Altering Recipes to Lower Fat Content

[ajrsmom]

You can alter recipes, change the way you prepare foods and alter your cooking methods to reduce the amount of fat in the foods you prepare.

Steps to Altering the Recipe

1. Use applesauce or fruit purees in place of butter and oil in baked goods. (I have used applesauce in cake and bread recipes - it is delicious. I've also used a product called Lighter Bake (made of fruit purees) in cakes and breads - it is also very good).


2. Use skim milk instead of whole milk.


3. Replace heavy cream with evaporated skim milk or low fat yogurt. (I usually use low fat yogurt).


4. Sour cream can be replaced by low fat yogurt or cottage cheese. (I've put yogurt into beef stroganoff rather than sour cream and it still tasted great!).


5. Substitute two egg whites for one whole egg (three egg whites for two whole eggs).


Altering the way food is prepared

1. Trim all visible fat from meats before it is prepared


2. Cook with non stick pans and cooking spray rather than using butter/oil


3. Add vegetables or extra pasta to meat dishes to decrease the amount of meat you consume


4. Cook with sharp cheeses and reduce the amount of cheese that you add (because the flavor is stronger, you don't have to use as much).


5. Cook with non fat cheeses or mix non fat with regular cheese. (Sometimes non fat cheeses don't melt very well, if you mix them with regular cheese, the texture is better when melted).


6. Make marinades with chicken stock rather than oil


7. Chill stocks, soups and stews, then remove the congealed fat and reheat.


Altering the Cooking Methods

1. Grill meat or roast it on a rack so the fat can drip away.


2. Steam vegetables.


3. Sauté using water, broth, wine or cooking spray.


4. Try stir frying in chicken stock rather than oil.


5. Brown meats, drain the excess fat by tilting the pan and spooning it out (you can also use paper towels to soak up the fat. After the fat is removed, rinse the meat with water and then reheat it.


6. Microwave foods rather than fry - you don't have to add any fat or liquid during the cooking process.

[handpainter]

These are all great ideas:p

[janet]

I have been trying to incorporate these tips into my life...I am now losing weight with simple changes. I hjave an extremely hard time losing weight, so now I have 22 lbs less! PTL


August 9, 2004
Let Your Body Be Your Guide
Instinctive Nutrition
When humanity was young, it possessed instincts that inspired early man to eat only those foods that would keep the body healthy and strong. As time passed, however, this diet of nutritious raw foods was replaced by one of processed grains, cooked meats and vegetables, and preservatives. Though the healthy-eating instinct was buried deep within us, it emerges from time to time when we choose a fresh, whole food appropriate to our bodies' needs. Imagine the sweet scent of ripe pineapple and then the first heavenly bite. After the tenth bite, the pineapple is no longer as wonderful. It may taste sour or dry. The initial pleasure and the eventual unpleasantness are the cues of instinctive (Anopson) nutrition.

Physicist and cellist Guy-Claude Burger proposed that each of us possesses an innate nutritional knowledge of which foods we need to achieve metabolic balance. He believed that humans are genetically adapted only to foods in their original state: raw, unprocessed fruits, vegetables, meats, seafoods, pollens, honey, nuts and some grains and dairy. When you have a need for a certain food, that food will smell and taste incredibly alluring. But the reaction is dynamic and when your body's need has been fulfilled, the flavor abruptly changes, indicating that you should switch to another food or end your meal. Instinctive nutrition also advocates eating only one food at a time, or mono-eating, to allow you to experience the unique pleasure of each individual food.

Food can make us healthy and can make us ill. Eating via instinct protects your body from artificial foods and pollutants, and leads to better health, even-temperedness and increased concentration through better nutrition and immune response. Instinctive nutrition also fosters a deeper relationship with yourself because you are creating a health regime designed just for you. Listening to your body and observing its needs on the dietary level is a simple way to begin intuitively caring for yourself, every day.

Janet

[janet]

Eating Out, Not Over
When you’re eating out, it’s often hard not to overeat. Here are some simple tips for eating healthier at a restaurant:

1 - Stay on your food plan. Have limited, moderate amounts, a serving or two at a time, eating in balance from all six USDA Food Pyramid food groups.

2 - Skip the appetizers, and have a main dish with two side vegetables. Limit the bread to two servings or less.

3 - For dessert, try some delicious fresh fruits, instead of cakes, cookies, ice cream or pies (anything with added sugar or fat).

4 - Try to find out what's fresh on the menu, not canned or frozen. Anything that's fresh is already going to taste better and be better for you.

5 - Have only one helping, skip the seconds. Go for a walk if you feel tempted to overindulge, and ask God for help while you're at it.



6- When your food arrives, if it’s a big portion immediately divide it in half and ask the server to put half in a take-home bag. Great leftovers for tomorrow, and MUCH less risk of overeating.

Bon Appetit!

[janet]

Smarter Holiday Eating

This holiday season, resolve to be healthful. It can be tempting to overindulge when the table is laden with rich foods that you only eat once a year, but practicing self-control will benefit your health and your waistline. Here are some suggestions for eating sensibly:

Don't skimp on breakfast or lunch in preparation for Thanksgiving dinner. You'll be ravenous by the time you sit down to eat.
Try to get some exercise earlier in the day. A brisk walk will burn some calories and keep you focused on a healthy lifestyle.


Munch on low-cal, low-fat snacks throughout the day - raw vegetables and a low-fat dip are good alternatives to bowls of nuts or crackers and cheese. Visit the Recipes section for tasty, low-fat dips.


Watch your alcohol consumption. It's harder to keep your resolve when you're tipsy.



Practice portion control. Plan what you'll eat in advance. Stick to the white meat of the turkey; have a spoonful of potatoes but hold the butter; put a little gravy on the side of your plate, not all over your food.


Eat slowly. It takes your stomach about 20 minutes to signal your brain that it's full.