!!! Oil Revelation !!!

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Phoenixflame
Phoenixflame Posts: 560 Member
in Recipes
Ok, I may be an easily-excited teenager, but holy cow, I am doing a happy dance.

Overall, I don't miss oil. It coats my mouth and leaves an unpleasant aftertaste, at least to my crazy taste buds. But sometimes, like when I'm sauteeing something or preparing seafood...I miss the damn stuff. But I don't miss the calories. I stumbled across Spectrum's no-calorie sprays. They help, but still...

Until now!

Today, I wanted to sautee some kale. I sprayed the pan with the olive oil spray. But then I remembered that kale gets crunchy easily, and I wanted something like sauteed spinach. So I added a bit of water--enough to cover the bottom of the pan. I started cooking, but was distracted by a phone call.

I forked the kale onto my plate, when I finally had a taste.

ZOMG
O_O
>_<
-_O

My kale tasted like it had been lightly coated in olive oil. Way more so than when I usually just spritz the pan.

What does Phoenixflame do?

Bolt for the refrigerator and grab a slice of lunch meat--turkey. I rinsed the pan, spritz it, and put a bit of water in it. Then I threw it on the stove and jacked up the heat.

Again, same effect! This has led me to the most somber conclusion.

Ladies and gentlemen...

If you miss oil but don't want to have to do 10 minutes of jumping jacks to stay within your calories...

NOW YOU CAN!

First food experiment on my list:

Shrimp. Scampi.

I know, those sprays have a tiny amount of calories in them. But still. Compared to a teaspoon of olive oil? Oh hells YES.

Replies

  • Phoenixflame
    Phoenixflame Posts: 560 Member
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    Ok, I may be an easily-excited teenager, but holy cow, I am doing a happy dance.

    Overall, I don't miss oil. It coats my mouth and leaves an unpleasant aftertaste, at least to my crazy taste buds. But sometimes, like when I'm sauteeing something or preparing seafood...I miss the damn stuff. But I don't miss the calories. I stumbled across Spectrum's no-calorie sprays. They help, but still...

    Until now!

    Today, I wanted to sautee some kale. I sprayed the pan with the olive oil spray. But then I remembered that kale gets crunchy easily, and I wanted something like sauteed spinach. So I added a bit of water--enough to cover the bottom of the pan. I started cooking, but was distracted by a phone call.

    I forked the kale onto my plate, when I finally had a taste.

    ZOMG
    O_O
    >_<
    -_O

    My kale tasted like it had been lightly coated in olive oil. Way more so than when I usually just spritz the pan.

    What does Phoenixflame do?

    Bolt for the refrigerator and grab a slice of lunch meat--turkey. I rinsed the pan, spritz it, and put a bit of water in it. Then I threw it on the stove and jacked up the heat.

    Again, same effect! This has led me to the most somber conclusion.

    Ladies and gentlemen...

    If you miss oil but don't want to have to do 10 minutes of jumping jacks to stay within your calories...

    NOW YOU CAN!

    First food experiment on my list:

    Shrimp. Scampi.

    I know, those sprays have a tiny amount of calories in them. But still. Compared to a teaspoon of olive oil? Oh hells YES.
  • kolbif
    kolbif Posts: 83
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    Bring on the Shrimp Scampi experiment!! I'd love to see your results!
  • lindsayledford
    lindsayledford Posts: 10
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    thanks for the info. I am just starting my diet and oil is among one of the many things I'm going to miss!
  • MadTurtle
    MadTurtle Posts: 32
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    Congratulations you have discovered how to "poach"

    Poaching is done by adding a small amount of binding agent to water.

    For example you can poach eggs in;

    club soda and water
    vinegar and water (my favorite)
    butter and water

    I must admit though that using cooking spray as the binding agent is certainly a new trick on an old theme.:wink:
  • Phoenixflame
    Phoenixflame Posts: 560 Member
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    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrHRWGsCfN0

    ^^^^^

    My discovery, captured on celluloid decades before I was born.
  • Hannah_Banana
    Hannah_Banana Posts: 1,242 Member
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    For some reason I when I read the title I thought I was going to get some profound thought on gas prices. :ohwell:
  • Fitness_Chick
    Fitness_Chick Posts: 6,648 Member
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    thanks for the info. I am just starting my diet and oil is among one of the many things I'm going to miss!
    Lots and lots of wonderful healthy oils out there...no reason to give it up...it's actually healthy for you and making sure you get fat in your daily foods gives you less chance to feel hungry...that's why carb/protein combos are a great idea... it keeps you satisfied:bigsmile:
  • HeatherD
    HeatherD Posts: 75 Member
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    Don't forget there are good oils too! It helps with absorption of nutrients. If you don't' get enough, you can slow down your progress

    I just started reading "Fat: An Appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient, with Recipes" Jennifer McLagan...quite fascinating really. in a nutshell, the author believes that it's the 'bad' fats - polyunsaturated and synthetic fats - that are making us unhealthy. You can read the blurb at

    http://www.amazon.com/Fat-Appreciation-Misunderstood-Ingredient-Recipes/dp/1580089356

    (no, i'm not selling it, it's just interesting!)
  • Fitness_Chick
    Fitness_Chick Posts: 6,648 Member
    Options
    Congratulations you have discovered how to "poach"

    Poaching is done by adding a small amount of binding agent to water.

    For example you can poach eggs in;

    club soda and water
    vinegar and water (my favorite)
    butter and water

    I must admit though that using cooking spray as the binding agent is certainly a new trick on an old theme.:wink:
    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
  • HeatherD
    HeatherD Posts: 75 Member
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    oops! Sorry Fitness-CHick....didn't mean to repeat your point..... Slow typing fingers at this time of night!
    :wink:
  • Fitness_Chick
    Fitness_Chick Posts: 6,648 Member
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    Ok, I may be an easily-excited teenager, but holy cow, I am doing a happy dance.

    I'm excited you got a chance to take time and try something new to you Phoenix:drinker: & definitely be sure to add the 'Happy Dance' to your cals burned:wink::bigsmile: :flowerforyou:
  • Fitness_Chick
    Fitness_Chick Posts: 6,648 Member
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    oops! Sorry Fitness-CHick....didn't mean to repeat your point..... Slow typing fingers at this time of night!
    :wink:
    lol No problem, think we were both typing at the same time!:laugh: :bigsmile:
  • Phoenixflame
    Phoenixflame Posts: 560 Member
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    What I'm looking forward to playing with more than anything is Spectrum's butter-flavored canola spray. THAT has me tingling! No shrimp will be safe.

    I didn't know that some oils help the body absorb nutrients. Neat!

    Now that I'm home and blessedly with my measuring spoons, I'll probably be using more normal olive oil--in healthy amounts, of course. Back at school, the cafeteria was the place to get it, and I never quite worked up the nerve to march in with my measuring spoons, ladle out my teaspoon of oil, and sit down for lunch.
  • wantmycurvesback
    wantmycurvesback Posts: 69
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    Sorry didn't read through all the posts, but your body should be taking in a daily good fat serving whether it's from olive oil, canola, nuts, seeds , avocado.

    It aid digestion, as well as lubricates your body, and helps your skin, nails and hair...
    Alot of people lose some hair while dieting and that also helps to prevent that.

    (good) fat is your friend!
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
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    Don't forget there are good oils too! It helps with absorption of nutrients. If you don't' get enough, you can slow down your progress

    I just started reading "Fat: An Appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient, with Recipes" Jennifer McLagan...quite fascinating really. in a nutshell, the author believes that it's the 'bad' fats - polyunsaturated and synthetic fats - that are making us unhealthy. You can read the blurb at

    http://www.amazon.com/Fat-Appreciation-Misunderstood-Ingredient-Recipes/dp/1580089356

    (no, i'm not selling it, it's just interesting!)

    YAY!

    Some appreciation for this unfortunately stigmatized, but delicious and necessary macronutrient! Fat is your friend. :happy:
    I agree that synthetic fats are GARBAGE. If you want to avoid synthetic sweeteners, then avoid these as well. These are an even worse culprit because they actually increase your LDL cholesterol. Trans fats suck. I have heard some people say that poly's aren't any good for you, but I haven't seen anything convincing on it yet. Saturated fat is actually what surrounds our every cell. If it were an unsaturated fat, it would become rigid and we would expire. So sat fats are delicious and nutritious. :smile:
  • Phoenixflame
    Phoenixflame Posts: 560 Member
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    Yeah, I eat a lot of nuts and almond butter. Yum!

    Part of the reason I dislike using much oil is that I feel it coating my mouth easily. Like, it bothers me. But sometimes the taste is just too precious. The spritza and water trick gave me the best of both worlds--lots of flavor and texture, but no oily mouth.
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
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    all things in moderation.

    I love the idea of spritzing the pan, getting it hot then adding the water (or wine!)

    I have been making shrimp scampi like this for a while. I spray the pan with OVOO add garlic, a little minced onion and cook until the garlic has browned some. I then add my shrimp and seasonings and always add a bit of garlic powder. I brown up the shrimp and just as they are getting pink, hit the pan with a dash of white wine.

    I do finish it up with 1 tbls of real unsalted butter for taste (cooking for 2 ppl)

    I like to toss it with angel hair pasta. My husband likes it separate, so I toss his pasta with tomatoe sauce.

    you really have to play with your own recipe to get it right.
  • Phoenixflame
    Phoenixflame Posts: 560 Member
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    :love:

    I am stealing that. Just so you know.

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