The Secret to Making Healthy Food Taste Delicious

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When clients start working with me, they often think they will have to sacrifice taste in order to eat healthier.  Clients are pleasantly surprised to learn that they actually enjoy eating healthy because the food tastes delicious.  I strongly believe that (healthy or not) our food must taste good. Otherwise, we won’t feel satisfied with our meals.

I have found the secret to making healthy food taste delicious is to add flavor to the food.  I have never taken formal cooking classes, so I am not an expert in how to create sauces or combine herbs.  But, there are a few key condiments you can use that can help you create extraordinary flavor. 

Here are a few condiments you should always have on hand.

Toasted Sesame Oil is my favorite condiments because it has an amazing flavor and a little goes a long way.  I drizzle this on steamed vegetables, meat, and stir-frys. It’s particularly tasty on dark leafy greens like bok choy.

Hot Pepper Sesame Oil is a variety that is infused with red hot chili pepper. A few drops adds zest to stir-frys.

Gomasio is a salt substitute that is made by grinding dry-roasted sesame seeds with sea salt. My favorite variety also has garlic.  You can sprinkle it on whole grains like brown rice, vegetables, fish, or any type of meat. It’s a delicious way to reduce sodium.

Celtic Sea Salt is unrefined salt that tastes wonderful and contains a variety of minerals that play a role in keeping the body’s electrolytes in a healthy balance. It’s amazing how much flavor a sprinkle of celtic sea salt can add to any dish.

Garlic Gold Nuggets, a product put out by Seven Oaks Ranch, is chopped garlic that’s been toasted. It comes in a small spice-like shaker bottle and I love it because it makes adding garlic flavor very easy.  Of course, fresh garlic or pre-minced garlic is a great way to add flavor to anything and everything. 

Crushed Red Pepper is wonderful if you like a little kick to your food.  I add it to black beans, tomato sauce or cooked tomatoes, and whole grain pasta.

Nuts and seeds are a wonderful addition to salads and cooked greens like chard and kale.  I always have sliced almonds, walnuts, pine nuts, and pumpkin seeds on hand.  I recommend buying raw nuts and seeds.  If you want to bring out the flavor, toast them in the oven or in a skillet on the stove for a couple of minutes.

Soy Sauce or Tamari (a wheat-free sauce that tastes similar to soy sauce) are a wonderful addition to meat, vegetables, and whole grains.  Soy sauce makes a wonderful marinade for steak.

Dried Fruit can be used to “dress up” salads, cooked vegetables, and whole grains.  I love adding raisins to green salads and dried cranberries to cooked kale or collard greens.  I also enjoy adding all types of dried fruit to cooked grains such as quinoa or millet to make a delicious side dish or breakfast dish.

Stock your pantry with an assortment of condiments and add one or more to your food to create a truly delicious and satisfying meal.  All of these products can be found at a health food store such as Whole Foods Market or Weaver Street Market.

Women: are you sick and tired of feeling unhealthy and down on yourself? 

If you are ready to make lasting lifestyle changes for yourself and your family, stop your war with food, and get healthy, Amy Lippmann, Certified Holistic Health Counselor, can help.

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