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by Anita RomaniwThere's a lot of concerned wives out there. More and more, I am asked to provide a list of low fat recipes for husbands with high cholesterol. Instead, I prefer to arm callers with necessary tricks of the trade to modify their own favourite recipes.
Cooking Techniques
~Keep in mind, skimming the fat means more than just using leaner ingredients. Healthy cooking techniques are key to producing a lower fat product.
~Use low-fat and no-fat cooking methods like steaming, stir frying, poaching, broiling grilling, baking, roasting and microwaving as alternatives to frying.
~Purchase a good quality set of no-stick saucepans, skillets and baking pans so you can saute' and bake without adding fat.
~Foods that are traditionally deep-fried like french fries and samosas taste great when you bake them...it just takes a little more time.
Fat Substitutes
~Although vegetable oils are "healthier fats" compared to hard fats like butter, margarine, lard and shortening, the total fat content is exactly the same. Using less of these added fats is key to reducing the recipe's overall fat content.
~Try no-stick vegetable sprays or 1 or 2 tablespoons of defatted broth, water, juice or wine to replace cooking oil.
~Replace the fat in soups, sauces, muffins or cakes with mashed yams or sweet potatoes.
~Substitute baby carrot puree, roasted red pepper puree or mashed potatoes for the oil in your pasta sauce.
~Replace some of the fat in carrot cake or zucchini bread with pumpkin puree or carrot juice.
~Substitute pureed green peas for half the amount of mashed avocado in guacamole or other dips.
~Use non-fat plain yogurt or sour cream for regular sour cream or mayonnaise.
~Use evaporated skim milk instead of cream wherever you can.
Baking Tips
Skimming the fat and sugar when baking can make a dramatic difference.
Protect your final product with the following tips:
~Toast nuts and spices to enhance their flavour. Chop finely to distribute more evenly throughout the product.
~Add only half of the higher fat ingredients like chocolate chips, coconut, nuts and bacon to maintain the recipe's wonderful flavour with less calories.
~Substitute fat with pureed fruit for sweet flavour and necessary moisture when baking. ~Use equal volumes of pureed fruit for oil. For example, if the recipe calls for 1/2 cup oil, use 1/2 cup applesauce or pureed pineapple instead.
~If you don't have a food processor to puree fruit, try pureed baby food.
~Pears and apples can be used universally in baking because of their mild taste.
~Apricots, prunes and pineapple add a much stronger flavour. Bananas and peaches are somewhere in the middle.
Please note: Dark coloured fruits like prunes or blueberries are best used in dark coloured batters. Lighter coloured fruits like pears or applesauce can be added to any coloured batter without changing its colour.
Finally, be careful with how much you reduce the sugar content. Aim for no more than 25% less to preserve the product's texture and volume. For example, instead of 1 cup of sugar, use 3/4 cup. Add a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg or allspice to enhance the perception of sweetness without adding calories.
For the Meat Lovers
~Replace 1/4 to 1/2 the ground meat in casseroles and sauces with cooked brown rice, bulgar, couscous or chopped beans to cut the fat and boost the fibre.
~Chill soups and stews, and skim off the fat that forms on top.
~Remove the skin from poultry after cooking it.
~Trim all visible fat from steaks, chops, roasts and other meats before preparing them.
~Substitute more vegetables for higher fat meat on pizza and lasagna.
~Shred lower fat cheeses very finely; toss them in with a little flour, cornstarch or arrowroot as they don't melt as well as the higher fat cheeses.
Enjoy transforming your personal favourites into a dietitian's delight. You can find useful tips in any of the cookbooks produced by the Heart and Stroke Foundation, Canadian Diabetes Association or Canadian Cancer Society found in major bookstores and libraries.
Anita Romaniw, Community Nutritionist, Fraser Valley Health Region
