Cut Your Cooking Time in Half

Wouldn't it be great to cut your cooking time in half without sacrificing nutrition? Seems too good to be true, doesn't it? But it is possible, according to Toby Smithson, registered dietitian for the Lake County Health Department/Community Health Center and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.

After working with individuals and community groups for nearly two decades, Smithson has put together a list of kitchen shortcuts to create healthy meals in no time flat.

“These are some tried and true tips that I use myself and many of my clients find very useful. I'm not telling you to run out and buy everything on the list below,” says Smithson, “but if it's something you know you'll use frequently, it's a good investment in your health.” Smithson offers these tips to help you cut down your cooking time so you can increase quality time with your family:

• A rice cooker is a very useful kitchen tool. Brown rice is a better choice over white rice because it is a whole grain, but it has a cooking time of about 40 minutes on the stove. Not many people have the time or patience for that. However, in a rice cooker it takes half the time and the rice cooker can be used for other grains like bulgur wheat, Israeli couscous, and wild rice. A money saving tip when purchasing grains is to buy in bulk. You save because you are getting only the amount you will use and it eliminates the cost of packaging in pre-packaged grains.

• A pressure cooker is also useful for cooking meals quickly. You can make complex dishes like coq au vin in 30 minutes or use it for cooking dry beans in less than 10 minutes. Again, purchasing dry beans from the bulk foods section of a store is a great money saving tip.

• Prepared salads and lettuce in a bag are a quick and easy way to add veggies to your meal. With a couple of diced tomatoes or cucumbers, a sprinkling of dried cranberries, and dressing you have a perfect side salad.

• Having food savers or plastic containers on hand is a fantastic way to bring dinner leftovers to work for lunch. Save yourself from making an unhealthy decision by cooking enough at dinner to have leftovers for lunch the next day.

• Frozen vegetables or pre-sliced vegetables are also a great option to reduce preparation time.

• Roasting fresh vegetables brings out some delicious flavors and takes minimal preparation. Follow these simple cooking instructions: Turn oven temperature to 350 degrees, slice vegetables and put in a large bowl. Add a pinch of pepper, a tablespoon of olive oil, and a dash of dried or fresh spices like dill, thyme, rosemary, tarragon, etc. Use tongs or a large spoon to coat all the veggies with oil and spices. Pour the veggies on a baking pan and put in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork. Roasted vegetables make a delicious and flavorful complement to grilled chicken or fish. It's recommended to buy fresh vegetables when they are in season, as they tend to taste best and cost less.