We are in winter and the low temperatures as well as the fewer hours of sunlight encourage us to look for pleasant foods with a higher concentration of calories. Therefore, if you have decided to eat healthier in this new year, we tell you how to subtract calories from your spoon dishes to achieve lighter and more nutritious options.
Choose real foods, and avoid processed and ultra-processed
Base all our dishes on real, fresh food and when possible seasonal, it is key to achieving preparations of good nutritional quality and much lighter.
Thus, in our spoon dishes we recommend using fruits, vegetables, fresh and lean meats, as well as fish or shellfish. avoiding ultra-processed foods as much as possible such as cold meats, sausages, alcoholic beverages, sugars and others that can derive from the industry and offer, in addition to poor quality additives and nutrients, many calories.
Avoid fried foods whenever possible
The addition of fried foods to our spoon dishes or using frying during cooking, can incorporate a lot of unnecessary fat and calories.
For this, we recommend use extra virgin olive oil in small quantities and choose healthier cooking methods such as steaming or cooking directly in broth, preserving all the nutrients without draining or discarding the juice or broth remaining after cooking.
In this way, we will add nutrients and save calories, avoiding cooking methods that add fat to the dishes.
Always incorporate vegetables, vegetables or fruits
Both vegetables and fruits are a source of fiber, vitamins, minerals and a high water content without many calories inside.
For this reason, they cannot fail to be present in our spoon dishes to add volume and good nutrients without increasing its caloric intake; also helping to satiate us easily.
Dispense with the addition of juices and alcoholic beverages
Both juices and alcoholic beverages can be used to flavor our spoon dishes, however They are sources of empty calories. that our body does not need.
Although a large part of the alcohol in the drink we use can evaporate, it is also possible that traces of ethanol remain on our plate, as well as calories derived from other nutrients in the drink.
For all this, and because they do not offer any benefit, we recommend avoid the addition of juices and alcoholic beverages in our spoon dishes, preferring instead chicken, vegetable, fish or other broths for their preparation.
Avoid the use of free or added sugars
The use of sugar, honey or other sources of sugar is common in our spoon dishes to reduce acidity and give a sweet flavor that, at the same time, highlights other flavors.
However, they are free or added sugars that do not benefit the body at all and that can have an addictive effect on our body, being also source of unnecessary calories in our spoon dishes.
If we want to reduce the acidity in our spoon dishes or provide a sweet touch, we recommend using sweeteners or fruit and vegetables instead natural sugar sources.
Use legumes and whole grains instead of refined grains
For subtract calories and at the same time increase the satiating power of spoon dishes, we recommend using legumes and whole grains instead of refined cereals.
If we want to make a spoon dish that is a source of quality carbohydrates, we recommend turn to legumes as well as whole grains, that at the same time offers proteins and fiber that are easily satiating and absorb a high water content during cooking, thus being low calorie density ingredients.
Refined cereals and derivatives of these, such as noodles, white rice or others, do not fill you up easily and, on the contrary, stimulate us to eat more and more.
Avoid adding cream in large quantities
To give a creamy texture to our spoon dishes, cream or butter is often used source of saturated fats in appreciable amounts.
They are not only a source of fat mainly, but also of calories. Therefore, we recommend use instead ingredients such as natural yogurt, coconut milk, evaporated milk, or a fresh beaten cheese with low fat content.
These are the keys to achieving lighter spoon dishes subtracting calories from them and adding good nutrients.
The best recipes for light spoon dishes to prepare at home
Taking into account the above, we leave a selection of light and healthy spoon dishes that we can prepare to taste without guilt in this new year:
Various soups and creams
Other light and healthy spoon dishes
Direct to the Palate | 67 recipes for spoon dishes for cold days
Image | Straight to the Palate, iStock and Jumpstory