Who doesn’t like to use condiments? They taste good, and they make things not dry.
Eat as well as you want, but if you’re adding condiments, chances are you’re ruining everything healthy about that meal or snack!
A cup of ranch dressing has 1,200 calories. Mind blow?
But how do you define a condiment? Isn’t ranch a dressing? It IS called ranch dressing, after all.
Here’s the list, how to make them, or offer them as a side:
Relishes, salsas and chutneys. Incorporating chopped vegetables and fruits along with herbs and acidic liquids like vinegar or lemon juice, these accompaniments can be chunky or smooth. Although generally considered condiments for savory dishes, they can have sweetish overtones, or range from mildly spicy to flaming hot.
Fruit butters, jellies, jams and preserves. Fruit or fruit juice, sugar, water and sometimes pectin are the traditional ingredients in these spreads; to make them more nutritious, reduce the amount of sweetener to bring out intense fruit flavors, and use a healthy alternative to white sugar, such as honey or agave nectar.
Dressings. A sauce used to top salads and other dishes served cold or at room temperature, dressings can range far beyond the standard oil and vinegar combination. Using aromatic combinations of herbs, flavorful vinegars or citrus juice, and minimal fat can make dressings healthy as well as delicious.
Sauces. Any thickened, flavored liquid that accompanies food qualifies as a sauce — from tomato sauce for pasta to cr├â┬¿me anglaise sauce for dessert. Swap rich staples like Hollandaise sauce for healthier alternatives that use fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices to deliver flavor and texture. To achieve richness, use avocado instead of mayo — or combine healthier options for classic favorites that satisfy without unhealthy fats or excess calories, as in the recipes below.
Glazes. A thin coating of intense sweet or savory flavor can add another layer of zest to a dish, without adding fat. Reductions of meat stocks or broths, melted dark chocolate or fruit spread can all be used in sparing amounts to boost flavor without sacrificing health.
Marinades — a flavored liquid used to bathe meat, fish and vegetables prior to cooking. The bath of aromatic liquid typically consists of an acidic substance like lemon juice or red wine, plus spices and herbs.
Rubs. Another pre-cooking flavor booster, rubs are a blend of herbs, spices and salt that coat the surface of food — adding a flavor kick with few calories and no fat.
Condiments are really easy to make, and you can make a bunch of it at time — without all the shizz that companies put into them, making them a bit healthier.
Here are things you can buy to be healthier, too:
Capers
Barbecue sauce and ketchup, no sugar added, no-carb
Fresh salsa
Fruit spreads, no sugar added
Guacamole — fresh, no sour cream added
Horseradish
Dijon and brown mustard
Pico de gallo
Soy sauce
Tabasco sauce
Worcestershire sauce
So you don’t have to lose it all completely and eat really dry, terrible tasting things!
Just be really smart about it — because why make all that hard work you’re putting into getting healthy not worth it??
Good luck, guys!
[Image via AP Images.]