How to Cook Without Oil: Tips and Tricks to Reduce Oil Consumption During Ramadan

The argument of those who avoid oil in their food is that oil is a processed byproduct of a whole food. For example, avocado oil is extracted from avocados, and olive oil is extracted from olives. While these foods are whole and contain fats, when they are consumed in their extracted form (as oil), they are no longer considered whole foods. Is this a problem?

Try cooking during Ramadan with less oil. Not without oil entirely, but certainly with less. You'll find it to be a bit of an experiment and challenge for yourself, and reducing oil consumption might offer health benefits, as confirmed by nutritionists.

Studies have shown that oils increase the likelihood of cancer more than saturated fats. This is a primary reason for avoiding added oils. Another reason to avoid oils is their contribution to the total calories consumed, which may replace whole plant foods that provide calories. In other words, oils are calorie-dense. From the perspective of whole plant foods, eating whole olives, which contain more iron, copper, calcium, and fiber, provides more nutritional benefit than consuming olive oil.

However, it is also important to recognize that a diet low in or free from oil may not be suitable for everyone. While it may lead to higher intake of certain vitamins and minerals from whole food sources, it might also result in insufficient calorie or nutrient intake. This is especially true for those who tend to eat smaller amounts of food or have nutritional issues.

How to Cook with Less Oil If you're curious and want to start experimenting with cooking with less oil, but aren't sure where to begin, we've got some great tips for you. You can cook with little or no oil without sacrificing flavor or texture, and we've also shared some of our favorite oil-free sauce recipes.

1. Use a Spray Bottle A preferred method when cooking with less oil during roasting is to spray vegetables lightly with avocado oil (either store-bought or in a spray bottle) rather than pouring a tablespoon of oil. This way, you can evenly coat the ingredients with far less oil than if you poured it directly from the bottle.

2. Use a Little Oil with Maple Syrup Another tip is to use a little oil with maple syrup, which helps in browning ingredients (especially vegetables). You can also add spices to taste (like sea salt or your favorite curry powder or shawarma spice mix) for more flavor. This creates a tender texture with slightly crispy edges and a balanced flavor.

3. Steam First If you want to grill without any oil at all, steam or boil your ingredients before grilling. This adds moisture at the beginning of cooking and ensures most ingredients are cooked through or at least partially cooked, so they don't dry out when baked in the oven. Then, all that's left is to add your desired spices and grill at a high temperature (190-218°C). You can also rely on a thermal gauge if you have one to get your ingredients browned with crispy edges.

4. Add Water While Cooking Add water while cooking to prevent ingredients from sticking. You can also do this with broth or coconut acids (or soy sauce). Just keep in mind that broth and coconut acids will add flavor.

5. Use Non-Stick Cookware Non-stick cookware also allows you to cook with little or no oil due to its naturally slippery surface, preventing food from sticking to the pan. While it may not get food as crispy or caramelized, it's a good option if you're aiming to reduce or eliminate oil from your diet.

Oil Alternatives in Baking In baking, some fats are still necessary to avoid dry and crumbly textures, like when biscuits or quick breads lack a crispy, golden crust. Here are some great oil alternatives for baking:

• Mashed Avocado: Adds moisture and fat, perfect for quick breads and cakes.
• Yogurt: Adds moisture and fat, ideal for heavier cakes and quick breads.
• Nut or Seed Butters: Adds moisture and fat, helping with crispiness; perfect for quick breads, cakes, cookies, and granola.
• Mashed Ripe Banana: Adds moisture and helps bind ingredients; ideal for quick breads, cakes, and even granola.
• Applesauce: Adds moisture; great for cakes, quick breads, and muffins.

Tip: Use about ¼ to ½ of the oil in your recipe by replacing it with one of the above ingredients for that familiar taste and texture oil provides without needing to eliminate it entirely. Combining two oil-free alternatives usually works well, so one ingredient doesn’t carry the entire load of the replacement. For example, instead of a quarter cup of olive oil, use 2 tablespoons mashed banana and 2 tablespoons mashed avocado. Or instead of a quarter cup of vegan butter, use 2 tablespoons nut butter and 2 tablespoons applesauce or mashed banana.

Discover: Professional Chef Kitchen Hacks… Learn from Them!

Oil-Free Sauce Recipes Here are some oil-free sauces you’ll often need during Ramadan to add variety to your dishes, appetizers, salads, and grilling creations:

Easy Avocado Aioli (Oil-Free!) This easy recipe starts with adding avocado to a blender or immersion blender cup. The avocado provides an incredibly creamy texture and keeps the recipe oil-free.

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe avocados
• 5-6 tablespoons aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas)
• 3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced or crushed
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (or lime juice)
• ½ teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
• A pinch of black pepper or red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped, or cilantro or basil (optional)

Preparation:

• Add the ripe avocados to a small blender or immersion blender cup. Then add the aquafaba, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper (or red pepper flakes) and fresh herbs, if desired (optional).
• Blend the ingredients well until smooth. Taste and adjust the flavor as needed. Add more lemon for acidity, salt to taste, garlic for a distinctive flavor, or more aquafaba if too thick.
• Store the sauce in the fridge and use within 24-48 hours (it will lose its vibrant color with oxidation).

Tip: This sauce is perfect with roasted potatoes, sweet potato fries, chips, or vegetables.

Easy Green Sauce This sauce can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to a month. Once frozen, thaw it in the fridge overnight before using.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups loosely packed fresh cilantro (large bunch as noted in the recipe / some stems are fine)
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• ¼ teaspoon each of sea salt and black pepper
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (about one lemon)
• 1-2 teaspoons sweetener (maple syrup, agave nectar, or honey if not vegan)
• 2-3 tablespoons ripe avocado for creaminess
• Water to thin (¼ cup or 60 ml as stated in the recipe)

Preparation:

• To make the sauce, add the cilantro, garlic, salt, pepper, lemon juice, sweetener, and avocado (start with the lesser amount to reach creamy consistency) to a small blender or food processor (or use a mortar and pestle).
• Blend the ingredients well. Add enough water to make it pourable, and if it becomes too thin, thicken with more avocado or cilantro. Taste and adjust the spices as needed.
• Tip: Try this sauce with Indian-inspired dishes like dosa, sweet potatoes, potato fries, pakora, or cauliflower bites.

Ginger Lemon Tahini Sauce The Mediterranean coast is known for using tahini in its dishes, and it can replace oils and butter.

Ingredients:

• ⅓ cup tahini
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup or agave nectar (or honey if not vegan)
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 4 teaspoons fresh grated ginger (you can try dry ginger, but we haven’t tested that)
• Water (to thin to a pourable sauce)

Preparation:

• In a medium-sized bowl, add tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup, sea salt, and ginger. Whisk or stir until well combined. Then add water gradually until you reach a pourable consistency.
• Taste and adjust the flavor as needed. Add more lemon for acidity, maple syrup for sweetness, ginger for a stronger ginger flavor, or salt to taste.
• Tip: This sauce is perfect for salads and bowl meals! You can store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to a week, but don’t freeze it.

This is just a glimpse of how you can try cooking with less oil, offering numerous delicious and healthier alternatives for various occasions like Ramadan!