6 healthy food hacks: deliciously easy, and still good for you

Remember? Anthony Bourdain declaring on Oprah that the reason food you get in a restaurant is often so much tastier than at home is BUTTER. And of course we wholeheartedly encourage you to do your best to make everything as flavorful as possible in your own kitchen at home, but sometimes it’s time for a slightly healthier day (rather than a quarter-pack-of-butter day), and that’s when these healthy hacks come in handy!

Because it can’t be hamburger-and-fries party time every day, although you can find some ideas for healthier hamburgers here. And with the tips below, you can give whatever you cook or bake a healthy twist every day:

Make your own crunchy muesli or granola

There are more and more delicious and healthy varieties on the shelves, but there’s also plenty of sugary junk. If you make it yourself, you’ll always know exactly what’s in your granola. And it’s not difficult at all! For healthy versions, use little to no sugar, and with the tips in our granola guide, you can enjoy your own crunchy, fresh granola within an hour.

Focus on vegetables

There are an incredible number of great vegetable cookbooks on the market that could keep you going all day, and you’ll find many of their recipes here. How about having Jamie Oliver’s spinach pancakes for breakfast? Then have a hearty salad alongside your sandwich or soup for lunch, and there’s so much to choose from in the evening too. Star-chef petjel with peanut sauce! Ottolenghi’s portobello steaks! Pasta Primavera! More generally, you could always start with the idea of filling half your plate with vegetables first.

Roux instead of cream

Many dishes with a cream-based sauce can also be made with a roux. It makes your sauces smooth yet substantial, and it’s lower in calories than cream. Easy to make yourself: equal parts flour and butter (say 50:50 grams for a sauce), and about half a liter of milk, depending on the desired thickness. Melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour with a wooden spoon and let it cook for a few minutes. Then add the milk little by little, stirring vigorously all the while, now with a whisk, until you have the consistency you want. Add salt and pepper, and your basic sauce is ready! It’s a great substitute for cream in, for example, a seafood gratin, or this delicious spaghetti with garlic prawns!

Oven fries

Of course, this isn’t the same as a magnificent golden mountain from the deep fryer, but it is healthier than most oven fries you find in the supermarket freezer. They’re often pre-fried in lots of oil and then treated with all kinds of coatings. For a healthy alternative, cut potatoes into fries, parboil them briefly (about 3 to 5 minutes), toss them with some oil, salt, pepper and herbs of your choice (paprika or thyme), and bake them in an oven at 230 degrees until nicely browned. If you really want them mega-crispy, go for goose fat or beef dripping: then read these tips for the crispiest oven fries.

Everything on one tray

We’re big fans of the ‘everything on one baking sheet’ technique. Super easy, easy to keep an eye on, although you do need to watch exactly how much fat you use, and it also means less washing up. What’s not to love?! In Rukmini Iyer’s book The World on a Plate you’ll find fantastic recipes, such as this French-spiced chicken with olives, artichoke and potato and Indonesian baby aubergines with potato wedges, garlic & chili pepper.

Bake with oat flour

Oat flakes are packed with fiber and nutrients. And as flour, they make a fantastic and healthy base for, for example, a delicious banana bread (as a replacement for wheat flour)! All you have to do is grind the flakes finely in a food processor, and you’re ready to get started.

Also read:

• Sweet potato versus regular potato: which is healthier?
• Healthy? Think again!
• Is spelt healthier than wheat?