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!