Spice it up?

Question

Do you eat healthily? I eat alot of chicken and fish and veg and salads but it gets very bland at times, how can i make my meals more interesting, more flavour without adding fat?

Answer 1

Lentils or beans are very good for you. They do have more calories but the benefits are greater than empty calorie foods. I eat pretty much the same way you do, but I fix a big pot of lentils or bean soup and put Chile powder, onions and sometimes celery into it. I eat a SMALL bowl of it with my meals when I feel I want something spicier. I freeze the rest in either pint (or smaller) sized canning/freezing jars, then use them as I want. This works well for me. Another thing I have learned to do to make a more satisfying meal out of a salad is to bake chicken breasts and slice them up to add to salads. I cook several at one time so I can cut them up and freeze in usable amounts. I use to be a 'Junk Food Junkie' but find out the healthier I eat, the less I crave the sugar and carbs that are bad for you.

Answer 2

Well, a good easy, healthy recipie the you can make at home is Seasoned Rigatoni
Ingredients:
Rigatoni Pasta
Almound Slices
Seasoned Croutons
Olive Oil
Roasted Red Peppers (You can but them in a jar.)

Cook your Rigatoni pasta for 15 min. Meanwhile, take out a frying pan and heat. Pour some olive oil on it and lightly fry your almond slices. They cook quickly so watch them the entire time. When they are done, put them in a food processor with your seasoned croutons from the store. Place into a large bowl. Slice up some roasted red peppers. When the Rigatoni is complete, put it into the bowl with you bits of almond and croutons. through in the red peppers and mix it all together for the perfect and inexpensive meal. (Does well as left overs too!)

Answer 3

Chicken, and most fish, accept flavors that you add very well. Using different spices, such as cumin (smokey flavor) chilis (for hotness as well as taste) chili powder garlic etc help to make your bland foods a lot more appetizing. Check different cookbooks to see food/spice combinations. FoodTV.com is a good source as well as the new foods section in Yahoo.

Answer 4

All of the above are great ways to add to the flavor of semingly bland food. One that is missing that complements all the above is salt. Even though you're trying to be healthy, salt has its qualities, both good and bad, and when used properly, and in moderation, can make food delicious and healthy.
Also, when the weather gets a bit nicer, I love to grill food. All the foods you mentioned are excellent on the grill (its a great way to make your family eat their vegetables!)

Answer 5

holy trinity-garlic, onion, celery (or bell pepper-dep. on who u ask)-either is good, both better-plus a dash of cayenne and a zip of salt (not bad in moderation-ur body needs some). sautee in olive oil. Sear the fish on top of this. Iron skillet best.. mmmm mmm.
Stir fry chick. in this or bake in oven w/ this mix. do whatever.
I eat relatively healthy but, I will use some flour and butter to make a roux (gravy base), then add my ingredients.

see Ginza above-best: Tonys Chachere's, Emeril's Escence, Zataran's (Tony's best for foods that are already cooked)

Answer 6

Other than the obvious choice of using different seasonings, you can also try different cheeses (which are good for you) and varieties of breads and whole wheat pastas. Also, check out the ethnic foods section of your grocery store for cooking ideas. Japanese food is very healthy. Buy a sushi cookbook and try out a few recipes.

Answer 7

Just buy you Fat free Italian dressing.You can use it as a marinate,dressing,flavoring for grilling chicken,and still will be fat free.They make several Vinaigrette's that are fat free and spicy.Great for flavor.....

Answer 8

Try spicing them up with a little Cayenne pepper, and some curry powder.

Answer 9

Buy some creole seasoning, it's spicy and goes great on meat (chicken is my preference), green beans, alfredo pasta... and a whole lot more.

Answer 10

Use spices!
Most spices have little to no calories and no fat.
(Some spices rev up your metabolism)

Oregano
Garlic
Paprika on fish
Go to the spice rack and go crazy