Easy Tips for Oil-Free Cooking for a Plant-Based Whole Foods Lifestyle
When people first adopt a plant-based whole foods lifestyle, one of the first questions they ask is “How on earth do I cook without oil?” We’re glad you asked! When we started our plant-based whole foods oil-free journey we found it difficult. The reality is that oil-free cooking is not as hard as you might think but there is a learning curve.
Creamy Corn and Avocado Soup Oil-Free
At first I only stuck to recipes that were actually vegan and oil-free. Over time I began to trust my instincts when it came to remaking a recipe without using added oils or butters. I hope you will find, like we have, that you can cook oil-free and not miss the oils or butters. My favorite first time remaking a fattening recipe into an oil-free vegan recipe was at Thanksgiving last year when I remade a Martha Stewart Butternut Bisque that included butter and cream. I’ll post that one of these days so you can enjoy the cleaned up version.
Plantivores’ Favorite Tips for Fat-Free or Oil-Free Cooking:
- Non-stick aluminum foil
- Non-stick sauce pan
- Non-stick wok
- Organic applesauce
- Ener-G Egg Replacer
- Flax Seed
Here is a compilation of information from various sources on the best vegan substitutions and information on oil-free cooking. They cover things like how to cook vegetables without oil, common egg substitutes, how to replace oil or margarine in baking, etc.:
- How to Cook Without Oil (and NEVER Ever Miss It!)
- 8 Substitutions for the Most Common Kitchen Ingredients
- Vegan Substitutes by Holy Cow Vegan
- Substitutes and Techniques for Fat-Free Cooking
- How to Cook Without Oil
- Everything You Ever Need to Know About Low-Fat Vegan Baking
Something to keep in mind which I did not expect when we began sautéing without oil: Nothing sizzles. I never realized how much I cooked with my hearing. You know, the tell-tale sizzles and pops when sautéing onions or making pancakes. This freaked me out at first. But you will learn to cook without your ears and cook more by sight or touch instead.
Good luck and let us know how your oil-free cooking goes.
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Interesting take on cooking.
I’m currently trying to cook without using a lot of oil – and you’re right, there is so much in cooking that involves more of the senses than just the visual.
The corn and avocado soup looks great; can’t wait for the recipe!
Hi Lauren, thanks for visiting! Let us know how your oil-free cooking goes. We’ll work on getting the recipe for the soup posted soon.