Along with the growing awareness in society about the quality of life, more and more people are deciding to introduce healthy eating habits into their everyday lives. They choose organic and unprocessed ingredients that allow them to enjoy not only the excellent quality of the dishes, but also their taste. However, choosing the right ingredients is not everything. How you prepare your food, and what you prepare it on, is also important. So what is healthy cooking?
Along with the growing awareness in society about the quality of life, more and more people are deciding to introduce healthy eating habits into their everyday lives. They choose organic and unprocessed ingredients that allow them to enjoy not only the excellent quality of the dishes, but also their taste. However, choosing the right ingredients is not everything. How you prepare your food, and what you prepare it on, is also important. So what is healthy cooking?
How to cook sous vide?
One cooking method that is growing in popularity is the sous vide method, which was previously associated only with exclusive restaurants. Now, with the necessary equipment much more easily available, you can use this method in virtually any venue. So what is sous vide cooking?
The name comes from French and means “in a vacuum”. This is due to the fact that food prepared in this way is packed in special vacuum bags, which are then sealed, leaving their contents airtight. They are then placed in a water bath, where the dishes are cooked at a relatively low temperature. The process is longer than with traditional cooking methods, but has numerous advantages in return. First of all, it is very beneficial for your health. As the food is cooked at a lower temperature, the content of vitamins and nutrients is much higher. In addition, vacuum packing ensures that micro and macro elements remain in the food and not in the water in which they are cooked. The same goes for the taste. You can therefore use less salt and spices. Other advantages of sous vide include the fact that the food loses less volume and you can avoid the specific smell of such food as fish or cabbage.
If you want to use this method in your kitchen then you will need the right equipment. You can choose between two options – sous vide cookers and immersion circulators. These cookers can be equipped with tanks, into which water is poured and the packed food is placed. Some models will allow you to prepare several dishes at the same time. They are sealed with lids and electronically controlled. Modern technology allows you to accurately control and set the right temperature and cooking time. The second type – circulators – are placed on the rim of a traditional pot. They heat the water to a predetermined level, then set it in motion, which allows the temperature to be evenly distributed. They are much smaller than the previously described type.
In addition to the machines, you will also need vacuum packers and special bags. After the food is packed in the bags, the equipment sucks out the air and then seals them tightly. You can find vacuum bags of various sizes, suitable for both cooking and freezing food, and many brands, including Royal Catering, offer practical kits consisting of bags and vacuum sealers, so you will not have to look for bags that suit your specific sealer.
Cooking in a pressure cooker. Is it healthy?
Pressure cookers have been around in our kitchens for years. Today you will find both traditional models, placed on cookers, and modern electrically powered ones. What they have in common are the general way they work and also the numerous health benefits.
Pressure cookers are essentially very tightly closed pots. Pressure builds up as a result of the temperature, making it easier to cook the food. This lets you prepare your favourite dishes in a much shorter time than cooking in traditional pots. Such equipment has special valves that release excess water vapour, resulting in the pressure inside being constantly stabilised. This helps avoid burns or even the device from exploding. The valve also acts as a whistle, letting you know if you need to reduce the heating. Due to the fact that the pot cannot be opened during cooking, you will need to pour in enough water not to burn the food while cooking. Depending on your needs, you can choose different capacities. For example, Royal Catering offers electric pressure cookers with a capacity of 4 to even 8 litres.
The advantages of these devices include the possibility to quickly and easily prepare healthy stews and much more. The pressure inside keeps the temperature at a constant level, allowing you to prepare such dishes as stewed meat, which normally requires up to several hours of cooking. Additionally, due to the shorter cooking time, you can minimise the loss of nutrients, helping you keep most of the vitamins and minerals.
Healthy lunch dishes with halogen ovens
Halogen ovens are another practical product for healthy cooking. They are an excellent alternative to conventional ovens and stoves, taking up little space in the kitchen and using less electricity. Cooking is also faster and healthier.
The source of heat in these ovens are halogen heaters, which change electricity into heat. The hot air is evenly distributed over the heat-resistant bowl thanks to the built-in fans. As a result, the food inside is cooked evenly on both sides. Some models allow you to regulate both the heating temperature and working time. The heat-resistant bowls are large enough to prepare a healthy dinner for the whole family, and even big enough to fit a whole chicken. In addition, halogen ovens often come with practical accessories that allow for steaming, grilling and more. Check out these bredeco ovens, equipped with utensils for preparing various dishes.
What makes cooking in these ovens healthy? Mainly the fact that you don’t need to use any fat, as they use hot air instead, allowing you to prepare delicious, low-calorie meals. In addition, you won’t need to turn the dish in order for it to be evenly cooked. Depending on your preferences, you can use a halogen oven to prepare healthy chicken dishes with a crispy crust, as well as tender and juicy roasted meat. If you’re looking for inspirations, check out this video, showing the oven in use. You can find it by clicking HERE.
Low-calorie frying without using fat
Deep frying is common in many types of cuisine. To avoid this you have to find completely new ways to prepare your favourite dishes. Fortunately, there are options for frying without using cooking oil.
You can use fat-free fryer to prepare healthy potato or sweet potato chips, as well as meat, vegetable or seafood snacks. Such devices cook using hot air. It evenly cooks the ingredients inside, making them both crispy and delicious. When choosing a fat-free fryer for yourself, pay attention to its capacity and power. Many modern appliances also have a number of functions that make frying various dishes even easier. Watch our video on this topic to help you make the right choice. Click HERE.
Healthy grilling without smoke
In addition to frying, grilling is also a popular method of preparing meat and vegetables. In this case, it is not the fat that is harmful to your health, but the smoke rising from the heat. Small pieces of food or melted fat tend to fall onto the heated charcoal. They then burn, creating carcinogenic compounds that penetrate into the food on the grill together with the smoke. Electric grills are an excellent alternative to traditional charcoal grills, and can be used in any kitchen.
You can choose from many different options, the most common being those equipped with grooved heating plates. They generate a high temperature that effectively grills the food, and their specific shape allows the melted fat to freely flow into the drip trays, which in turn allows you to cooker lower calorie, healthier meals. Additionally, the grooved plate will create a unique pattern on your dishes. Tower rotisseries are another option. They are not as popular as the previous models, but most well-known brands, such as Royal Catering, offer them. You place the ingredients upright or on trays, and the cooking is done in tempered glass chambers equipped with turning mechanisms. Unlike electric grills, in this case food does not come into direct contact with the heated surface. By rotating inside the machine, the ingredients are evenly cooked. Additionally, the vertical structure means that any dripping fat falls entirely into the drip tray. Vertical grills are good for preparing vegetables, skewers and even whole chicken. To find out more about cooking with the type of grill, click HERE.
Yet another option are innovative infrared grills, which generate much less smoke than traditional ones. They used to be found only in professional restaurants, but you can now also find models for home use. Bredeco infrared grills are a good example. As the name suggests, they cook using infrared radiation, which lets you avoid using an open fire, which in turn eliminates a potential fire hazard. Dishes do not come into contact with a hot surface, so you won’t risk burning them. Infrared grills also allow you to prepare low-calorie food without adding fat, as any excess fat flows down to the drip trays located under the heating chamber during cooking. Such equipment often comes with accessories for skewers, grilled chicken or grilled vegetables.
Pots for preparing healthy stews and much more
Delicious stew recipes are becoming more and more popular on the internet. They are appreciated especially by people with small or poorly equipped kitchens, or who simply do not like washing endless numbers of dishes after dinner. They are also popular in the commercial catering industry, especially if you want to use up ingredients that are left over after preparing other dishes. This does not mean, however, that a stew cannot be a healthy and diet option.
Before you start cooking your favourite stew, make sure you choose the right pot. On internet forums you will find many opinions about what to use to prepare healthy food. Many people recommend equipment made of stainless steel, which is because it does not react with food, making it safer for our health. In addition, stainless steel is resistant to corrosion and easy to clean. The smooth surface of stainless steel enables easy cleaning after each use. In turn, the high quality will guarantee long-term use, and reinforced bottoms are often used to provide additional protection against damage. Steel heats up relatively longer, for example, than aluminium, but it also maintains a high temperature for longer, which is useful when preparing large amounts of food. Pay attention also to the pot’s handles, which should be firmly attached so that they do not fall off during use. What else should you remember when choosing pots? Find more information on this topic HERE.
Is using the right equipment for healthy cooking enough?
Using the above-mentioned devices will certainly make following a healthy lifestyle easier. However, changing the way your food is prepared is not everything. You also need to pay attention to the quality of the food you eat. Choose unprocessed products, without the addition of harmful substances, and you will certainly be able to prepare healthy food in your restaurant.
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