Though you won’t need special equipment in order to make any of the dishes in this book, I would recommend that you consider purchasing the following three items.
Deli meat slicer: Most deli meats are absolutely packed with sodium—up to 800 or 900 milligrams (or more!) per 4-ounce serving. And the “lower sodium” varieties don’t tend to be much better. If you’re a big fan of deli sandwiches and are feeding a family, you may want to consider investing in a meat slicer. Over time, it will pay for itself, because it tends to be much less costly to buy turkey breasts and lean roasts that you can easily cook and slice than it is to purchase deli meats. Plus, you’ll reduce your sodium intake, and you’ll know the meat is fresh.
Kitchen scale: Though I’ve tried to provide cup measurements for all ingredient amounts, I’d highly recommend that you invest in a kitchen scale if you truly want to live a healthy lifestyle. Often people come to me unable to understand why they’re not losing weight. In many cases, the problem is that they simply misjudge portion sizes. Check out The Biggest Loser Kitchen Scale by Taylor at retailers nationwide.
Olive oil sprayer: From where I stand, there’s a big difference between olive oil spray and olive oil cooking spray. The first comes from a sprayer that you simply fill with your favorite olive oil (or extra-virgin olive oil). The latter (usually found with the oils in major grocery stores) is prefilled and most often contains propellants and other ingredients. I love to lightly mist extra-virgin olive oil spray directly onto my food at times (especially foods that are commonly fried), even after the food’s been cooked, to give the dish an enhanced taste and texture. (You need very little oil.) You can’t do that with olive oil cooking spray because of the added chemicals.
I’ve often been deemed “obsessively analytical” by reviewers of my recipes. And I am, which is how, I believe, I am able to make (and eat) seemingly decadent food and still maintain my 55-pound weight loss. When creating recipes, I’m very precise about every ingredient. Below are explanations of a few of my ingredient choices that might not otherwise be clear. I hope this will help you throughout this book and in your everyday healthy cooking.
Brown rice: I love short grain brown rice, which has a nuttier flavor and firmer texture than long grain rice. I’m not much of a fan of long grain, though medium grain is acceptable to me. Though long grain may be easier to find at the grocery store, it’s worth a visit to your local health-food store to pick up short grain if you’ve never tried it.
Fresh herbs: Sure, fresh herbs take longer to chop. But they lend so much flavor to food, while adding few or no calories. If you don’t know your basil from your rosemary or tarragon, take a trip to your local farmers’ market (they’re located pretty much everywhere these days!) and ask the growers for an education. Throwing a little fresh basil into a chopped salad or a bit of tarragon into an omelet can transform a blah meal into a seemingly gourmet feast with no harm to your hips or your heart. For a quick and easy way to chop up fresh herbs, check out The Biggest Loser Double Up Chopper and Blender by Taylor, available at retailers nationwide.
Fresh juices and garlic: Again, it takes a bit more effort, but I can’t overemphasize how much better freshsqueezed lemon, lime, and orange juices and freshly minced garlic taste compared with their bottled counterparts. Healthier dishes don’t rely on fat, sugars, or salt for flavor, so if you cut corners on these other main sources of flavor, it’s tough to enjoy healthful foods. For me, using the fresh stuff can be the difference between truly enjoying a dish and just “stomaching it.” For a quick, easy way to juice fruit and more, check out The Biggest Loser Double Up Fruit and Vegetable Juice Extractor by Taylor, available at retailers nationwide.
Ground meats: If you have trouble finding extra-lean ground chicken, pork, veal, or even beef, don’t despair. Butchers at most major grocery stores will grind meats fresh for you at no charge. Just take a package of chicken breast or a pork tenderloin to the counter and ask for assistance. Not only will you know the meat is fresh, but you may even save money over buying it preground. One more thing to note: Though many people substitute turkey for beef in meatballs, meat loaf, and other ground-meat dishes, this doesn’t always work like a charm. The moisture content is different in the two, so a dish made with turkey doesn’t necessarily turn out nearly as well if the original recipe was developed for beef. If you’re just plain not a beef eater, I’d definitely consider substituting chicken (not turkey) for beef where needed, as the end result tends to more closely mimic the flavor and texture of beef.
Low-fat versus fat-free cheese: I much prefer low-fat cheese to fat-free cheese, but you may use either in these recipes. When cooking with low-fat or fat-free cheese, especially in recipes for pizza, tacos, or any other dish in which you want to achieve a gooey texture, always shred it finely. Not only will you need less quantity to get some cheese in every bite, but it will melt more uniformly and give you the cheesy factor you crave.
Low-fat versus fat-free mayonnaise: Though The Biggest Loser weight-loss plan allows the use of fat-free mayonnaise, I’ve used low-fat (one with 2 grams of fat per tablespoon) throughout the book. I haven’t yet found a brand of fat-free that I didn’t think had an aftertaste that would destroy the flavor of my dishes. If you’ve found a brand you like, I’d suggest adhering to the plan and using fat-free without exception. If you’re like me and just plain don’t enjoy the taste of fat-free, stick to the low-fat version. In the long run, if you enjoy the food, you’re more likely to stick with a healthy eating plan long-term.
Low-carb versus low-fat tortillas: Though low-carb tortillas definitely tend to have more fiber and fewer carbs than low-fat ones do, they can also have much more sodium. If you’re watching your sodium intake, always be sure to check the labels. Different brands of low-fat tortillas can vary widely in sodium content. Low-fat tortillas are also typically made with whole grains and natural ingredients. If you’re making pizza crusts or cooking tortillas, I would definitely recommend that you opt for low-fat. Cooking low-carb tortillas may yield a chemical odor and taste when heated.
Slicing against the grain: To tenderize meat, you should always cut it against the grain. You can see lines running through steak and pork, and when you cut against these lines (perpendicular to them, not parallel), the knife will begin breaking down the fibers so your teeth don’t have to. You also want to cut meat into thin slices—the more cuts your knife makes into a piece of meat, the more tender it will be.
While the recipes in this book are easy enough for even the novice cook, there are a few things I’d like to clarify before you begin cooking.
“Chopped herbs” versus “herbs, chopped”: When a recipe calls for “½ cup chopped herbs” (or chopped anything, for that matter), it means that you chop the ingredient, then measure out ½ cup. If it says, “½ cup herbs, chopped,” you measure the herb whole, then chop it. This will yield significantly different amounts in the end, so it’s worth noting.
Cooking meats: Whether you’re pan-frying a chicken breast, cooking some strips of beef for a fajita, or grilling a burger, I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to start with a well-heated skillet (a drop of water should sizzle when it touches the surface) before adding the meat. You also want to use a skillet that allows you to spread the food in a single layer. Cooking with a pan that’s too small or over heat that’s too low can cause the meat to virtually steam, preventing it from developing that wonderful browned coating that tastes and looks restaurant-perfect.
Ounce versus cup measures: Many of the recipes, especially those containing shredded cheese, list measurements in ounces and in cups. I strongly urge you to follow the ounce measurements if at all possible. Because the thickness of a shred, the density of a cheese, and so on contribute to how the cheese falls in a measuring cup, it’s hard to make yields 100 percent accurate from kitchen to kitchen. But 4 ounces is 4 ounces whether it’s shredded exceptionally finely or coarsely. The nutritional data is provided based on the ounce measurement. The cup measures are provided merely for convenience in case you don’t own a scale.
“Trimmed chicken”: When a recipe calls for 1 pound of trimmed chicken, it means that the quantity should be 1 pound after being trimmed. In other cookbooks, you may see the phrase “1 pound chicken, visible fat removed.” That means you buy 1 pound of chicken, then remove any visible fat. I want you to be able to consume a full 4 ounces. So when you’re purchasing, make sure the whole chicken weighs a bit over a pound.