Learning how to prepare homemade meals is an important part of the South Beach Diet. Whether you're a cooking novice or juggling a busy schedule, there are quick and easy ways to prepare delicious meals at home. Healthy cooking methods, such as sautéing, steaming, broiling, baking and grilling, are simple to learn and master. Check out food preparation tips:
Cooking Veggies the Quick and Healthy Way
If you don’t have much time to cook, steaming vegetables is one of the quickest and easiest ways to prepare them.
4 Ways to Cook Fish
From grilling to baking and poaching, cooking fish is quick and easy.
How to Keep Your Greens Fresh
If you’re following the South Beach Diet, you’re most likely eating a lot of leafy greens. Some greens are only packaged to last two days; that’s why it’s important to store them properly.
How to Clean Shrimp
Shrimp is a great source of protein and can be enjoyed on all Phases of the South Beach Diet. But unless you buy prepared or cooked shrimp, you’ll have to clean the shrimp.
How to Zest
Adding zest from citrus fruits like oranges, limes and lemons brings a boost of flavor to your meals. Zest is the outer surface of the fruit and is often used to sprinkle over desserts and salads.
How Fresh Are Your Eggs?
Eggs don’t only make great breakfast dishes, they can be used to cook dinner meals and baking desserts. So it’s important that you know how to determine whether your eggs are fresh before using them.
How to Make a Vinaigrette
Aside from salad dressings, vinaigrettes are the perfect condiment for preparing salads. Using a variety of store-bought ingredients, vinaigrettes are easy to prepare and make a savory finish to a salad.
The Three Knives Every Kitchen Needs
Since you’ll be preparing a lot of homemade meals, it’s useful to become familiar with certain kitchen knives. The three most essential knives are the chef’s knife, a utility knife, and a serrated knife.
Food Safety 101
With the recent food scares, it’s essential to learn how to properly care for foods and be able to keep them fresh for as long as possible. But there are foods that require special care like dairy, meat and vegetables.
3 Ways to Dress Up Your Salad Dressings
If you’re bored with eating the same salads every day and looking to change things up, these three homemade salad dressing recipes are a nice change from your usual fare.
Spice Up Your Everyday Meals
On the South Beach Diet, there are many ethnic cuisines you can enjoy. From Italian food to Japanese, get inspired using different herbs and spices to keep your everyday meals interesting.
Understanding Expiration Dates
Because you’re preparing more homemade meals on the South Beach Diet, it’s important to understand how to differentiate the meaning behind the phrases “Best if used by (or use by),” “Expired,” and “Sell by.”
Easy On-the-Go Breakfast Ideas
If you’re pressed for time in the morning, there are still ways to eat a healthy and hearty breakfast without having to reach for a donut or skipping breakfast altogether. These Phase-specific breakfast options will save you time and energy for those hectic mornings.
How to Separate an Egg
A cooking novice? Whether you're prearing an egg-white omelet or a dessert dish, here is a step-by-step guide to separating an egg.