Why Oil-Free?
Many people don’t even think about not using oil when cooking. Using oil is pretty automatic for people when they’re cooking. They’re not aware that there are other things to cook with. Some oils are unhealthier than others, but we can do without all of them in cooking. I don’t even remember exactly when it was that I started to pay attention to all ingredients and intentionally not using oil when I cook and eat. I don’t like the way oil makes things taste, I don’t like the slimy feeling it gives, and every time I ate any type of oil, it didn’t make me feel my best at all.
Different Types of Oils
Of the many different oils, some are worse than others because of the way they are processed and because they contain trans fats. They’re not what are bodies need or want. Soybean, cottonseed, vegetable, canola, peanut, sunflower, corn, palm, olive, avocado, coconut, walnut, flaxseed, safflower, and sesame oil are all oils used for cooking.
Oils are found in the majority of processed foods (frozen dinners, breads, soups, frozen pancakes and waffles, etc.) and snacks (bars, cakes, pies, chips, crackers, pretzels, trail mixes, granolas, nuts, seeds, dried fruits, etc.). They’re also in many sauces, salad dressings, and dips. The most commonly used oils are vegetable, cottonseed, safflower, olive, soybean, peanut, and canola oil.
Cooking Without Oils
In addition to not cooking with oils, I try my very best to not buy foods with oils in them. Most foods I buy do not contain any oils, but some do, and that’s ok, too.
I’ve made popcorn before by popping the kernels in a pot over the stove. So, for that I used coconut oil. I’ve also had the popcorn in a bag that contains coconut oil and algae oil. They’re called Lesser Evil Buddha Bowl Foods and Pop Zero. I’ve bought hummus (prefer to make my own though) that contain olive oil and Siete tortilla chips that contain avocado oil. I would say that coconut, flaxseed, olive, grapeseed, sesame, algae, walnut, and avocado are the best oils to use only if you just really want to use them in cooking and consume them.
It’s super easy and completely doable to cook without oils, I promise! Plus, everything tastes so much better without oils, in my opinion. Fortunately, there are lots of options to use for cooking that can benefit you!
Now on to the 10 Oil-Free Ingredients to Cook With The Healthy Vegan Way!
Fresh Lemon Juice
This is by far my favorite to cook with! Obviously, lemon juice has nutrients and vitamins in it, but it also brings out the flavor in foods. I use fresh lemon juice for everything! I love it in stir frys, veggie dishes, baking (kale chips, tortilla chips, veggies), teas, etc. My favorite way to use fresh lemon juice when cooking is when making tortilla chips. I just tear Food For Life brown rice tortillas into pieces, squeeze lemon juice on them, and sprinkle on garlic powder, Himalayan sea salt, and smoked paprika, then bake them!
Coconut Aminos
This stuff is so awesome! Literally the only ingredients in coconut aminos are organic coconut tree sap aged and blended with sun-dried, mineral-rich sea salt. It contains minerals, low-sodium, vitamin C, B vitamins, 17 amino acids, and is low glycemic. It does not have a coconut taste, and is the perfect replacement for any kind of soy sauce. It can be used for a variety of cooking: stir frys, sautéing, soups, as a marinade, etc. My favorite way to use coconut aminos is in veggie stir frys!
Low Sodium Vegetable Broth
You can make your own or buy a good brand. My favorite brand is Pacific Natural Foods. Low sodium vegetable broth gives a great depth of flavor to anything you cook. It’s perfect for stews, sauces, soups, sautéing, etc. It’s especially amazing to use in soups, which happens to be my favorite way of using it!
Water
Yes, water. You can definitely cook with it, and it absolutely works beautifully in cooking. When you cook with water, you can truly taste the real flavor of the veggies or whatever plant foods you’re cooking. I actually use water more than anything else to cook with. Water can be used to sauté with, in soups, stir frys, baking, steaming, roasting, etc. So simple, yet completely overlooked. My favorite way to cook with water is when sautéing veggies!
Plant Milks
So, you can replace oils with plant milks when cooking and baking. Cooking a sauce? Baking pancakes? Cooking a soup? Plant milks can be used for those! I say almond or cashew because they’re the plant milks that alter the flavors the least. They’re more neutral. If you don’t make your own plant milks, make sure to get the unsweetened to avoid unnecessary sugar. My favorite way to cook/bake with plant milk is when making pancakes! Coconut milk is amazing to cook and bake with!
Fresh Lime Juice
Oh, yes. As you probably know, lime juice tastes a bit bolder and zestier than lemon juice. Fresh lime juice is the absolute best to add in veggie, rice, lentil, quinoa, and millet dishes. It’s also amazing for kale chips, sauces, and tacos. My favorite way to cook with fresh lime juice is in sauces!
Coconut Milk
There are basically three different forms coconut milk are available in. Canned coconut milk (my favorite brand is Thai Kitchen), culinary coconut milk in a carton that’s super thick in consistency (So Delicious brand), and refrigerated coconut milk in a carton are the three main forms available in stores. The culinary coconut milk and canned coconut milk are the best to use for soups and creams. The refrigerated kind is great to use for sautéing and making sauces. My favorite way to cook with coconut milk is making dahl (a lentil dish)!
Salsa
Whether you make your own or buy it, salsa is awesome to cook with! Sauces, soups, veggies, brown rice, beans, burgers, burritos, tacos, potatoes, etc. are all yummy with salsa cooked in. My favorite way to cook with salsa is when making burritos!
Tomatoes (sauce, strained, or crushed)
Crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce can be used in a variety of dishes! If you buy tomato sauce, make sure to get it with no oil. My favorite tomato sauce to get is Bionaturae strained tomatoes, in which the only ingredient is tomatoes. Spices and herbs can be added to make it an incredible, delicious tomato sauce! Tomatoes can be used as the base for many things when cooking: sauces, marinades, soups, veggie dishes, pasta dishes, stews, etc. My favorite way to cook with tomatoes is in pasta dishes!
Vinegars
Aple cider vinegar is amazing. It’s super versatile! Use it in sauces, marinades, stir frys, teas, baking, etc. You can cook with it, and it gives everything a tangy flavor. Make sure to get thr brand Bragg’s that is the purest for all of the health benefits! My favorite way to cook with apple cider vinegar is in teas! Balsamic vinegar and red wine vinegar are also great!
Bonus!
Parchment Paper
A way to make sure that nothing sticks when you’re cooking or baking is to use parchment paper! Line a baking pan with it when baking or roasting, and everything will turn out perfect. No cooking sprays needed!
Ending Thoughts
Cooking and baking without oils is the most delicious vegan way to cook and bake, in my opinion! There are many vegan ingredients you can cook and bake with that taste delicious. Oils aren’t necessary for cooking and baking. Obviously, you can still use oils, but I promise it’s super easy to make yummy meals and snacks without any oils! For the most amazing oil-free vegan recipes, go to: The Vegan 8!