Heart Healthy Cooking Tips

Doc

Administrator
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Heart Healthy Cooking Tips

Meats

Trim the visible fat from meat and remove all the skin from poultry.

When roasting meats, use a rack so that the meat does not sit in the
drippings while cooking.

Low temperature roasting (325 - 350 F) is recommended in order to
cook more fat out of the meat.

Instead of basting with pan drippings, keep meat moist by pouring
wine, fruit juice, tomato juice or broth over the meat.

When using the meat drippings, remember to remove the fat first.
Try a gravy separater.

Broil rather than pan-frying meats like hamburger.

Avoid breading meats, so the fat from the meat does not get trapped
in-the bread crumbs.

When making gravy, use a flour and water or cornstarch and water for
thickening rather than roux (flour and butter mixture)

Try ground turkey in recipes instead of ground beef.

Invest in Teflon or Silverstone coated pans to eliminate the need
for butter and/or oil to prevent sticking.

Refrigerate stews and chili to solidify the fat for easy removal.
This method also increases flavor by blending the herbs and spices.

Vegetables

Make vegetables more tempting by adding herbs and spices instead of
using butter. Some examples may be:
- Rosemary with peas, cauliflower and squash
- Dill with green beans and carrots
- Marjoram with brussel sprouts, carrots and spinach
Check your favorite cookbook for more suggestions!

Soups

* Defat soup stock and use additional herbs and spice to yield a
flavorful soup.

* Use skim milk or evaporated skim milk instead of whale milk or cream
called for in many creamy soups.

* Use Casserole Sauce Mix instead of condensed soup mixes in your
favorite recipes. Recipe as follows:

Casserole Sauce Mix

2 c instant non-fat dry milk
3/4 c cornstarch
1/4 c instant salt-free chicken bouillon
2 TB dried onion flakes
1 tsp. dried basil (optional)
1 tsp. dried thyme (optional)
1/2 tsp. pepper

Combine all ingredients. Store in airtight container. Makes 3 cups
of concentrate, which is equivalent to nine 10 1/2 oz. cans of
condensed cream soup.

Source: Unknown handout
 

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Excellent tips, Doc - some which I follow regularly.

I love the idea of the "casserole mix" to have on hand!

Thanks!

Lee
 

Cooksie

Well-known member
Site Supporter
Make your own ranch seasoning mix - less sodium and fewer calories if you use Greek yogurt instead of mayo:

http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/homemade-ranch-seasoning-mix/


1/3 cup dry buttermilk
2 Tbsp. dried parsley
1 1/2 tsp. dried dill weed
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. dried onion flakes
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. dried chives
1 tsp. salt


I bought the buttermilk powder to make this but haven't gotten around to it yet.
 

Ian M.

New member
Thanks, Doc, for sharing these terrific cooking tips. Especially the tip for what herbs to use in cooking Brussels Sprouts. I've long thought there was simply no way of making those things taste edible!

Lee's right - the Casserole mix would be excellent to have on hand along with a large supply of Come Back Sauce..........

Ian M. :cooking:
 
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