wingo1's Journal

How Does A Wok Help Ya To Lose Weight....
Jan 20 2009 00:40

Okay people, take the title of this journal entry figuratively!    A wok isn't going to serve as your fitness coach, persuading ya to put down that cheeseburger and head to the gym.  Heck, anyone telling me to put down a cheeseburger isn't a friend of mine, lol.   OT; if you're gonna have a cheeseburger, make it yourself; buy the highest (lowest fat content) ground beef possible; eliminate the cheese; and ask me for my wonderful recipe I call a "Dirty Burger!!!"      Utt, I digress.  

On topic:  I personally think that I wouldn't have lost all the weight I have if I hadn't had a wok.  Basically, roughly 90% of the things I eat and cook at home can be prepared in a wok.  I guess my preference of consumed foods consist of anything healthy that's stir fried.  I love my veggies.  (Hey, can someone tell my mom that I just said that, haha.   I love buying my vegatables, which consist of bell peppers (red, green, yellow, and orange), onions (sweet and green scallion), brocoli, green beans, and cabbage (I make a mean cabbage soft taco).  I encourage all to find a very cheap produce store with cheaply priced veggies. I prefer the Mexican groceries (i.e. Cermak Groceries)....hint, hint!!!! 

Any combo of these vegatables may be combined with boneless/skinless chicken breast(grilled or sauteed), or some other meat (albeit rare). 

Cooking with a wok doesn't require you to use grease or heavy butter.   Like we all see on t.v. I cook with high heat while using the wok.  Having a glass cover helps thicker veggies to cook faster.   Having a good wok is KEY!  Here's an excerpt from an article about the benefits of having a good wok:

Remember that old adage “You get what you pay for?” This is one of those rare cases where it doesn’t apply. There is no substitute for a good carbon steel wok. Not only is it relatively inexpensive, but it conducts heat evenly.. While there many other types of woks on the market today - aluminum, stainless steel, even copper - every experienced Asian cook I’ve spoken with still swears by carbon steel, and I have to agree. 

Click here, for further quick general info about woks.

It's just so easy for me to throw foods in the wok and let it sizzle.  It's fun cooking.  I love to take a day (Sunday) and cut up my veggies and store them in storage bags.  I do the same with my chicken breast; I'll cook it on Sunday and store for the week.  With doing this, and having a wok, you'll have a very healthy meal cooked in 5 minutes tops!  With this as well, you leave very very little excuse for not feeling like preparing food to cook.  When you're coming home from work, and having to deal with whatever you have to deal with, it's wonderful to basically have your meals already prepared.  Try it!  

There are so many different varieties of herbs and spices to taste your stir fries with, personally, I haven't gotten tired of cooking my favorite home cooked  healthy dish.  Now, there are all those prepared sauces and sodium-infested packages and bottles that are labelled to be for stir fry flavoring, imo, I'd stay away from.  Buy your own lil' crushed herbs and spices and/or buy them fresh.  I haven't stepped my game up yet to consistently want to buy my spices and herbs fresh.  lol, I'm a bachelor, and buying them fresh is just time consuming.  I will use some low-sodium teriyaki sauce here and there, in addition. 

Lastly, if ya don't own a wok, and you're trying to either lose weight or maintain healthy eating, shame on you!     

Please....ask me any questions on this topic of woks!  THANKS MUCH. 

Wingo