Whether you want to lose weight or simply eat healthily, making your kitchen a place of inspiration where you’re motivated to cook – and cook well – is essential. But this doesn’t mean you have to spend a fortune on a complete kitchen redesign.
A few smart investments will help you get more creative, which will please your taste buds, keep you slim and make your kitchen a more pleasing place to hang out. Plus, clearing out the junk that’s in your cupboards and fridge, and replacing it with whole foods, fruit and veg, means you’re more likely to make meals from scratch.
Research by Cambridge University indicates that people who spend more time preparing and cooking meals are more likely to have a cleaner diet than those who skimp on time in the kitchen. So give your kitchen the attention it deserves and the weight will slip off!
Happy and healthy
Want to make a real difference to your healthy eating regime? Try these kitchen makeover tips
1 Get creative
Make your kitchen an enticing place to be and you’re more likely to make meals from scratch. ‘I prep everything when I get it, which makes my kitchen a lovely place to hang out. Nuts go in beautiful Mason jars in the fridge, vegetables are washed and stored in boxes and fruit arranged according to age and ripeness. So whenever I want to make something it’s all ready, waiting and available for me,’ says Geeta Sidhu-Robb, CEO and founder of Nosh Detox (noshdetox.com).
2 Cook with a nutritious cooking oil
If there’s one oil that deserves pride of place in your kitchen pantry it’s coconut oil. ‘Coconut oil is a “stable” fat, due to its special composition
of medium chain fatty acids. This means that its molecules don’t turn into the dreaded trans-fats, which most vegetable oils become when heated. It also works wonders as a butter replacement when baking, allowing you to benefit from its antibacterial, cholesterol-lowering properties,’ says Lily Simpson of Detox Kitchen (detoxkitchen.co.uk).
3 Kit out your kitchen
Pasta is the ultimate comfort food, but when you’re watching your carb intake or following a gluten-free diet, a big bowl of spag Bol is definitely off limits. Fortunately, there’s an equally satisfying yet healthier alternative to regular pasta: cucumber ribbons or courgette noodles. ‘Kit out your worktop with a spiraliser – a handy device that allows you to substitute your favourite comfort food for nourishing, nutrient-dense alternatives, without compromising on taste or texture,’ says Lily.
4 Start juicing
If you want to make a big difference to how you look and feel, get yourself a juicer. Green juices made from handfuls of brassicas and leafy veg, such as spinach and kale, contain a wealth of impressive nutritional benefits. ‘Green juices are an easy and tasty way to add extra vegetables into your diet,’ says Nicola Simons, Vital Ingredient’s head of food (vitalingredient.co.uk). Make sure your fridge is stocked with lots
of green goodies and keep a juicer on hand to blend up drinks in a flash.
5 Keep healthy food within easy reach
Swap white refined sugar for natural sweeteners and you’ll see the benefits almost immediately. More energy, clearer skin, better concentration – what’s not to like? ‘Dates are filled with fibre, which is
so important for a happy digestive system, and they contain lots of vitamins and minerals like iron and potassium. Honey is very antibacterial, which means it’s great for boosting your immunity,’
says healthy food blogger Ella Woodward (deliciouslyella.com).
6 Substitute ingredients
While baking may be lots of fun, all that buttery loveliness is anything
but waistline-friendly – sorry, ladies! However, if you want to make healthier baked goods, swapping traditional ingredients for cleaner versions can dramatically reduce calories without compromising taste. If you’re vegan, switch eggs for banana and butter for avocado. These substitutes will also add potassium to the end product, while really boosting the flavour. ‘You can also replace refined products for wholegrain items. Use brown rice and buckwheat flour instead of white flour. Your energy levels will be so much better and you won’t feel fatigued after eating,’ says Ella. Good enough reason for us!
7 Store food properly
You can lengthen the lifespan of your food by days with proper storage. ‘Keep all veggies in the fridge, other than tomatoes (which are a fruit anyway!), store leaves in the front at the top and heavier fruit at the bottom, so that the leaves don’t become spoiled. I also keep herbs in a glass of water, which I change regularly so that they stay fresh,’ says Geeta. Avoid washing your berries until you’re just about
to eat them, as moisture provides an appealing breeding ground for mould. And keep your eyes peeled! If you notice any food that’s gone bad, compost it straight away before it ruins the rest of your produce.
8 Use your freezer
Ice-cube trays aren’t just for freezing water you know! Fill a tray with some puréed fruit and veg such as mangoes, pineapple, spinach and carrots. Once the cubes are frozen, pop them into freezer bags and
throw a couple into your smoothies and soups for a quick nutrient
boost whenever you need it. You can also freeze herbs and even leftover wine, adding a couple of frozen wine ice cubes to flavour your sauces and homemade casseroles. Clever, eh?
9 See red
Re-evaluate your crockery and get colour-savvy if you want to steer your weight-loss in the right direction. A 2012 study published in the journal Appetite found that dieters who ate food from a red plate ate less compared with those who ate from white or blue dishes. The results of the study concluded that red is associated with caution, prompting us to subconsciously eat less. Who knew?
10 Don’t waste food
Make your Sunday roast go further. ‘Don’t throw away your meat bones; instead make bone broth,’ says healthy food blogger Emma Porter (paleowithmrsp.com). ‘It is one of the most simple one-pot meals to make: full of anti-inflammatories, nutrients and vitamins. Great for improving joint health, staving off colds, strengthening your immune
system, healing leaky guts and reducing cellulite. It has also been proven to help people overcome food intolerances and allergies,’ she adds. That’s lunch sorted then!
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