The Natural Gourmet: Basics of Cooking Healthy (and Delicious!) Food

Frying is a sure-fire way to make your food taste good. But, what about steaming, boiling or simmering?

The truth is, there are lots of healthy cooking techniques that will make your food tender and tastier and release nutrients that aren't available in fried, grilled, sauteed, or even raw foods.

This week at the Natural Gourmet I had the opportunity to experiment with various healthy cooking methods (my beautiful poached pear pictured above!) and taste all of the results! Here's a rundown of my favorites:

Poaching: To cook in liquid that is very hot, but not bubbling, about 160 degrees F to 180 degrees F. You want to put the fruit in just enough cooking liquid to cover it. Keep the liquid just barely simmering and make sure to turn the fruit a few times, until a sharp knife barely pierces through to the inside of the fruit. Check out the "Perfect Poached Pear" recipe, pictured above, at Creative Delites. Feel free to substitute apples, peaches, plums, even cherries. For more poached fruit recipes click here.

Advantages: Poaching is fast, efficient and a healthy method of preparing foods.

Blanching

Blanching: To cook an item partially and very briefly (1 to 2 minutes) in boiling water. This a really great method for preparing Crudite for crowds!

Advantages: Blanching improves the color and flavor of vegetables and  loosens peels.

Shocking: To plunge blanched or parboiled vegetables into ice cold water to stop the cooking. This method works well for colorful veggies, such as greens. Try blanching and then shocking broccoli florets, carrots and turnips.

Advantages: Shocking gives vegetables great color and it's a terrific method for preparing vegetables that require different cooking times.

Boiling: To cook in liquid that is bubbling rapidly, about 212 degrees F. You want to bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it generously (the water should taste like tears -- happy ones!), and toss in your vegetables. Cook them until they begin to get tender. Then, drain using a large slotted spoon. Experiment boiling artichoke hearts and dressing them with an Italian vinaigrette.

Parboiling: To cook partially in boiling or simmering liquid.  Here, too, you want to bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it generously. Toss in your vegetables and cook them so that they are underdone because you'll be cooking them again by another method. For example, try parboiling your greens or potatoes work great with this cooking method. Check out this recipe for "Parboiled and Roasted Sweet Potatoes", pictured above, at Creative Delites.

Advantages: Unlike boiling, parboiling preserves nutrients and the vegetables retain their color.

Steaming

Steaming: To cook by direct contact with steam. Fill one of those fold-up baskets or bowls that you can place into the bottom of a covered pot with veggies, set it over a few inches of water, cover, and turn the heat to high. Check frequently to make sure there is still water in the bottom of the pot. You can also steam fish and veggies by tightly wrapping them in parchment paper or in a covered pan and placing it in the oven, so they cook in the steam created by their own moisture.

Advantages: Steaming is fast, efficient,  and the preserves vitamin content of your food.

Simmering: To cook in liquid that is bubbling gently, about 185 degrees F to 205 degrees F. You don't want the water to be bubbling rapidly, so look for just a column of bubbles. Try simmering chopped leeks, chopped tomatoes, and sliced garlic together in a big pot.

Advantages: Retains moisture and flavor of the food, without overcooking it.