthy", it's full of omega-3s, blah...blah...blah. None of this is true!! Of course, the makers of olive oil would like us all to believe olive oil is part of a healthy diet, but, I am here to tell you, it is NOT!
Oil, whether it be olive, canola, vegetable, peanut, sesame, etc., is FAT. Each tablespoon is about 120 calories, (believe me, a tablespoon is not much) and full of fat. FOR WHAT? It's not like you are sitting down and eating a bowl of ice cream for those calories......they are unnecessary calories that are NOT good for you or your heart. They clog your arteries and make them become very stiff...arteries are suppose to be very smooth and flexible. If omega-3s are still on your mind, you can get MUCH MORE omega-3s from flaxseeds without all the artery-clogging fat.
The fat that we want to consume are the fats that are found naturally in foods, in whole foods, just as nature intended, not fats that have been processed into an oil, a substance our body would say, "No thank you" to. The fats that nature intended us to have are fats found in avocados, coconuts, nuts and seeds. Here are a few suggestions you could use in place of oil:
Vegetables: When you are sauteing vegetables on the stove, simply replace the oil with water or vegetable broth. You can use other liquids too, but these two are the most common oil replacements for sauteing. Vegetables naturally have a lot of water in them, so they release liquid while cooking, so we only need to add very little liquid. It is important, however, to watch your saute as you may need to add tiny bits of water often. We want to saute, not boil. I just keep a glass of water nearby so I'm ready.
Your food can quickly burn if all the water cooks off and you are not paying attention. Heat up your skillet with a couple tablespoons of water, then add whatever vegetables you will be sauteing. Keep the vegetables moving with a wooden spoon for a few minutes until they soften. The nice thing about sauteing your vegetables this way is you will TASTE the vegetables and not the oil.
Baked goods: Oil can also be replaced in baked goods in different ways. You can use other moist foods like apples or applesauce, bananas, dates soaked in water, etc. It takes a little practice experimenting with different foods, but it is well worth the effort. Once you get it, your golden!
When preparing your pans for baking, you can use parchment paper instead of oil. Also, silicone bakeware is great....foods just pop right out.
Salad dressings: When following a recipe that calls for oil, I just omit it all together, or, add a little more of whatever liquid I am using. It may be hard to imagine eating a salad without the traditional oil and vinegar, but when you stop using oil, I think you will appreciate the flavor of the vegetables more without the "oil slick".
To make homemade dressings without the oil, I like to use prepared mustards, vinegar, or juice (apple, lime, lemon, orange, etc.), and if making a blended dressing, you could add fruits such as strawberries, mangos, or cucumbers. For a creamy dressing, try tofu, avocado or soaked nuts, but be careful, these are much higher in calories than fruits and vegetables. A tablespoon of fresh herbs like cilantro, parsley or basil also add lots of flavor.
It may take a little time to get used to cooking without oil, but give yourself some time...it's like anything else, once you break the bad habit, you won't miss it. After a couple of weeks to a month, if you taste food that has oil in it, you will probably find you don't like it....it almost has a greasy slimy feel to it.
So good riddance to oil....your arteries will be doing a jig.......
Oil, whether it be olive, canola, vegetable, peanut, sesame, etc., is FAT. Each tablespoon is about 120 calories, (believe me, a tablespoon is not much) and full of fat. FOR WHAT? It's not like you are sitting down and eating a bowl of ice cream for those calories......they are unnecessary calories that are NOT good for you or your heart. They clog your arteries and make them become very stiff...arteries are suppose to be very smooth and flexible. If omega-3s are still on your mind, you can get MUCH MORE omega-3s from flaxseeds without all the artery-clogging fat.
The fat that we want to consume are the fats that are found naturally in foods, in whole foods, just as nature intended, not fats that have been processed into an oil, a substance our body would say, "No thank you" to. The fats that nature intended us to have are fats found in avocados, coconuts, nuts and seeds. Here are a few suggestions you could use in place of oil:
Vegetables: When you are sauteing vegetables on the stove, simply replace the oil with water or vegetable broth. You can use other liquids too, but these two are the most common oil replacements for sauteing. Vegetables naturally have a lot of water in them, so they release liquid while cooking, so we only need to add very little liquid. It is important, however, to watch your saute as you may need to add tiny bits of water often. We want to saute, not boil. I just keep a glass of water nearby so I'm ready.
Your food can quickly burn if all the water cooks off and you are not paying attention. Heat up your skillet with a couple tablespoons of water, then add whatever vegetables you will be sauteing. Keep the vegetables moving with a wooden spoon for a few minutes until they soften. The nice thing about sauteing your vegetables this way is you will TASTE the vegetables and not the oil.
Baked goods: Oil can also be replaced in baked goods in different ways. You can use other moist foods like apples or applesauce, bananas, dates soaked in water, etc. It takes a little practice experimenting with different foods, but it is well worth the effort. Once you get it, your golden!
When preparing your pans for baking, you can use parchment paper instead of oil. Also, silicone bakeware is great....foods just pop right out.
Salad dressings: When following a recipe that calls for oil, I just omit it all together, or, add a little more of whatever liquid I am using. It may be hard to imagine eating a salad without the traditional oil and vinegar, but when you stop using oil, I think you will appreciate the flavor of the vegetables more without the "oil slick".
To make homemade dressings without the oil, I like to use prepared mustards, vinegar, or juice (apple, lime, lemon, orange, etc.), and if making a blended dressing, you could add fruits such as strawberries, mangos, or cucumbers. For a creamy dressing, try tofu, avocado or soaked nuts, but be careful, these are much higher in calories than fruits and vegetables. A tablespoon of fresh herbs like cilantro, parsley or basil also add lots of flavor.
It may take a little time to get used to cooking without oil, but give yourself some time...it's like anything else, once you break the bad habit, you won't miss it. After a couple of weeks to a month, if you taste food that has oil in it, you will probably find you don't like it....it almost has a greasy slimy feel to it.
So good riddance to oil....your arteries will be doing a jig.......
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