Preparing nutritious meals is important but can be tricky and time-consuming. Not necessarily. Angela Dowden's food prep and cooking hacks make eating healthy easy.
When potatoes are boiled, water-soluble nutrients like vitamin C and riboflavin leach from smaller pieces. Keep roast potatoes chunky so they can absorb cooking fat.
Marinades tenderise and flavour grilled and barbecued meats. The American Institute for Cancer Research says it also reduces cancer-causing substances created during grilling. Oil, acid (lemon juice or balsamic vinegar), and herbs/spices work.
Use paper towels to soak up excess fat from takeout pizzas and to serve chicken and French fries. Each teaspoon of oil soaked into paper has 38 calories you won't eat.
Ceramic knives are great for chopping vegetables and may be healthier. Why? Ceramic doesn't contain iron and copper, which can speed browning of avocados and lettuce.
Steaming greens leaches fewer nutrients and is a good way to cook broccoli, which loses anti-cancer glucosinolates when boiled or fried. Microwaving with a little water steams food from the inside out, making it ideal for this vegetable.
Sandwich butter can provide a quarter of your daily saturated fat limit. Swap it for a thin spread of puréed avocado to get heart-healthy unsaturated fat. Avocado spread complements tuna or chicken salad.