Learn to cook heart healthier

(NC)—Heart healthier cooking is easiest when you follow three basic principles. Whatever you are cooking, try to:

1. Reduce fat, especially saturated fat.

2. Of the fat you do use, choose unsaturated fat.

3. Boost your fibre intake.

With these principles in mind, try to use these heart healthier cooking methods when you prepare your family's meals:

• Grill, barbecue, or roast meats and allow the fat to run off.

• Try steaming foods instead of frying.

• Braise meat in broth or tomato juice instead of frying it.

• Refrigerate soups and stews overnight, and skim off any fat before serving.

• Try to prepare foods without deep-frying.

• Use non-stick frying pans or woks so you'll need very little added fat.

• Remove all visible fat from meats, and the skin from poultry and fish (this will significantly reduce the saturated fat in your food).

And to ensure you reach for the right ingredients, have these helpful items in your pantry:

• Brown rice, whole wheat pasta, bulgur, and couscous

• Canned beans, chick peas, and lentils

• Canned fruit (in light syrup or juice) and canned vegetables to make purées

• Lower-fat mayonnaise-type dressing

• Evaporated skim milk to substitute for cream

• Vegetable oil, such as canola, sunflower, olive oil

• Soft, non-hydrogenated margarine that is low in saturated fat

Visit www.becel.ca and discover the recipes, information and inspiration you need to start living a heart-conscious lifestyle.