What do you cook with?

Mynue_Jeens

I cook with Olive Oli, Coconut Oil and Peanut Oil usually but you really don't need much to pan sear chicken. You can also use stock to soften veggies which will keep them from sticking to the pan. But as someone mentioned, you need good, healthy, fats in your "diet" so don't try and cut them out completely.

You can also buy a spray bottle and put your oil in it and use it like the cooking sprays (They have bottles made especially for this, but I'm sure a regular bottle would work fine). This way you're using real oil but in a small amount. By the way those "No Calorie" cooking oil sprays do in fact contain calories/oil so be careful with them.

Elizabeth_C34

Yup totally fine. I make my shredded chicken from frozen chicken breasts in the slow cooker. It will take a few hours longer than normal but it's perfectly fine.

I'm not worried about needing a few hours longer since I have to leave them in there for 10 1/2 hours.

Sounds good then!

vzucco

Organic Olive Oil in a spray can, thank you PAM!

jenlarz

Love to grill stuff! The small indoor ones work great for chicken breasts, burgers, and even fish

MdmAcolyte

For the oil question ~ I mix water and olive oil 50/50 in a bottle and use that when I need it (which is rare) ~ but when you cook with it, the water ends up evaporating and what little oil I use is spread out "evenly" in my mind.

As for the crockpots ~ OMG start using yours and let your fat kid out already... Lol I see that you are pressed for time and this a HUGE time saver. Not only can you cook chicken in it ahead of time, you can also cook beef roasts and pork loins. And dont forget you can plop a whole chicken in there too (granted the cavity is empty and you took the gizzard sack out). At the end of a long day, the last thing I want to do is stand around cooking all night for a decent dinner, so we cook main portions of meats ahead of time, and then throw the sides together at dinner time. I like to cook a pork roast in the crockpot, shred it, and use 1/2 of it for bbq sandwiches, etc, and freeze the other half of shredded pork for tacos or enchiladas later. Same thing for the beef roast, chicken, etc. And at the end of the week, make surprise crock pot stew... throw all the end of the week stuff laying around your fridge that you didnt use during the week (vegetables, left overs, etc.) and throw it in the crock pot for a stew to eat with sandwiches all weekend...

cekeys

Love to grill stuff! The small indoor ones work great for chicken breasts, burgers, and even fish

Do you mean the George Foreman?

rundgrenfan

I am in love with cast iron! My Lodge cast iron dutch oven and 12 inch skillet get the most use. Now that I've been using it for years, no oil is usually needed for cooking. To cook a steak or piece of chicken, I salt the skillet and the meat gets a fantastic sear. I do have to brush a bit of oil on for the first batch of pancakes or the like.

Cast iron is a little fussy but once you get a seasoned pan it's priceless. It's cheap to buy, easy to maintain once you get the hang of it, and the biggest bonus of all is that it actually imparts a bit of iron into your food which is good for ladies!

cekeys

For the oil question ~ I mix water and olive oil 50/50 in a bottle and use that when I need it (which is rare) ~ but when you cook with it, the water ends up evaporating and what little oil I use is spread out "evenly" in my mind.

As for the crockpots ~ OMG start using yours and let your fat kid out already... Lol I see that you are pressed for time and this a HUGE time saver. Not only can you cook chicken in it ahead of time, you can also cook beef roasts and pork loins. And dont forget you can plop a whole chicken in there too (granted the cavity is empty and you took the gizzard sack out). At the end of a long day, the last thing I want to do is stand around cooking all night for a decent dinner, so we cook main portions of meats ahead of time, and then throw the sides together at dinner time. I like to cook a pork roast in the crockpot, shred it, and use 1/2 of it for bbq sandwiches, etc, and freeze the other half of shredded pork for tacos or enchiladas later. Same thing for the beef roast, chicken, etc. And at the end of the week, make surprise crock pot stew... throw all the end of the week stuff laying around your fridge that you didnt use during the week (vegetables, left overs, etc.) and throw it in the crock pot for a stew to eat with sandwiches all weekend...

I used to cook whole chickens in it, but we had to stop that due to.... stomach issues...

Captain_Tightpants

Invest in a really good quality non stick pan and you can get away with the tiniest drip of olive oil, and if it starts to dry out you can drop a little low sodium chicken broth in there.

If you're after cooking speed convenience, frying isn't the quickest way though. Buy a Cuisinart griddler(http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-GRIDDLER/dp/B00536W56I/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1328195842&sr=8-13). Seriously, this thing will grill a chicken breast clean through in 2 minutes flat. It's easily the fastest tool in my kitchen and all it needs is a quick spray of pam to avoid sticking.

CakeFit21

I only use coconut oil, clarified butter (ghee), or animal fats.

steveharford

Hi Cekey
I know where you are coming from here. To be honest it sounds as though some people are obsessive with this, and forget that eating has to be a pleasure, also. If it suits your lifestyle too then surely that is the way to keep going with this calorie counting?.
With this site we have at our means a way of keeping track of all of the nutrients etc we consume, and that also means having some fat. OK I wouldnt suggest we all have lardy cakes for breakfast and then not be able to eat for the rest of the day, but using a bit of oil in your cooking is essential if you are a half decent cook, and olive oil is one of the best. I have no trouble consuming even less calories than my recommended amount and everyone loves my food. Just dont have cheese ! Take a look at the calories in a typical amount you would normally have AFTER dinner! Horrendous! Hope that didnt sound like a lecture, but if you enjoy this way of reducing weight you will succeed and stick by it. Cheers.

meli_ssa4

I mostly cook with EVOO because I don't consider healthy fats unnecessary calories. Our bodies need fat and EVOO is a healthy fat. For higher temps like stir fries I like peanut oil.

I agree. I always use EVOO. if I am cooking meat I will rub directly on the meat and then put it in the pan. if I am doing vegetables, I will put them in a bowl and toss with 1 tbsp (depending on the amount) to just coat. Then cook in a hot pan.

shortcaketx

u can always use tomato juice, low sodium broths or just plain water in place of oils and u can do it on top of the stove with a pan ( steaming it basically) I pound down a piece of chicken breast so it cooks faster put it in a good pan with some Mrs. Dash no salt seasoning and add a little water at a time and it is perfect without the added fat .

also others are right using a little evoo ( healthy fats) isn't going to hurt you.

tubberware has a microwave steam dish that you can actually put some chicken in with a few tablespoons no salt added diced tomatoes ( or even rotel) and cook in the microwave and it doesn't dry out and isnt tough or chewy.

plus when u have the time to cook make a few servings at once and freeze the others for a later date.

nitepagan

If I can cook without adding any oil or butter, I will do that, but some things just need a little fat for ease of cooking or taste.

CompassionIs

I cook with Pam or I will cook with water and spices. Its a mix of a saute and poach. I use my oil calories to go on salads, and use good cold pressed oils.

moxer42

I cut a tablespoon of butter into 8 pieces (13 cals/piece). Then I can just throw one in the pan and don't have to measure. You need a good non stick pan though.

hollyjo21

I'm weird but I cook everything in either low-sodium chicken broth or low-sodium beef stock...it cuts WAYYYY down on my caloric intake.

Great suggestion!! Never thought to use chicken broth!

renaconnor

I'm weird but I cook everything in either low-sodium chicken broth or low-sodium beef stock...it cuts WAYYYY down on my caloric intake.

Great suggestion!! Never thought to use chicken broth!

I got the idea from the Fat Flush Diet, and it works really great! I cook eggs, chicken, steak cutlets...I even use broth as an overnight marinade! And when I need alittle fat...I use Flax-Seed Oil on some side veggies.

auntiebabs

Frying is more of a time saver than baking. My timeframe to cook is rather limited, so I'd rather eat at 8:00 than 8:30 if I can help it. Baking a piece of chicken just takes a lot longer than frying.

Maybe broiling...
I to am usually eating at around 8pm and thoroughly starving by then.
It's about the same time as frying, less mess to clean up on the stove top.

I'm also a big fan of some of Trader joe's products that I call "semi-prepared" chicken sausage, frozen mash potatoes & frozen veg. just put it on a plate an nuke for a couple of minutes or so... Now that's quick, easy, little clean up and TJs has some healthy fairly clean options that have a good calorie to nutrition ratio. IMHO.

RillSoji

I use unsalted Butter, coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil and canola oil in that order. Each has a different flavor but I like butter the most. I'm not terribly worried about the calories since I don't use a whole lot all the time.

bcattoes

I am shocked at how many people avoid cooking with fat. Your body needs fat. I hope you are getting it somewhere else in your diet.

jcpmoore

My go to method: George Foreman grill: no oil needed. It can cook an average chicken breast in 7 minutes. The removable plates can go in the dishwasher. Trust me, it doesn't get easier than this. If you don't have one, think about it. It's a great investment.

Other methods I use are combining meals throughout the week. On Monday, make crockpot chicken. Yes, you can make meals over 10 hours, just make sure they're one very low. My crock pot has a setting for 10 hours, does yours? If not, do the crock pot thing on Sunday or a day you're home. I cook a LOT of chicken on this day and save it to make different things throughout the week. Every other night I'll make a chicken dish. One night I'll make chicken "fried" rice by adding rice and vegetables to the chicken. Another night it'll be a spinach salad with the chicken. Another night, make a casserole if you like them. The point is that whatever you make to go with can be quick and your chicken is already cooked on those nights.

You can do the same with other meats. A whole turkey breast is a great thing for this too. Roast it on Sunday and eat on it all week.

HTH

myltlisa24

Hello everyone,

I'd love some help with deciding what to cook with. It seems like adding things like vegetable oil (120 cals/tbsp), EVOO (120 cal/tbsp) or even butter (102 cals/tbsp) are just adding unnecessary calories to my daily intake, when i'd rather use those +100 cals on something else.

So what do you use to cook with or do you just plan accordingly?

I cook with EVOO all the time, its a good fat for you to have. I avoid butter and vegetable oil. However, i do use spray also, which helps cut down on calories. I incorporate EVOO since it has good fats.

rcallbeck

As people have been saying, it's not the fat that makes you fat. I cook with canola oil, EVOO, and even butter sometimes (yum!) I prefer cooking with butter over margarine, due to the fact that it tastes better, and is less chemical then margarine.

That said, use sparingly when you can, and make sure the oil is hot before you start things up in the pan... that way less of the fat is incorporated into the food.