6x easier to be healthier

Say wine, snacks or haute cuisine and the gourmands at online food magazine FavorFlav know where to drink, how to eat it and what to cook. This time our cheffies serve you: six times healthy food hacks. 

Do you remember, Anthony Bourdain who declared to Oprah that the reason why food you get in a restaurant is often so much tastier than at home is BUTTER. And of course, we wholeheartedly cheer you on for doing your best to make everything as flavorful as possible in your own kitchen, but sometimes it's time for a slightly healthier day (than a quarter-stick-of-butter day) and that's when these healthy hacks come in handy.
Because it can't be hamburger-and-fries-party every day, although you can still get some ideas for healthier hamburgers here. And with the tips below, you give a healthy twist to what you cook or bake daily:

 
Make your own crunchy muesli or granola
There are more and more types on the shelves that are tasty and healthy, but there is also a lot of sweet junk. When you make it yourself, you always know exactly what's in your granola. And it's not difficult at all. For healthy versions, use little to no sugars and with the tips in our granola guide, you'll enjoy your own crunchy, fresh granola within an hour.

Focus on vegetables
There are an incredible number of good vegetable cookbooks on the market that you can go through all day, and many recipes from them can be found with us. How about breakfast with Jamie Oliver's spinach pancakes? And then lunch with a hearty salad next to your sandwich or soup? And in the evening, there is also so much to choose from. Star-petjel with peanut sauce! Portobello steaks from Ottolenghi! Pasta Primavera! And more generally, you could always start with the idea that you first fill half of your plate with vegetables.

Roux over cream
Many dishes with a sauce based on cream can also be made with a roux. This makes your sauces soft yet firm, and it's less calorie-dense than cream. Easy to make yourself: equal parts flour and butter (say 50:50 grams for a sauce) and depending on the desired thickness, about half a liter of milk. Melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour with a wooden spoon and let it cook for a few minutes. Then gradually add the milk while stirring vigorously, now with a whisk until you have what you want. Add salt and pepper and your basic sauce is ready. Good to use as a substitute for cream in, for example, a gratin with seafood or this delicious spaghetti with garlic shrimp.

Oven fries
Of course, this is not the same as a wonderful golden mountain from the fryer, but it is healthier than most oven fries you find in the supermarket's freezer. They are often pre-fried in a lot of oil and then treated with all sorts of coatings. For a healthy alternative, cut potatoes into fry shapes, briefly boil them (about 3 to 5 minutes), toss them with some oil, salt, pepper, and herbs to taste (paprika powder or thyme) and bake them in an oven at 230 degrees until nicely browned. By the way, if you really want them mega crispy, you should go for goose fat or beef tallow: then read these tips for the crispiest oven fries.

Everything on the tray
We are big fans of the ‘everything on one baking sheet technique’. Super easy, easy to monitor how much fat you use, and also little washing up. What's not to love? In the book The Worldly Baking Sheet by Rukmini Iyer, there are great recipes, such as this French spiced chicken with olive, artichoke, and potato and Indonesian baby eggplants with potato wedges, garlic, and chili pepper.

Baking with oat flour
Oats are packed with fiber and nutrients. And as flour, it's a great and healthy base for, for example, a delicious banana bread (as a substitute for wheat flour). All you have to do is grind those flakes finely in a food processor, and you can get started.