Do you have recipes that you love but are afraid to prepare because they
contain too many calories or too much fat? Try a recipe makeover. These
guidelines can help you turn those calorie-laden "befores" into lower calorie
"afters".
Baked goods and desserts:
-
Use diet margarine instead of regular margarine, shortening or butter. (Make sure your margarine is trans-fat
free, avoiding products with any hydrogenated vegetable oil on the ingredient list.)
-
Instead of oil, try one-half applesauce/one-half nonfat milk, or one-half oil and one-half applesauce. If
possible, replace oil completely with applesauce (this works best in cakes, brownies and zucchini bread).
-
Use a graham cracker crust instead of a traditional pie crust - traditional crusts are usually made from lard or
shortening, with more than 50% of calories from fat.
-
Reduce nuts and coconut by 50% and chocolate chips by 25-50%.
-
Reduce sugar by 25% - it won't change the taste appreciably, especially if you use more of the sweet spices
(vanilla, cinnamon, etc.)
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Replace half of the white flour with whole-wheat flour to increase fiber and nutritional value.
Casseroles and main dishes:
-
Use nonfat plain yogurt instead of sour cream.
-
Use two egg whites in place of every whole egg - this will eliminate cholesterol and save fat calories. For
baked goods and quiches, beat egg whites until stiff to add volume.
-
Use evaporated skim milk instead of cream, and use nonfat or lowfat milk instead of whole milk.
-
Instead of cream cheese, substitute one of the following: light cream cheese; blenderized cottage cheese
combined with 1 tablespoon lemon juice; one-half tofu and one-half ricotta cheese.
-
Saute in wine, chicken broth or vegetable oil spray instead of oil.
-
Use lowfat cheese instead of regular cheese.
FYI
You'll save 240 fat calories by replacing 2 tbs. butter with 2 tbs. broth or wine.
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