7 Celebrity Cooking Tips to Make You a Healthier Chef ...

I use this tip in my own kitchen, and it’s also one of the most commonly relayed celebrity cooking tips. The idea is to use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream in all your recipes. Unlike regular yogurt, plain Greek yogurt has less sugar so it has a tangier taste like sour cream. Not to mention, plain, nonfat Greek yogurt is high in protein and fat-free, making it a much more slimming option than sour cream. Surprisingly, they make a perfect swap and most likely you’ll never know the difference. Ellie Krieger from Food Network uses this tip in her kitchen, and it’s a simple one any of us can do too.

Butter and coconut oil are both saturated fats which hold up perfectly during cooking and don’t turn rancid at high temperatures. Yet, coconut oil is 100% cholesterol free, unlike butter. This makes coconut oil much better for your heart and your waistline, not to mention it’s delicious. You can use coconut oil in any recipe that uses oil or butter, and I find it’s so much tastier anyway. So, what celebrity chef uses this magical oil? One of my favorites! Giada de Laurentiis says she uses it in salad dressings, desserts, vegetables, and even pasta!

Another tip from Ellie Krieger is to use lean meats whenever a recipe calls for ground beef. Choose ground chicken or turkey, or even opt for a veggie alternative! This tip doesn't only cut down on heart disease risks, but it's also better for your digestion. Many people also find that after time, they prefer leaner meals because they don't weigh them down as much as red meat can. If you do choose red meat, be sure to choose grass-fed, organic red meat, and if you can, opt for a leaner meat like bison. Bison has more healthy levels of CLA, a fat that can increase metabolism, and it has less saturated fats than regular beef.

Eva Longoria is a well known celebrity go-to chef for learning the best secrets for staying slim and healthy at the same time. She also loves food! One of Longoria’s tips is to use avocados in place of oils or butter in recipes. The monounsaturated fats in avocados aren’t only amazing for your heart, but also your waistline too. They help to slow down hunger and burn fat in the body, just by eating them! This Latin beauty is sure one I’m willing to listen to when it comes to looking great and healthy, what about you?

Gourmet magazine chef Sara Moulton’s favorite cooking tip is to sweeten her dishes with fruit instead of sugar. The celebrity chef says she has a huge sweet tooth, and this is one of the best ways she’s found to manage it through her cooking. One of her favorite tips is to use make a healthy version of cannoli by using strawberries stuffed with fat-free sour cream or nonfat whipped cream. You can also use pureed fruit in place of sugar in any baked dessert, and they make a much tastier result that’s lower in calories and better for your blood sugar.

Another one of Giada’s favorite tips is to use herbs and citrus in place of heavy oils for flavor. I love this tip myself, and it’s one tip I use daily in my own kitchen. From salads to stir fries, to basic entrees, herbs and citrus will add so much flavor to any dish without any calories at all. Some of my favorites are lemon with garlic and oregano, or cilantro with lime and black pepper. Get creative and try new things with herbs and spices. Even certain vinegars can add great flavors to your meals. One of Giada’s tips is to use a squeeze of lemon with a tiny pinch of salt and parsley over chicken or fish for a really flavorful dish with zero added calories.

Instead of butter in your brownies or cakes, opt for nut butter! You can replace any amount of butter with either coconut oil or nut butter in a recipe. In fact, nuts in their whole form are a great way to bulk up a recipe and get in a dose of heart healthy fats at the same time. French pastry chef François Payard uses this tip in his own kitchen to make his famous fudgy walnut brownies, which are full of heart-healthy omega 3s and fiber from the walnuts. Try to buy unsalted nuts for the healthiest choice possible whenever selecting nut butters. This will avoid excess sodium that you’ll never miss in a recipe anyway, and it's just as delicious!

Whether you’re into celebrity cooking shows, or you’re just always on the lookout for healthy cooking tips, these ideas are simple enough for anyone to use. Do you have any healthy cooking tips to share with us, or a favorite tip from a celebrity chef you like?

Source: health.com, coconutoil.com, foodnetwork.com, foodandwine.com