Satuee question

What does everyone use to sautee with? I sauteed some onions and mushrooms last night and was shocked to see that the Extra Virgin Olive Oil I had at home had 120 calories in two TBS.

Does anyone else have any lower calorie suggestions?

Thanks!

water. I use a non-stick pan and water.

Bad news?  2 TBSP of EVOO is 240 calories...

Good news?  you don't need that much to saute in -- particularly if doing mushrooms -- I rarely use more than a TSP

Better news -- some fats are necessary for everyone, EVOO is a heart healthy fat and shouldn't be shied away from.  And it adds great flavour to your food

But, some people have had success sauting in a touch of water (I don't recommend for mushrooms), or you could use a spray oil or even an oil mister to use less.  Many GOOD non-stick pans really don't need anything.

I'm with coach here!!  EVOO is what I use.  Just a little goes a long way, and it is a good fat to boot.  Love that EVOO!! 

Olive oil isn't so bad for you but you don't need to use that much.  Mushrooms have lots of water in them and so it's easy to fry them with onions with just a bit of oil.  Sometimes I put a drop like a teaspoon in the pan and rub it in with a paper towel. 

With lots of veggies like spinach, I "steam fry" by adding a touch of oil and water then covering for a bit. 

Broth, wine, and sherry work great!  You don't need much and are lower cal than oil, and add great flavor.

Or you can use PAM spray.  They have an olive oil flavor.

I like tsp of olive oil, tsp of real butter, tsp of balsamic and a shake of garlic pepper with a few diced chives or shallots for mushrooms.

I use non-stick cooking spray, 0 calories. Though to properly coat a pan one must spray more than 1/3 of a second, so it is bound to have a few.

i don't use any. i don't like the taste of olive oil. if i need to i use non-stick spray, but usually i just use the natural juices that onions release, plus a bit of water if needed.

I was at the green earth expo and there's a line of cookware designed to cook foods that does not require any water or oils and the food tastes great. I believe it's called Waterless cookware but it's pricey. The food tastes great. I've read that coconut oil is better for you when heated and that olive oil is not so good when it's heated at higher temps. There are calories and fats in both.   

Original Post by flartist:

...when heated and that olive oil is not so good when it's heated at higher temps. There are calories and fats in both.

You're right.  Olive oil is not good for high heat.  Anything over medium to medium-high will scorch the oil and turn it rancid which makes it really bad for you (something about free radicals or something).  For high heat, canola oil is better.

See, not everybody use "saute" the same way. It's French for "jump" and you use extremely high heat and keep the pan shaking (as with popcorn). Cooking with wine, broth or water is not "saute".

I bet you what they once used to saute meat & veggies was a dense animal fat, clarified butter or lard...I use that canola oil spray.

 

It does not have to be at extremely high heat, just relatively high, which will vary depending on the item.  The following is from wikipedia:

Sautéing is a method of cooking food that uses a small amount of fat in a shallow pan over relatively high heat. Unlike pan-searing, sautés are often finished with a sauce made from the pan's residual fond. Sauter means "to jump" in French — The method includes flipping the food in the air.

Olive oil or clarified butter are commonly used for sautéing, but most fats will do. Regula butter will produce more flavor but will burn at a lower temperatures and more quickly than other fats due to the presence of milk solids.