Cooking and Tracking with Oil...Any Tips?

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TiffADee
TiffADee Posts: 20 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So, I love love LOVE to use Virgin Olive Oil when I'm cooking. It's my go-to oil, especially if I'm using the oven and wanna give something some crisp on the surface. Anyways, Whenever I cook, I try to workout the recipes on MFP so I can accurately log my calories and such. If you look up Extra Virgin Olive Oil, that sucker is about 120 calories for ONE TABLESPOON. It really puts a damper in my food diary. But, if you think about it, when you cook with Olive Oil (or any oil for that matter), half of it gets left in the pan/dish, or sticks to the brush, etc, etc. So even if you measure out 2 tbs of oil before you start cooking, you don't end up putting 2 tsb of olive oil in your mouth.

Does anyone have an idea on how to accurately add things like olive oil, canola oil, vegetable oil, sesame oil, Mobil synthetic engine oil (JK!) to your Diary on MFP??

Stay greasy ;)
<3 Tiff

Replies

  • BlackKat75
    BlackKat75 Posts: 210 Member
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    I just log the amount that I actually use in cooking, and I don't worry about there being some left in reserve in the pan once I'm done cooking. That being said, I generally cut way down on oil amounts in recipes that I'm making - generally use a teaspoon rather than a Tablespoon. I'd rather over-estimate my calories than underestimate them.
  • leesehm
    leesehm Posts: 117
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    i don't track my oil. but mostly cook on non-stick pan.
  • musenchild
    musenchild Posts: 182 Member
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    I log the amount I put in the recipe but, like someone else said, I usually at least halve the oil in a recipe with great results. The last couple of times I used the full amount called for in a recipe I didn't like the results (except with butter. I freakin' love butter). I'd rather log a few more than I ate than too little.

    If you are frying with a significant amount of oil, weigh/measure the oil in the pan before frying and the oil leftover in the pan after removing the food to estimate the amount of oil in your food.
  • PNJB796
    PNJB796 Posts: 72 Member
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    Consider putting oil in the pan, then using paper towel to wipe it round the surface to coat the pan and remove the excess!

    Minimal use, maximum taste!
  • pinkraynedropjacki
    pinkraynedropjacki Posts: 3,027 Member
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    Try Coconut oil. Better for you, helps rid belly fat & tastes brilliant on EVERYTHING
  • mazza227
    mazza227 Posts: 15
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    I always add lemon juice when cooking... so I half the oil and add fresh pure lemon juice. It adds great flavour, its a high alkaline food, so good for the immune system and has great antioxidant and anti-cancer properties..... and its much lower in calories.
  • mabelbabel1
    mabelbabel1 Posts: 391 Member
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    When I use oil for cooking, instead of freely pouring it over the food in a pan or directly into the pan itself like I used to, I now pour it into a spoon, usually a teaspoon and then drizzle that over the food in a bowl and mix it all up so I am coating the food as much as possible with a controlled amount.

    I find that this way I use a lot less oil and my food is coated just enough for cooking without it sticking or sitting in excess oil.
  • AntWrig
    AntWrig Posts: 2,273 Member
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    Try Coconut oil. Better for you, helps rid belly fat & tastes brilliant on EVERYTHING
    A fat is a fat and all fats are 9 calories per gram. That being said, adding a teaspoon to the pan using a papertowl should do the trick. Adjust your macros if you require more.
  • DebraAukett
    DebraAukett Posts: 128 Member
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    I just log the amount that I actually use in cooking, and I don't worry about there being some left in reserve in the pan once I'm done cooking. That being said, I generally cut way down on oil amounts in recipes that I'm making - generally use a teaspoon rather than a Tablespoon. I'd rather over-estimate my calories than underestimate them.

    Exactly the same here
  • persephone87
    persephone87 Posts: 220 Member
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    I assume you mean extra virgin olive oil in which case cooking with it is kinda a waste of money it loses its goodness i.e the bits that help your cholesterol and it loses flavour. You're better off with just ordinary olive oil and either use a towel or get a little brush (the type for putting egg wash on pies etc) and brush your oil on the pan that was you will make it go a lot further.

    1cal spray oil is good if you want to use it for chips cos you can spray it over the top of them all in about 4 sprays so 4 calories. Only use extra virgin olive oil in salads or to drizzle over pasta it's far too expensive to use in every day cooking and trust me you won't be able to tell the difference.

    Alternatively you could invest in a good non-stick pan and then you need 0 oil, same goes for cook wear usually you get what you pay for if you invest in some good non stick items they will last you years.
  • dominikaro
    dominikaro Posts: 86
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    If I bake or fry, I count half of what I actually used (unless its something that soaks fat, like breading or mushrooms or eggplant). But when I cook risotto, pasta, soup etc, I log the whole amount.
  • TiffADee
    TiffADee Posts: 20 Member
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    Consider putting oil in the pan, then using paper towel to wipe it round the surface to coat the pan and remove the excess!

    Minimal use, maximum taste!

    That's a great idea for when I just need to coat the pan and not actually cook in the oil.

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