When it comes to cooking healthy at home, it’s not just what you cook that matters, it’s also how you cook. Various cooking techniques can influence the taste, texture and nutritional value of your food. Mastering some basic healthy cooking techniques is helpful for new cooks. It can aid in meal preparation and help preserve the nutrients in your food. Here are some basic techniques to get you cooking healthy at home like a pro.
Steaming
Steaming. Steaming is another cooking technique that should be part of everyone’s arsenal. It’s one of the best ways to retain nutrients, colour and texture and is great for vegetables, fish and even dumplings. Steaming also requires hardly any fat and prevents food from being overcooked, leaving food soft yet retaining its firmness. You can start off using a steaming basket, a simple colander or even a microwave-safe bowl. Mastering how to steam will help you master how to cook food just right, while retaining its nutrients, colour and most importantly, its taste.
Saute
Sautéing involves cooking ingredients quickly in a small amount of healthy oil over medium-high heat. It is a great way to cook vegetables, lean proteins, and tofu. I like to use olive oil or avocado oil because they have great flavor and are high in healthy fats (not calories). If you are new to sautéing, be mindful of the heat, stir frequently, and chop your ingredients to a uniform size so they cook evenly and fast. This technique will help you master the balance of heat and cooking time, and brings out the natural flavors of your ingredients.
Roast
It works well for vegetables, meats (like poultry), and even fruit. This method employs dry heat to bring out the inherent sugars in the ingredients, thereby developing flavor without relying on rich sauces. Cooking at a moderate temperature helps retain nutrients and achieves a nice texture. To get started, lay your ingredients out in a single layer on a baking sheet, add just a pinch of salt, and keep an eye on the baking time. Roasting is relatively foolproof and straightforward to master; the result is a beautiful, delicious meal.
Grilling
Grilling is a great way to create smoky flavor and ensures that excess fat drips off food, so it’s an ideal cooking technique for meats, fish, and vegetables. Those new to grilling should preheat the grill, brush the grill with a small amount of oil, and monitor the time on the grill to prevent charring. Grilling also helps you learn how to control direct and indirect heat, timing, and seasoning, all of which helps home cooks create tasty dishes with less added fat.
Boiling and Poaching
Boiling and poaching are both used for grains, pasta, eggs, and more fragile protein sources such as fish. Boiling is quick and simple, but because of nutrient loss, timing is everything. Poaching utilizes simmering liquid to cook foods slowly and uniformly, yielding tender results without added fats. As with steaming, it helps newcomers to practice with temperature, timing, and liquid ratios—necessary tools for home-cooked meals.
Stewing and Braising
Next up: braising and stewing, both of which entail cooking your ingredients in a low volume of liquid for a long period of time. They’re great for cooking tougher pieces of meat, beans, and vegetables. The slow cooking process means your flavors will blend together while locking in moisture and tenderness. This is a great technique to teach beginners about letting food sit and building flavor. Plus, it’s an easy way to prepare filling, healthy dishes that don’t need much fuss once they’re cooking.
Stir Frying
High-heat cooking that retains color, texture, and nutrients of ingredients. Commonly used in Asian cooking. Great for vegetables, lean meats and tofu. Tips for the beginner: Chop all ingredients before stir-frying. Stir constantly. Do not overfill the pan. What stir-frying will teach you: Fast preparation, Speed, Control of texture and flavor.
Bake
Baking. Another low-fat cooking technique, baking employs dry heat, cooking food evenly. Baking can be used for vegetables, protein, and even whole grain bread or casserole dishes. Baking lets you leave your food alone and usually retains flavor well. Newbies must learn to regulate the oven heat, how to prepare their food, and how to gauge time, to prevent either under or overcooking. This method is good for learning patience and accuracy, two musts for home cooking.
Hybrid Approaches
Steaming vegetables before throwing them into a pan with herbs and a little olive oil, roasting your meat while boiling your rice are just a few examples of how these methods can be combined to create healthier dishes. Once you start mixing and matching you start opening yourself up to more options for flavor, texture and nutrition. Those new to cooking should start playing around with some of these combinations in order to enhance their culinary skills and healthy meal options.
Beginners, take note
When using added fats and seasonings, do so sparingly to add flavor without overpowering natural taste.
Make sure all ingredients are cut to the same size so that they cook at the same rate.
Take the time to prep all the ingredients before you start cooking to make the process easier.
Heat and cooking time are key to retaining nutrients and texture.
Season to taste, adding a little at a time. You don’t want it too salty or sweet.
Healthy Cooking 101
Here’s what’s really going on: Healthy cooking techniques are foundational tools that allow new cooks to make delicious and nutritious food. With basic cooking methods — like steaming, sautéing, roasting, grilling, and more — you can prepare simple, tasty, and nutritious meals every single day. You get good at cooking these techniques the more you practice, with patience, and an openness to learning.