How to Lighten a Recipe: Part 3–Get Creative!

Strategy 3: Get Creative With Your Cooking

Are you tired of cooking the same dishes over and over? Don’t know what to cook, let alone what low-fat goodie to cook? Well, since your pantry (see pantry, food favorites and Costco favorites) is now stocked with low-fat, high-fiber and fresh ingredients, you have the makings of some fast and wonderful dishes. But how? Well, just grab some stuff and go! Here are a few suggestions (taken from my pantry list and some staples I have on hand).

• Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken = Boneless, skinless chicken breast + soy sauce + canned pineapple + fresh ginger + chicken stock +Splenda + cornstarch: Sautee cubed chicken breast until brown, add soy sauce, pineapple, ginger and chicken stock, simmer until done, add cornstarch mixed with water to thicken.
• Warm Sweet and Savory Shrimp Salad = Shrimp + garlic + Kraft Fat Free Cesar Italian + Spinach + mushrooms + onions + Splenda: Sautee onions, add mushrooms, add shrimp and garlic, add dressing and Splenda, cook until shrimp is just done, take off the heat and toss in spinach
• Light Waldorf Salad = Cooked boneless skinless chicken breast + apples + fat free mayo + Splenda + salad greens
• Savory Salsa Omelet = Leftover meat + chopped broccoli + sliced mushrooms + sliced grape tomatoes + salsa
• Quick Soup = Canned beans + leftover meat OR boneless skinless chicken breast (cubed), + spinach + onions + carrots + canned diced tomatoes + chicken broth + sliced mushrooms + seasonings
• Stuffed Potatoes = baked sweet potato (baked in the microwave) + fat free Cream of Mushroom/Chicken/Broccoli soup + vegetables + cooked chicken or turkey + spices
• Stuffed Potatoes 2 = baked sweet potato + 1/2 cup Most Excellent Vegetarian Four Bean Chili + 1 cup steamed broccoli + 1 Tablespoon fat free sour cream
• Faux Seviche = 1/2 pound Fat free imitation crab meat + 1/2 cup chopped grape tomatoes + 1/4 cup sauteed sweet onion (sauteed in non-stick cooking spray) + chopped Serrano or Jalapeno chili peppers, to taste + lime juice, to taste + salt and pepper to taste
• Faux Waldorf Salad = 1 cup cubed cooked boneless skinless chicken breast + 1/4 c fat free mayo + 1/8 c fat free sour cream + 2 apples, cored and cubed + 1/8 cup chopped walnuts + Splenda (to taste) + a bed of mixed salad greens

Getting the idea?  Just take what you have and make it into something special.

How to Lighten a Recipe: Part 2–Pump Up the Flavor

Okay.  So you’ve substituted low-fat ingredients for the higher fat originals.  However, that reduction in fat can sometimes make the recipe less tasty; you no longer have the texture, flavor and richness of the fat in the dish.  If you’re finding that the lack of fat or protein substitute has significantly impacted the deliciousness of your dish, it’s time to pump up the flavor.  I find the flavor of soy protein (Boca Burgers, for instance) to be fairly boring and not entirely satisfying.  Thus, when I’m using the soy protein in my dish, I usually add something to pump up the otherwise dull dish.  Here are some suggestions.

Strategy 2: Pump up the flavor when you reduce the fat.

• Salsa! Salsa! Cha Cha Cha! I love adding salsas to dishes to spice them up and give them a new depth of flavor.  Salsas are low in fat and calories and already have beautiful spices and flavors ready and able to give your dish a kick of flavor–and heat.  Salsas also come in a myriad of flavors, so you can add even more complexity and interest in your dish by selecting an unusual salsa–how about Peach Chipotle Salsa?
• Spice (or herb) up your food. Taking fat out? Add flavor by adding spices and herbs. Fresh herbs add a lovely, bright note to any dish. When using fresh herbs, try layering the flavor. Add some of the herbs when initially adding ingredients, then adding more at the end of cooking to give the flavor a pop.  Dry herbs should be added early on in the cooking so they can impart the most flavor.  Spices can also be layered to make the flavors pop.
• Reduce to reduce! Reducing sauces concentrates flavors, providing greater flavor and texture without adding fat. Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce it to a simmer and cook (no lid) until the flavors mellow and the sauce reduces 1/3 to 1/2. If you have a protein that improves with longer cooking times, leave it it. If you don’t, take it out while the sauce reduces or cook it separately. Return the protein to the pot in the last 5 to 10 minutes of cooking to reheat it and meld the flavors.
• Use fruit to add a new dimension to your cooking. I love adding fruit to dishes I’m cooking. Fruit adds natural sweetness, another textural component and lovely flavor. Making a tomato-based sauce? How about adding some mango or peaches to add some flavor? Making a wine-based sauce?  How about some berries or grapes to balance the acid and richness of the sauce?  Summer is here, and beautiful fruits are abundant.  Use them to the fullest!
• A little dab’ll do ya. Here’s a secret–Better Than Bouillon paste.  It’s a concentrated soup base (yes, it does have a lot of sodium), but a small amount will boost the flavor of your dish.  It comes in a variety of flavors–beef, chicken, ham, vegetable, mushroom, turkey, lobster (yeah!), clam and chili, as well as organic and low-sodium versions.  Use it instead of salt to flavor and salt your sauce.  Use it in your marinades, your meatloaf, your sauces, your soups…you get the picture!
• Mix and match. Have some leftover dish that isn’t enough for a meal?  Try repurposing the dish and create something new.  Have some leftover pasta sauce?  Use it as a base for a rich tomato soup.  Have some leftover casserole or chili?  Make it into a savory dinner omelet or frittata, or even top a bed of lettuce or spinach and make a warm salad.  Have some leftover soup?  Add beans, a little pasta and vegetables to make it into a hearty stew.  Have some leftover protein (chicken, beef, turkey)?  It’s now a great casserole or enchilada filling.  The nice thing about repurposing leftovers is that you’ve already built a base of flavor…this just builds on that flavor and makes it shine.

So, get your flavors on when you reduce the fat!  In Part 3, we’ll talk about getting creative with your cooking.

How to Lighten a Recipe: Part 1–Substitute!

A couple of weeks ago, we got together with some friends to cook and enjoy a meal together–we call it our Cooking Club. The menu theme was Greek this time. While the meal was healthy–chicken kebabs, grilled pita bread with salad, grilled haloumi cheese with lemon–it was laden with fat and calories. My husband and I made a few adjustments (changed the dressing on our salad to fat free, skipped the haloumi cheese course), we were still able to enjoy ourselves and stay within our Weight Watchers plan. However, when I got home, I reworked the recipes to reduce the fat (and points).

There are simple, very straightforward substitutions you can make in a recipe and still have a delicious meal that’s Weight Watchers friendly. However, always take into account the impact of your substitutions–that is, what that substitution will do to the taste and texture of your dish.

Strategy 1: Reduce the fat and calories in a recipe by substituting lower-fat/calorie alternatives.

• Select a low-fat protein. Boneless skinless chicken breast is the first thing that comes to mind, but there are other ways to cut the fat and calories in a dish while creating depth of flavor. 96% fat-free ground beef is a great substitute for regular ground beef. Browning it before you add it to a dish caramelizes the sugars in the meat and adds great flavor. Extra lean (4% to 5% fat, or even the lean 7% fat) ground turkey is another great substitute, but you have to be aware that ground turkey does require extra care to keep it from drying out. You need to be more careful not to overcook it or else you will have a dry, chewy mess. Fish, shrimp and scallops are also great proteins that you can use without a lot of fat, but beware that not all fish are equal–salmon, while containing healthy fats, still packs more fat than other fish choices. Shrimp tends to be high in cholesterol, so if reducing cholesterol is part of your dietary needs, you want to use shrimp in moderation. Soy proteins are a good substitute for beef, but know that the flavor and texture could be significantly different. You could use a mixture of extra lean ground beef and some soy protein to provide both flavor and protein for a dish.
• Use non-stick spray instead of oil for sautée or browning. When a recipe starts out “brown 1 onion in 1 tablespoon of oil” or something to that effect, you KNOW that you can save 120 calories and 14 grams of fat if you substitute non-stick cooking spray for that oil. If oil adds flavor, either use an olive oil cooking spray or a mixture of the cooking spray and a tiny bit (1 teaspoon) of oil to add flavor.
• Reduce the amount of fat–but leave some in for flavor. Creating a marinade that requires 1/4 cup of olive oil?   Use 1 tablespoon instead and save 360 calories.  Making a salad dressing that requires a lot of oil?  Use a little oil, and then use another method to create texture and body–for instance, guar gum or xanthan gum (available online) can add viscosity but not add fat or calories.  Certain oils add flavor, but you don’t need to use so much to add flavor.  Just remember to think about what else the fat adds–texture, body, etc.–and adjust accordingly.
• Use non-fat cream or sour cream. Fat-free half and half is a great substitute for heavy cream, and fat-free or low-fat sour cream works great in lieu of the full fat version. Fat-free evaporated milk also works wonders. If the fat-free sour cream is too loose for the sauce, add a little cornstarch to it and mix well before adding it to the pot.
• Use Splenda/sucralose instead of sugar. I love Splenda. Some people are up in arms about the potential health issues with artificial sweeteners. However, I like the ability to sweeten without adding undue calories and sugar. I like Splenda more than Equal–Equal/aspartame’s sweetness diminishes when cooked, so it’s only good for cold items or added to hot items with no additional cooking. Others have tried Stevia, but I don’t find it pleasant. If using Splenda for baking, you need to be aware that sugar has a significant role in the texture and appearance of baked items. Thus, if substituting Splenda for sugar, only replace 1/2 of the sugar with Splenda (or use the Splenda baking blends).
• Puree your food. Instead of thickening soups with cream (or even fat-free half and half), try adding a puree. Puree half of a vegetable-based soup to thicken it. If you’re adding protein, add it after creating and adding the puree. You can also puree some of the broth with some cooked beans to create a creamy finish and thicker texture.
• Use vegetables instead of starches. Layer sliced zucchini instead of pasta to create a lasagna. Serve your pasta sauce over a bed of steamed broccoli instead of boiled penne. Cook and mash cauliflower instead of potatoes (and use fat-free sour cream or half and half instead of butter and cream) or “rice” the cauliflower using a grater or a food processor and steam–this makes a nice textural rice substitute. Use spaghetti squash instead of pasta.  I also love to create warm salads out of main dishes that were formerly served alone or with a starch.  For instance, chili (try my Most Excellent Four-Bean Chili) ladled on top of a bed of spinach wilts the spinach and provides you with vital nutrients and a entree salad at the same time.
• Use other low-fat alternatives. There are tons of low-fat alternatives to high-fat foods. Many cheeses come in low-fat versions. However, if they are specifically used or flavor in dish, you might be better off using the real thing or using SOME of the real thing. For instance, there is NO substitute for freshly grated Parmesan cheese for adding flavor to a dish. However, instead of using 1 cup in a recipe, you could reduce it to 1/4 cup to impart the flavor.

I’ll be posting other ways to lighten your recipes.  Stay tuned!

Recipe: Turkey Burgers

I love burgers.  They’re warm, satisfying and delicious.  They’re also full of fat and calories–and a small burger that I could have from a fast food place just doesn’t cut it.  I was watching a food show the other day, and they made turkey burgers.  I liked the way they added ingredients to keep the meat moist and juicy.  I liked that they made individual patties that could be frozen for later use.  But I found the recipe to be too fatty the way it was, so I lightened it.  The result?  A wonderful and low point burger OR meatball.  Yum!

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds lean ground turkey, 7% fat, 7% fat, 2 packages Jennie-O
• 4 slices Sara Lee Delightful Whole Wheat Bread, cubed
• 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream (you can also substitute 4 tablespoons of Trader Joe’s Eggplant Hummus for 1/4 cup of the sour cream for a different flavor with little impact on the nutritional value)
• 2 tablespoons seasonings (I like Schilling Garlic Patch salt free seasoning for this)

Preparation

Cut the bread into small cubes.  Mix all ingredients together.  Form into 10 patties–about 5 ounces each (weight them).  Wrap each patty in plastic wrap.  Freeze or refrigerate.  Thaw before cooking.

To cook, heat a pan to medium heat and spray with cooking spray.  Cook for approximately 4 minutes per side, or until cooked through.  Serve each patty on 2 slices of Sara Lee Delightful bread and condiments.

Serves 10.

Nutritional Information

Per Serving (Burgers Only): 198 Calories; 8g Fat (38.3% calories from fat); 25g Protein; 5g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber

Per Serving – 2 slices Sara Lee Delightful Whole Wheat Bread: 90 Calories; 0g fat; 6g Protein; 18g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber

WW Points Estimate: 4 for the burger, 1 for the 2 slices of bread

(c)2008 by M. Donnelly.  All rights reserved.