A Pro Chef Shares Top Weight-Loss Tricks

• Read original article here

Join Now
Caramelize your veggies. Many vegetables contain natural sugars, but in their raw or steamed form they still taste vegetal. When, for example, carrots, cauliflower, sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts are exposed to the high heat of an oven or grill, those natural sugars break down and caramelize over time, browning the surface and transforming it into an addictive candy bomb. Set grills on high, ovens at 425°F, and roast for 20 to 30 minutes, or until browned.
Add high-impact, low-calorie flavorings. Citrus zest, citrus juice, fresh ginger, fresh herbs and fresh chiles can add brightness to a dish. Balsamic vinegar, miso paste, anchovies, Dijon mustard, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, fish sauce, harissa and Parmigiano-Reggiano contribute a richer and deeper flavor.
Health & Wellness
See All
See more Health & Wellness offers >
{"hideCategory":false,"useAlternateLanguage":false,"headlineIconAltText":"","listItems":[{"categoryTitle":"Health \u0026 Wellness","categoryUrl":"/benefits-discounts/?category\u003dhealthandwellness","categoryDeeplinkParam":"healthandwellness","isLimitedTimeOffer":false,"offerJson":{"offer_id":"","offer_title":"Special Content for Members","offer_short_title":"","offer_short_description":"Access AARP health Smart Guides, articles \u0026 special content","featured_offer":"","last_updated_by":"","offer_description":"\u003cp\u003eEnjoy access to curated articles, essays, films and more, just for AARP members.\u003c/p\u003e","redemption_type":"","created_by":"","country_code":"","tab_label_offer_details":"Details","tab_label_restrictions":"Disclosures","restrictions_label":"Disclosures","restrictions":"","offer_status":"","national_offer_flag":"","language_code":"","offer_type":"EverGreen","asi_category":"","line_of_business":"","merchant_name":"","marketing_details":"","member_exclusive_flag":"no","parent_brand":"","source_name":"AARP Members Only Access to Special Health Content","alternate_source_name":"","business_id":"","offer_video_thumbnail":"","image_url":"/content/dam/aarp/benefits_discounts/social-mission/member-only/1140x641-members-only-health-group-older-people-in-field-walking-yellow-flowers.jpg","vertical_image_url":"/content/dam/aarp/benefits_discounts/social-mission/member-only/258x334--members-only-health-group-older-people-in-field-walking-yellow-flowers.jpg","provider_image":"","provider_logo":"","offer_video_path":"","offer_copy_video_path":"","interstitial_title":"","interstitial_desc":"You\u0027ll leave AARP.org and go to the website of a trusted provider. The provider\u0027s terms, conditions, and policies apply.","created_user_role":"","is_no_end_date":"","advertisement_flag":"","advertisement_sort_order":"","disclaimer_label":"","disclaimer":"","merchant_logo":"","show_phone_number_above_cta":false,"merchant_phone_label":"","merchant_phone":"","howto_redeem_label":"How to Access","howto_redeem_expired":"Renew to Learn More","howto_redeem_expired_2":"Renew to Learn More","howto_redeem_expired_link":"https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid\u003dUMBC121HE\u0026intcmp\u003dMBCHAE-AUTH-RENEW\u0026referrer\u003dhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.aarp.org%2Fbenefits-discounts%2Fmembers-only-access","howto_redeem_expired_link_2":"https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew","howto_redeem_non_member":"Join to Learn More","howto_redeem_non_member_2":"Join to Learn More","howto_redeem_non_member_link":"https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid\u003dUMBC121HE\u0026intcmp\u003dMBCHAE-AUTH-JOIN\u0026referrer\u003dhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.aarp.org%2Fbenefits-discounts%2Fmembers-only-access","howto_redeem_non_member_link_2":"https://secure.aarp.org/applications/membershipChallenge/showChallengeForm.action?appName\u003daccount","howto_redeem_anonymous":"Join to Learn More","howto_redeem_anonymous_2":"Join to Learn More","howto_redeem_anonymous_link":"https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid\u003dUMBC121HE\u0026intcmp\u003dMBCHAE-AUTH-JOIN\u0026referrer\u003dhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.aarp.org%2Fbenefits-discounts%2Fmembers-only-access","howto_redeem_anonymous_link_2":"https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid\u003dUASMBP1\u0026intcmp\u003dEWHERE-MBCHAE-LP-MMA-JOIN","howto_redeem_already_registered_anon_label":"Already a member?","howto_redeem_already_registered_anon":"Login now.","howto_redeem_already_registered_nonmember_label":"Already a member?","howto_redeem_already_registered_nonmember":"Link your membership","howto_redeem_already_registered_nonmember_link":"https://secure.aarp.org/applications/membershipChallenge/showChallengeForm.action?appName\u003daccount","howto_redeem_already_registered_anon_link":"https://login.aarp.org/online-community/loginform.action?campaignid\u003dUMBC121HE\u0026referrer\u003dhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.aarp.org%2Fbenefits-discounts%2Fmembers-only-access","howto_redeem":"Learn More","howto_redeem_2":"Learn More","howto_redeem_url":"https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/members-only-access","howto_redeem_url_2":"","show_redeem_cta_2":false,"howto_redeem_desc":"Get access now with your AARP login. ","is_redeemable_in_person":"","howto_redeem_in_person":"","howto_redeem_cta_phone":"","howto_redeem_phone_instructions":"","howto_redeem_online_instructions":"","show_state_availability":"","state_availability_text":"SEE AVAILABILITY IN YOUR STATE","cardlinked_flag":"","ty_interstitialText":"Thanks for visiting aarp.org! Come back again to check out all of the AARP Member Benefits and unlock the full power of membership.","ty_ctaText":"Continue","ty_socialMissionFlag":"false","hideRestrictionsTab":"false","hideLeavingAARP":"false","hide_lto":"","lto_model_heading":"Limited Time Member Offers","lto_model_heading_spanish":"Ofertas para socios por tiempo limitado","lto_advertisement":"Member Exclusive Advertisement","lto_advertisement_spanish":"Anuncios publicitarios exclusivos para socios","lto_daysleft":"Days Left","lto_daysleft_spanish":"Días restantes","geoloc_experience_type":"full_location","geoloc_tab_label":"Locations","geoloc_tab_label_spanish":"Ubicaciones","geoloc_hide_tab":"true","geoloc_find_location_label":"Find a Location","geoloc_find_location_label_spanish":"Encuentre una ubicación","geoloc_tab_hint_text":"Enter an address, city, or ZIP","geoloc_tab_hint_text_spanish":"Ingresa tu dirección, ciudad o código postal","geoloc_search_icon":"","geoloc_total_results_label":"Result(s)","geoloc_total_results_label_spanish":"Resultado(s)","geoloc_see_more_button_text":"See More","geoloc_see_more_button_text_spanish":"Ver más","geoloc_see_more_label_text":"See More","geoloc_see_more_label_text_spanish":"Ver más","geoloc_see_more_limit_option":"","geoloc_provider_link_cta":"Learn more about this benefit by visiting the provider website","geoloc_provider_link_cta_spanish":"Obtenga más información sobre este beneficio visitando el sitio web del proveedor","geoloc_provider_link_cta_url":"","geoloc_provider_legal_info":"You will leave AARP.org and go to the website of a trusted provider. The provider’s terms, conditions, and policies apply.","geoloc_provider_legal_info_spanish":"Dejarás el sitio de AARP y accederás al de un proveedor confiable. Aplican los términos, las condiciones y políticas del proveedor. Este sitio web podría no estar disponible en español.","geoloc_no_results_view_message":"There are no locations within a 100 mile radius. Please try another location","geoloc_no_results_view_message_spanish":"No hay ubicaciones dentro de un radio de 100 millas. Intenta con otra ubicación","geoloc_mobile_list_cta":"LIST VIEW","geoloc_mobile_list_cta_spanish":"VISTA DE LA LISTA","geoloc_mobile_list_cta_url":"","geoloc_mobile_map_cta":"MAP VIEW","geoloc_mobile_map_cta_spanish":"VISTA DEL MAPA","geoloc_mobile_map_cta_url":"","geoloc_mobile_button_cta":"VIEW MORE","geoloc_mobile_button_cta_spanish":"VER MÁS","geoloc_mobile_button_cta_url":"","geoloc_show_results_within_label_text":"Show results within","geoloc_show_results_within_label_text_spanish":"Mostrar resultados dentro","geoloc_miles_label_text":"Miles","geoloc_miles_label_text_spanish":"Millas","geoloc_hide_see_more_button":"false","geoloc_hide_see_more_button_spanish":"false","rewardId":"","hide_r4g_badge":"","redemption_content":"","authentication_code_provider":"","authentication_code_provider_2":"","pixel_view_offer_value":"","pixel_learn_more_value":"","is_redeemable_only_in_person":false,"offer_keywords":["health content for members","health articles","heath and wellness","health content","member only health ","health reports"],"offer_keywords_spanish":[],"deeplink_url":"/benefits-discounts/?offer\u003dmembers-only-access-health","deeplink_param_value":"members-only-access-health","offer_page_path":"/benefits-discounts/all/members-only-access-health/","offer_page_data":"/content/aarpe/en/home/benefits-discounts/all/members-only-access-health/_jcr_content/.dataview.json","offer_page_modal":"/benefits-discounts/all/members-only-access-health.modalview/","evol_offer_page_path":"","evol_offer_page_modal":"","dbr_offer_id":"9158e656e84ce8d55188b39247721643","image_alt_text":"two couples walking in a field of yellow flowers","vertical_image_alt_text":"older men and women couples walking in field of yellow roses","provider_logo_alt_text":"","provider_image_alt_text":"","offer_date_status":"n/a","image_url_width":"1140","image_url_height":"641","image_cdn_uri":"https://cdn.aarp.net/content/dam/aarp/benefits_discounts/social-mission/member-only/1140x641-members-only-health-group-older-people-in-field-walking-yellow-flowers.imgcache.rev7e7f93a5d03d1f30bcf1803a64811a61.jpg","vertical_image_cdn_uri":"https://cdn.aarp.net/content/dam/aarp/benefits_discounts/social-mission/member-only/258x334--members-only-health-group-older-people-in-field-walking-yellow-flowers.imgcache.revfd63427363b637f9f99bffbb7f2029de.jpg","vertical_image_url_width":"258","vertical_image_url_height":"334","provider_image_cdn_uri":"","provider_logo_cdn_uri":"","provider_image_width":"","provider_image_height":"","provider_logo_width":"","provider_logo_height":"","authentication_code_provider_url":"","authentication_code_provider_2_url":"","tags":[{"tagID":"dbr:healthandwellness","title":"Health \u0026 Wellness","svgPathCdn":"https://cdn.aarp.net/content/dam/aarp/benefits_discounts/icons/HealthWellness-protection e661.imgcache.rev5df459ddbe96856228fcb7f2b8a0d195.svg","name":"healthandwellness","deeplink_url":"/benefits-discounts/?category\u003dhealthandwellness","deeplink_param_value":"healthandwellness","get_offers_url":"/etc/aarp/dbr/ws.api/offers/healthandwellness.json","sub_tags":[]}],"ltos":[],"lto_daysleft_start_control":30,"master_brand":"members-only-access-health","analytics_brand":"AARP Members Only Access to Special Health Content","analytics_offerid":"members-only-access-health","category_list":"healthandwellness","subcategory_list":"","dbr_offer_type":"socialmission","offer_timing":"anytime","parent_offer_page_path":"","append_aid_paramter":"","enable_utm_parameters":"false","taxonomy_general_category":"healthy-living","taxonomy_level_1":"healthy-eating"},"parentOfferJson":{}}]}
Turn your pan crust into a pan sauce. All the browned bits and reduced drippings that cling to a pan as you brown proteins and vegetables are full of deep, rich flavors. Leaving that roasty, toasty crust in the pan is like leaving money on the table. Add a splash of wine or stock and a few seasonings, reduce over low heat for a few minutes, and you’ve got a savory sauce that will add a finishing flourish to whatever you are cooking in the pan.
Strain it. A chinois is a cone-shaped strainer made from a superfine woven metal mesh. Strain a pureed soup through it and the resulting mouthfeel will make you swear the soup was made with heavy cream.
Taste and adjust as you cook. It’s such a simple mantra, but home cooks often get distracted while multitasking and forget to taste — thereby robbing themselves of the opportunity to fine-tune the saltiness, sweetness, spiciness and acidity of a dish.
Photographs by Caitlin Bensel / Illustrations by Liana Jegers
Plate like a professional. Chefs approach an empty plate like a blank canvas and arrange their food on it as if it were a painting. Use garnishes and artful presentation to make delicate portions appear bigger and more inviting.
Save the best for last. Finish veggies and proteins with a judicious drizzle of your very best olive oil and a pinch of flaky sea salt. Huh? Isn’t the goal to reduce fat and salt? True, but adding a little at the last minute will allow you to use a lot less of both while cooking.
AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal
Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine.