| We all know we need to eat healthier - we are | | | | you - either by bringing items from home or by |
| bombarded with that message day and night, as if we | | | | strategic menu ordering at restaurants. This way you |
| couldn't tell from our own health and expanding | | | | won't be starving at any one particular mealtime and |
| waistlines. One of the easiest ways to eat healthier is | | | | likely to scrap the healthy eating habits and dive in into |
| to cook for yourself, but sometimes figuring out how to | | | | a caloric blowout. You can always carry bags of |
| easily master healthy cooking can be a bit of a chore. | | | | snacks with you - carrot sticks, or a handful of |
| Here are some ways take turn familiar recipes into | | | | almonds to tide you over between cooking times, so |
| healthy cooking recipes, as well as tips on how you | | | | that when you head in the kitchen you'll be prepared to |
| can incorporate healthy eating into your daily lifestyle. | | | | keep your commitment to healthy cooking. |
| A basic mistake many people make when trying | | | | Don't forget that healthy cooking can be fun. Just |
| healthy cooking for the first time is attempting recipes | | | | because veggies are good for you doesn't meant |
| that are too complicated for the average cook. To | | | | they have to taste bad. Toss them into a low-fat stir |
| make low-fat recipes, take dishes you are familiar with | | | | fry for a quick and healthy Asian inspired meal, or try |
| and try substituting or removing ingredients to create a | | | | veggie tacos or wraps instead of the traditional |
| lower fat version - pan-fry or sauté instead of | | | | high-fat meat options. And you definitely don't have to |
| deep fry, try low fat cheese or skim milk instead of | | | | skip dessert when you're on the healthy cooking kick. |
| whole. You can even "fry" chicken by breading it with | | | | Experiment with low-fat recipes that use natural |
| low-fat bread combs and baking it in the oven with a | | | | sweeteners like honey or poached or grilled fruit to |
| little olive oil instead of vegetable oil or shortening. | | | | create rich-tasting and satisfying desserts. |
| Making these simple healthy cooking changes will give | | | | And don't forget to get the whole family involved in |
| you more confidence in the kitchen and will allow you | | | | healthy cooking. The family that cooks together will eat |
| to branch out and try more complicated dishes or new | | | | together, since everyone has been involved in the |
| ones, to add to repertoire of low-fat, healthy meals. | | | | process. Let the kids scout out low-fat and healthy |
| Another way to commit to healthy cooking is to | | | | recipes in cookbooks or on the web and shop for and |
| practice meal planning. This is where you map out your | | | | prepare the meal together, for a fun family experience. |
| day and make sure that you have your main meals | | | | Healthy cooking doesn't have to be boring. It can taste |
| and snacks laid out, with healthy choices available to | | | | great and be good for you too. |