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Decreasing Fat in Recipes
Don't be afraid to cut back on fat in your main or side dish recipes! You can substitute plain nonfat yogurt for sour cream in many recipes, however, you should be careful when heating the yogurt (e.g., when substituting yogurt for sour cream in a classic Stroganoff recipe). If you heat it too quickly, it will curdle. When using the plain yogurt as a substitute, add it at the last minute, heat it SLOWLY, and only heat it through.
Feel free to substitute fat free or fat-reduced cheeses in your recipes. Most folk complain that reduced-fat and fat free cheeses don't melt as well as their higher-fat counterparts. Not a problem, in many instances..... Just spray the unmelted cheese (on pizza, on top of a casserole, etc.) with a vegetable nonstick cooking spray, it will help it melt better, without adding too much fat.
For those of you who love to bake cakes, pies, etc..... I love to bake too, but was very discouraged when the only vegetable shortenings on the market contained hydrogenated oils.... there is a product on the market now, a shortening with no trans fats or hydrogenated oils....the brand name is Smart Balance®, produced by GFA Inc®. Give it a try.
Please make certain to use LOW FAT (not fat free) dressings with your leafy green salads. Certain vitamins and proteins NEED a fat molecule to bind to, or else the nutrients in the salad will not be absorbed by the body. Just be careful, which fats you allow in your diet - some are helpful - MANY are harmful.
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