oil-free living
tips & info to ditch the oil from your life
I cook without using oil. Crazy right?
Seems crazy at first because I think everyone grew up slathering and cooking their food in butter, olive oil (for those Europeans out there), canola oil or vegetable oil. Then I made the swap to coconut oil as it became trendy. Turns out that wasn’t any better.
But guess what, leaving it out is normal for me now!
Cutting out the oil has played a large role in improving my overall health and also helps us maintain healthy weight sizes. For me going oil-free (and eating lower-fat overall) had the most significant effect in the reduction of my candida symptoms I had been plagued with for years. It helped clear up my acne too!
Oil is highly processed. By the time it has gone from a cute little olive into a drop of olive oil, a lot of it’s fiber, vitamins, carbohydrates, proteins and minerals have been shed in the process leaving behind just a lot of fat. Leave the super squished olive behind. Eat the perfectly packaged whole food olive instead !
Yes, oils do have some healthy fats but you can get those from eating nuts, seeds and avocados too! I stick to smaller quantities of these too but I definitely still eat them.
Like instead of eating half a bag of almonds (like I use to) I’ll just eat a handful of almonds tossed into a salad or on top of a smoothie bowl! But for the most part, I just don’t even buy them because honestly eating a handful of almonds and not going back for more is basically impossible.
If you want to learn how to make smoothie-bowls so you can eat a ton of tasty nutrients I created an epic FREE guide to show you how- grab it below and see what all the hype is about!
Build a Smoothie Bowl Today
Build a tasty smoothie bowl guide book. Great for anyone getting started or looking into a plant based diet!
how to cook without oil
Okay so to cook without oil DEPENDS on what you’re cooking.
For Pan Frying– Buy a non-stick frying pan. Add water or vegetable broth to pan in place of oil. As the water/broth evaporates while cooking just keep adding more little by little.
I usually head over to Winners or Homesense and look for ceramic coated non-stick frying pans. It’s the least toxic option I have found that fits in my budget.
Check out this link for healthier cookware brands- aka pots and pans that don’t leach chemicals into your food.
For Cooking things in the Oven– Parchment paper is your best friend. Nothing will stick to it.
Please note that wax paper is different from parchment paper even though it looks the same. Don’t use wax paper, it will make your food taste weird. You can buy reusable silicone baking sheets if you prefer. Also, don’t let the parchment paper touch the heating lights in the oven- from experience, it will light on fire…..so will your oven mitts if you hit those on the lights too.
In Baking Recipes – When baking look online for oil-free recipes. There are tons out there now-a-days! If you have a favourite recipe that calls for oil try swapping out the oil for some more of whatever liquid is used in the recipe. I tend to use apple sauce or maple syrup in place of oil depending on the recipe.
try going oil–free today
So come on now, pick up the coconut oil and move it to the bathroom- I hear it’s good for your hair and skin! Give all your oils to friends that use them and dip your toes in the oil-free life. It’s less slippery over here. Revel in the fact about all the extra $ you’re going to save in your life time by not buying oils anymore- that shit can be expensive!
I realize it’s a big leap to cut oil out completely! Honestly, I still haven’t gone 100% because like I said, I like to treat myself sometimes and it can be incredibly hard to find oil-free treats at the grocery store or oil-free meals at restaurants but I do it the most I can while still having a social life.
It’s easiest to start going oil free at home! A lot of processed food and even non-processed food has added oils in it. Like for example, store bought hummus usually has canola oil, plant milks tend to have sunflower oil for some reason and sometimes nuts even have extra oil added onto them. Salad dressing and sauces are filled with oil too- even the ones at the healthy stores 🙁 . It’s best to learn to make your own hummus and sauces! And read the labels to try to find products/brands that are oil-free.
Start today and before you know it oil-free cooking will be your NEW NORM !
Follow us on instagram for inspiration & join our fb group to learn more about plant-based living and ask any questions you might have!
If you’d like to get more into the gritty deets of why oil is not necessary for your life start here:
https://www.forksoverknives.com/is-coconut-oil-healthy-or-hazardous/#gs.2cqe3e
MEDICAL DISCLAIMER
I am not a doctor or dietitian. The information on here is based on what worked for me. There is a lot of research out there on plant-based diets and the positive impact this diet has on health which really made me comfortable with my plant- based lifestyle choice! If you want to dive more into the science/evidence side of things check out our resources section. Any statements made on these platforms are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent any disease or illness. Please consult with your medical practitioner before making any changes to your current diet and lifestyle.