I came across this article today, 10 Secrets to Cooking Healthier .  I thought it was a really good piece and wanted to elaborate on it a bit more.

1. Use smart fats – We hear it everywhere – EVOO is your best option
2. Go unrefined (whole grain vs processed) – This is actually one of our biggest sources of “sugars” in our diets.  We need the FIBER not the sugars.
3. Eat more fruits and veggies – Find ways to sneak these in.  Prepare enough that you can snack for a couple of days on them. Buy them from local growers and they will stay fresh longer and maintain more of the nutrients than those purchased in the supermarket or super store.
4. Its not all about meat – we’ve begun eating more legumes for our proteins.  The majority of our “meat” is chicken or turkey & fish with an occasional steak night for my “mainstream hubby”.
5. Choose low-fat dairy – We choose Soy milk or Almond milk over cow’s and limit our dairy intake due to the hormones fed to the grocery store source herds.
6. Keep portions reasonable – This one is really easy. When we eat a steak, my hubby & 6 year old split the big ole monster rather than eating one each.  when eating out, ask for your to go boxes up front, put half or more of your meal in the container and take your time enjoying the tasty food  you’ve just ordered. Most places now offer steamed veggies like brocolocoloccoli or carrots or green beans.
7. Use sweeteners judiciously – steer clear of artificial sweeteners, they have side effects, move toward the more natural options and use them much less. (See #9)
8. Keep an eye on sodium – When you begin making your own foods from whole sources, this becomes much easier since most things we buy in the store ready made are LOADED with the stuff!
9. Go for flavor – We like adding sliced strawberries & lemon to our water for a tasty treat.  Fruit infused water is one of the special things our 6 year old likes since she can’t have other flavored drinks. (I’ll be adding an article soon on bold flavors with metabolism boosting properties.)
10. Be Mindful and Enjoy  (healthy can be convenient when we think ahead) When we take the time to really enjoy what we have to eat instead of inhaling it like a vacuum cleaner many positive things happen in our bodies. A favorite book of mine on this topic is Eating with Fierce Kindness.

For more information, please feel free to contact me, or stop by our Facebook pages, The Healthy Grease Monkey or Feel Good Fast.