Five clever air fryer hacks for healthier cooking

It’s not easy finding the time to be healthy – but these quick air fryer hacks will make it easier for you to cook nutritious meals with barely any clean up.

We all know air fryers are timesavers and can help us cut back on oil when cooking.

But with a bit of creativity you can also boost your nutrient and fibre intake.

Sports dietitian Leah Higl, who is based in Brisbane, said she cooked with her air fryer every day.

“I use mine most days, I think it’s a very easy way to produce healthy balanced meals and snacks with very little clean up so it’s more so just a timesaving device than anything,” she said.

Dietitian Leanne Ward, a busy mum to two little girls in Queensland, said she was also a fan and used them when she wanted to make something quick and easy.

Here are five of their tips for cooking healthier food with an air fryer.

EAT ROAST CHICKPEAS FOR A SNACK

Roasting chickpeas, edamame or legumes can be a really great easy snack, Ms Higl said.

“You would drain them and rinse them off if they are canned, or if frozen leave it just as is.

“Then coat it in that extra virgin olive oil spray, add some spices and seasoning like an Italian herb mix or smoked paprika, mix it all together and chuck it in the air fryer.

“You can do that at a decent temperature like 180 to 200.”

Try roasting some chickpeas in the air fryer.

Ms Higl said it was about making something boring, bland and lacking in texture a little bit more fun.

“It’s a very high-fibre, low-calorie, high-protein snack option that you can improve the texture of by cooking it in the air fryer,” she said.

“All of your legumes are going to have a decent protein and fibre content.”

MAKE DEHYDRATED VEGIE CHIPS

Rather than a traditional potato chip, both dietitians suggested using vegetables.

Ms Higl said she often made dehydrated kale chips in the air fryer.

“Kale is a really good thing to use as an air fryer hack,” she said.

“I would be chopping up the kale, using a little spray, adding a few spices and herbs like nutritional yeast or salt and pepper.

“Then you just put it on low heat, so between 140 and 160 in your air fryer, and then only put it in for a few minutes at a time and check it.

“Because it dehydrates it’s able to crisp up which gives it a nice crunchy chip texture rather than a leathery kale texture.”

Dietitian Leanne Ward is a busy mum of two little girls.

She said it could then be paired with something like a salsa, hummus or guacamole.

Ms Ward agreed kale was a great chip option, but added there were other vegies that could be considered like zucchinis.

“Beetroots can be great too, slice them really thin, really lightly spray them with oil and mixed herbs or rosemary and cook them that little bit longer so they go very crispy, almost like a potato chip, but a vegie chip, so different nutrients,” she said.

DO THIS NUTRIENT-DENSE CRUMBING HACK

Ms Ward said she’d often whip up a quick chicken schnitzel or fish fingers for her kids using her air fryer.

But to make them healthier, she’d use a multigrain crumb.

“You can blitz up some wholegrain or multigrain bread in a NutriBullet, mix it up with some herbs and dip the protein in an egg wash and then crumb it and whack it straight into the air fryer,” she said.

“I just line my basket with a bit of baking paper so the crumb doesn’t go everywhere and then it makes really nice protein with a little bit of crumb on it.”

She said stale bread was best because it would blitz up well for crumbing.

“Your best bet is a multigrain bread because it is less processed than a white bread … I really like something like a Burgen Soy & Linseed because it’s a really good dense grainy bread.

“If you can visibly see the wholegrains in there that’s what we want.

“You can also add some nuts and linseeds into it, even pepitas, that way you can have a really nutrient-dense crumb.”

TRY THIS HEALTHY SWEET TREAT

If you’re craving something sweet then you can always put some apple slices in the air fryer, Ms Ward said.

Apples in the air fryer are delicious and a healthy sweet treat - especially when paired with Greek yoghurt.

If you want them moist, don’t cook them as long.

But if you want them crispy cut them thinner and air fry them a bit longer so they’re like a chip.

“It’s a 3pm pick-me-up that works really well,” she said.

“Then you can dip them in Greek yoghurt with a bit of honey and cinnamon – my kids love them.”

LEAVE SKIN ON YOUR VEGIES

If you peel your carrots before roasting them in the air fryer, then you’re missing out on extra fibre.

Ms Ward said leaving the skin on vegetables before popping them in the air fryer was a good health-boosting hack.

She described fibre as a “superfood”.

“So the more we can get in the better,” she said.

“You’re getting more fibre if you leave the skin on because the bulk of the fibre in fruit and vegetables is found in the skin or just underneath the skin.

“Fibre is really great for your gut microbiome, it supports blood-sugar regulation, it helps with a healthy digestive system and helps to regulate blood-sugar levels and hormone levels.

“It also slows down the digestion of carbohydrates in the diet.”

She said she would just give the carrots a good wash and chop the end bit off where it grows.

“Air fried crispy carrots are a really great idea and serving them with hummus,” she said.

“Beetroots as well, if you give them a really good soak and scrub with a dash of vinegar you can take the dirt off and leave the skin on.”