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Choosing
the right foods is just the beginning. How you prepare
them also makes a big difference. Cooking methods that help
retain vitamins and minerals while keeping fat and
calories to a minimum include roasting, baking, broiling,
grilling, braising, sautéing, stir-frying, and micro waving.
The idea is to avoid adding fat or allowing food to cook
in its own fat. Look for techniques that enhance flavor
and preserve nutrients instead. And watch how much salt
you add too. Do
not make your taste buds suffer. Just
because you are cutting down on fat and salt does not mean
you cannot whip up some great meals. A creative cook can
make low fat, low sodium cooking exciting, imaginative and
crowd pleasing. Here are a few great flavor-enhancing
ideas that will help you spice up your everyday dishes and
your special occasions, too.
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Use
fresh herbs whenever possible. Us a mortar and pestle
go grind them for freshest and fullest flavor
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Grate
fresh ginger with a flat, sheet-type grater. Use a
good processor to grate fresh horseradish - fresh
packs a lot more punch that the salted, bottled
kind.
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Add
dried herbs such as thyme, rosemary and marjoram to
dishes for a more pungent flavor but use them
sparingly.
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Use
citrus zest. It holds the true flavor of the fruit.
Grate it with a flat, sheet-type grater or remove it
with a vegetable peeler and cut the pieces into thin
strips.
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Toast
seeds, nuts, and whole spices to bring out their full
flavor. Cook them in a dry skillet over moderate heat
or on a baking sheet in a 400 degree F
oven.
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Roasting
vegetables in a hot oven will caramelize their natural
sugars and bring out their full favor.
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Use
vinegar or citrus juice for a wonderful
flavor-enhancer, but add it at the last moment.
Vinegar is great on vegetables such as green and citrus
works well on fruits such as melons, Either is great
with fish.
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Use
dry mustard for a zesty flavor in cooking or mix it
with water to make a very sharp condiment.
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for
a little more bite to your dishes, add fresh hot
peppers. Remove the membrane and the seeds before
finely chopping. And remember a small amount goes a long
way.
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