Are you stuck in a healthy food rut? Don't worry! We're here to help you fall in love with wholesome food again. While eating healthy isn't always easy, it doesn't have to be hard either. Start cooking healthier in the kitchen by following these 10 simple tricks.
Cook With Vegetables
Adding veggies to any dish is a great way to amp up the vitamins and nutrients. Serve them up as a side, or use them as the main ingredient in a savory recipe like this Spicy Veggie Burger. Either way, loading your plate with tasty vegetables is bound to have a great effect on your health!
Make your Seasonings
Skip the store-bought seasonings and make your own instead! Take time to be creative in the kitchen and blend your favorite herbs and spices to create a seasoning that you truly enjoy. Making a seasoning at home means that you get to choose what ingredients go into it.
Need some inspiration? Make this Bean Soup Seasoning Mix. Though not just for soup, this versatile mix can be sprinkled on eggs, tacos, or even used to add a boost of flavor to veggies burgers!
Use Whole Food Ingredients
Want to be a healthier cook? Start by cooking with whole-food ingredients. Minimally processed, natural ingredients allow you to create healthy and nutritious meals that aren't overflowing with chemicals. Wholesome ingredients like quinoa and barley are incredibly versatile and can be used to make a variety of dishes. Use these whole-foods to create a hearty salad like this Quinoa Tabbouleh or a sweet breakfast like these Barley and Kombucha Crepes. The possibilities are endless!
Skip the Frying
Instead of frying your favorite foods, try grilling them. Though at first grilling may seem intimidating, it's actually quite easy. Grilling at a high temperature helps lock in the flavor and moisture of your favorite foods. Additionally, because food is placed on a rack, the fat drips away from what is being cooked. This means that it stays on the grill and off of your plate!
If you're searching for a good grilling recipe try making this Coconut-Hazlenut Shrimp with Grilled Peach Salsa. Easy to make and incredibly flavorful, it's the perfect meal to start your grilling journey.
Change up the Menu
Eating the same thing every day can get boring. Keep yourself from reaching for tempting junk food by continually changing up the menu. When your weekly menu is full of exciting and healthy recipes, processed foods will seem less appealing!
Want to change up your menu but don't know where to start? Check out some of our delicious entrees!
Amp up the Flavor
When foods are dull and flavorless, we tend to load them up with unhealthy sauces and salt. To make sure the meals you cook at home are as wholesome as possible, amp up the flavor in a healthy way! Adding spices, herbs, fruits, seeds and even nutty grains like quinoa to a meal are all great ways to give an otherwise bland dish a boost of flavor.
If you've cooked your meal and still find that it needs an extra boost of flavor, then we suggest topping it with a healthy, homemade sauce like this Cashew No-Cheese Sauce. Creamy, cheesy and completely dairy-free, this sauce is a great way to add flavor to any dish!
Use More Grains
Packed with protein and fiber, grains are an essential ingredient when it comes to healthy cooking. Incorporating more grains into your diet can help ensure that your body remains healthy and strong. If you want to start including more grains into your daily meals but don't know where to begin, try starting with a simple recipe like this Breakfast Quinoa. Gluten free, vegan and high in fiber it's a delicious breakfast recipe that will help keep you full and energized until your next meal.
Swap Pasta for Veggies
For a healthier pasta alternative, try swapping traditional noodles out for veggies noodles. Incorporating veggie noodles into the menu is a great way to ensure that you are getting your weekly serving of this superfood. Easy to make, veggies noodles truly shine when served with a flavorful pasta sauce like this Hemp Pesto.
Create a Weekly Menu
Planning your menu a week in advance allows you to thoughtfully choose the ingredients you want to use in your meals. Choosing meals with healthy, wholesome ingredients is the first step to becoming a healthier cook. We suggest sitting down and writing out each meal that you want to make the following week. Once you've decided on your meals, list out the ingredients needed. Having a clear list of healthy ingredients will help keep you on track and away from unnecessary processed foods.
Meal Prep
Much like creating your weekly menu, meal prepping is a huge part of becoming a healthy at-home cook. Breakfast smoothies, soups and even oatmeal are all delicious meals that can be prepped ahead of time. Having these meals ready to go when you need them will make it easy to stick to your health goals.
From whole food ingredients to creating your own seasonings, we hope that these 10 healthy cooking tips have left you inspired and ready to hit the kitchen!
