A Beginners Guide On How To Cook Healthy Meals
If you’re the kind of person who likes to eat fast foods and microwaveable food in boxes, well, it’s time to change. This change should make it on the list of your 2020 new year’s resolution. Because, however convenient or easier those types of foods are, they are unhealthy habits.
From now on, don’t ever have any reason to skip healthy meals on your daily food consumption. The three main reasons you possibly have when it has to do with healthy meals are:
- You can’t cook.
- You don’t have time.
- You don’t know what to prepare.
There are so many ways you can cook healthy meals. To start you off, you need to learn how to prepare healthy meals on your own. You need to be ready with some mess here and there. Because it’s the fun of learning and creating dishes that you will eat from your cooking.
What Do You Need to Cook Healthy Meals?
The first thing you need, to start eating healthy and prep healthy meals, are the right tools. The second thing you also need is the right foods to boost the quality of your diet routine. As most nutritionists say, people need to practice quality cooking methods and healthy ingredients for a healthier life.
So, what are the right tools for any basic cooking, including cooking healthy meals? You can’t just cook healthy meals with random kitchen utensils or random spices. For beginners, you will need:
Invest in the quality of kitchen appliances— Hard Anodized Nonstick Cookware like pans, large pots, cast iron skillet, rice cooker and a crock-pot or instant pot.
Invest in some kitchen utensils— large spoons and spatulas for mixing and serving, Tupperware, glass containers (for storing leftovers and to reheat food)
A good all-purpose knife (8 inches preferably)— for cutting meats and vegetables
A kitchen shear— to cut meats, vegetables and fruits
Spices— garlic, onions, mustard powder, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg, paprika, rosemary, thyme and other herbs
Now that you have all the right tools to cook healthy meals, it’s time to prepare the right foods. “Real foods” as people refer them are as follows:
Proteins— chicken, lamb, lean beef, seafood, tenderloin, legumes and more
Carbohydrates or Vegetables— broccoli, carrot, kale, sweet potato, asparagus, peppers, and spinach
Healthy Fats— avocado, nuts and seeds, olive oil, and coconut oil
Healthy Drinks— water and tea
Great staples to have at home at all times— canned beans low in sodium, canned diced tomatoes, chicken stock, whole grain pasta, and many more
How to Cook Healthy Meals?
When you don’t have the time, you can still cook simple meals. As a beginner cook, you have to simplify all the cooking process. This will definitely save you time and energy, as well as confusion from reading any recipes.
In other words, since you’re new to cooking, there’s no need to follow dish recipes from books or even online. Here, there’s a simpler way of how to cook healthy meals guideline for beginners. All you need is your choice of protein, a healthy coconut or olive oil for cooking. Also, take a few selections of your favorite carbohydrates or vegetables, and a few spices for flavors.
Now, for the real show, here are some healthy cooking tips for beginners. Let’s start with your source of protein:
Turn your stove on to medium heat.
Add 1-4 tablespoons of your preferred cooking oil.
Your protein should be as big as your palm, for a healthier amount. So, go ahead and put your protein on the heated cooking oil. Be careful not to get splashed by cooking oil.
Cover and simmer on medium or low temperature until tender and cooked.
Add the spices— garlic, onions, ginger, chili powder or others of your favorites.
Guide to Prep Healthy Meals
Now that you’re all set up to cook healthy meals on your own, there’s one last thing you could do. Last but not least, set yourself with this beginner’s guide to prep healthy meals for eating healthy. As you know, you need to stop buying and eating any microwaveable foods. Even though you hassle with a lot of work and errands, that doesn’t make you have any time for cooking.
Prepping your healthy meals is a way to save you time and energy with all your activities ahead of time. It’s actually a strategy to keep your diet routine on track. Once you’re used to it, you’ll be eating healthier meals every day.
Remember, meal prepping doesn’t have any specific formulas. Thus, meal prepping involves your creativity or innovation in the planning. Whether chopping out some veggies for salad, reheating leftovers from last night’s cooking, and other ideas based on your healthy meals.
Here’s how you can get started
Brainstorming ideas to cook healthy meals for the week— start with at least 3 healthy meal prep recipes a week.
Cook multiple dishes at once when you have less time cooking.
Use mason jars and glass containers for safe storing and are safe for reheating in the microwave.
Meal prep recipes for 2 or 3 days, since most food will only last for 3 days in the fridge.
Hence, here’s some healthy meal prep recipe plans you can do every day
Overnight Oats— use rolled oats, add berries, chia seeds, walnuts, etc. and finish with your favorite toppings.
Fruit and Granola Greek Yoghurt Parfait
Peanut Butter Sandwich (whole grain bread).
Greek Salad— with grilled chicken on top
Spicy Chicken with Rice and Beans— use an instant pot for cooking this recipe
Roasted Chicken— with Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes.
Veggie Sandwich—avocado, tomatoes, red onions, romaine lettuce, cucumber, carrots, sprouts and red cabbage.
Sesame Noodles— whole grain noodles, grilled chicken, vegetables, and creamy sesame sauce.
With all that, are you ready to be in the kitchen for a much longer time than before? So, make yourself comfortable and enjoy your time in the kitchen. Maybe putting a small TV and tune up some music as you start to cook healthy meals based on your own creation.