Saturday, May 3, 2008

Low Carb Cooking

Low carb cooking may seem like a real challenge but once you lay a foundation you are well on your way to a carbohydrate-controlled diet. There are a handful of things to consider and there are a few tips and tricks to take with you to the kitchen. After adopting some of the steps to low carb cooking it will become second nature.

The first thing that you want to do is consider your overall health. You really might be tempted to adopt low carb cooking approaches that use a lot of high-fat ingredients but this may work against your efforts. You also may be tempted to cut out carbohydrates entirely but this is not a good idea, either.

It is never good practice to completely cut out a food that is so prevalent on the food pyramid. Part of incorporating low carb cooking into your lifestyle on a long term basis is to remember that there are good carbohydrates that your body needs in order to get enough nutrition and fiber.

However, if you are on a mission to lose weight fast, then you can adopt low carb cooking that keeps carbohydrate intake at a minimum. This includes cutting out some vegetables like corn, peas and carrots. These vegetables are loaded with natural sugars as well as carbohydrates.

Great recipes include chicken parmesan. Just skip the breading and serve it without pasta. Stir fries that use a number of different vegetables, shrimp, beef and chicken are wonderful options and they can be really satisfying. Hankering for some lasagna? Low carb cooking can include a dish like this. Replace the pasta with thin layers of zucchini. You will be surprised by how good it is.

Once you have used low carb cooking that cuts out nearly all carbohydrates for two weeks, you really want to start adding some good carbohydrates into the mix. This may be a little difficult considering that you are used to preparing meals without using many of the ingredients that you will be adding.

You can start using some pasta in your lasagna and chicken parmesan. Choose whole grain pastas instead of the regular fair. Also, check your portions, too when working with low carb cooking recipes. It is easy to over indulge on good carbohydrates especially if you have been missing this type of food in your diet.

Low carb cooking at home can be a chore but you do have a lot of great options. Once you start adding some good carbohydrates into the mix, your options will seem endless.