Six Low Fat Recipes
The only way to lose weight is to burn more calories than you eat. The best way to do it is following a balanced diet. If you do away with complete food groups –no fats or no starches, for instance- you will be missing nutrients essential to your health. Restrictive diets also are difficult to follow in the long run. Aim for a balance diet that suits your preferences. If proteins are what make you feel satisfied, eat more of those, but eat some carbohydrates too. If you are a carb lover, put your accent on those, but don’t forget to have some protein too. Fats should make only 25-30% of your calorie intake but they should be present in your diet, choose mostly unsaturated fats, they are healthier. Exercise; increasing your physical activity will also help you to burn calories.
These six recipes low in fat –all of them below 30% calories from fat- to help you design your personal balanced menu and keep your resolution. Two of them were already in our cookbook, the other four are new.
Simple to prepare and tastes so good. Starting the meal with a clear vegetable soup will make you feel more satisfied while adding virtually no calories.
4 chicken drumsticks, skinless if you want it extra lean
¼ cup apple butter
¼ cup molasses
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 apples, cored and sliced into 8 wedges each
Prepare the glaze and marinate
Place the apple butter, molasses, ground ginger, salt and pepper in a medium bowl; stir to mix well. Add the chicken drumsticks and toss to coat. Cover the bowl with film leave it to stand in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Broil and serve
Preheat broiler. Set the marinated chicken drumsticks in a broiler pan and broil for 15 minutes, turning occasionally; brush with the marinade to keep them moist. Garnish with apple slices and serve.
Tip
Lining the pan with aluminum foil will save you cleaning.
Servings: 4
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
This recipe is my own version of one I found in a Nestle cookbook. I though it was an original way to use apple butter.
Start your day the English way with baked beans on toast –just 1 slice of bread, please- not only filling, excellent brain food as well.
1 lb dried beans (about 2 cups)
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
½ lb bacon or salt pork, diced
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup molasses
1 tsp dry mustard
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
Soak the beans overnight in cold water –or for 8 hours, minimum, to 12 hours maximum. When you are ready to cook, discard the water.
The oven method
Boil the beans in water with ½ tsp baking soda, until the skins starts to crack. It should take about 15 minutes if you use a pressure cooker, about 45 minutes to 1 hour if using a normal pot. Put the onion quarters at the bottom of a bean pot or casserole pan. Add the boiled beans. Put the bacon on top of the beans. Mix molasses, brown sugar, dry mustard, salt and pepper with 1 cup of water and pour over the beans. Bake a 300° F for 6 hours. Add more boiling water if necessary.
The slow cooker method
Put the onion quarters at the bottom of the slow cooker pot; add beans, then the bacon on top. Mix molasses, brown sugar, dry mustard, salt and pepper with 1¼ cup of water and pour over the beans. Cover and cook on low for 10 to 12 hours.
Tips
For Boston baked beans, substitute ¼ cup water with ¼ cup ketchup. Prepare gourmet baked beans by adding different flavors: a few cloves of garlic, ½ tsp ginger, a good splash Worcestershire sauce, all three together, or add your own.
Servings: 8
Freeze any excess beans in small containers for other times when you are squeezed for time. You could easily double the quantities and freeze half of it the same way.
If you don’t have a wok, use a large skillet or frying pan instead. They would need more oil than a wok, coat with vegetable oil spray instead and you won’t go over the limit in fat.
1 lb, raw, cleaned shrimp
1 Tbs olive oil, use sesame oil for a more authentic Asian flavor
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ tsp ground ginger
2 scallions, green or spring onions, diagonally sliced
1 package (14 oz) frozen stir-fry vegetables
1 cup fresh bean sprouts
1 tsp cornstarch
½ cup water or broth
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp fresh lemon juice, or ½ lemon
Rinse shrimp in cold water, drain and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Dissolve cornstarch in liquid. Set both aside. Heat the oil in a wok on high heat until very hot. Add garlic, ginger, and onion. Stir a couple of times. Add vegetables and bean sprouts straight away. Cook 3-4 minutes, stirring continuously, and push to one side to make room. Add shrimp and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes. Add cornstarch mixture and soy sauce. Cook for 3-4 minutes. The shrimp will turn pink and become opaque.
Drizzle with lemon juice or squeeze the ½ lemon over the stir-fry. Serve with rice on the side.
Tip
Prick the flesh of the lemon with a fork, it will make squeezing easier and catch any pips.
Servings: 4
The protein in this recipe comes from the pasta and the ricotta cheese. Serve with a green salad.
8 oz fettuccine
½ cup low fat ricotta cheese
2 Tbs olive oil
1 lb fresh white mushrooms, sliced (about 5 cups)
½ cup sliced green onions (scallions or spring onions)
1 tsp minced garlic
1 cup diced tomato
¼ cup chopped fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried basil, crushed
1 tsp salt
Pasta
Cook the fettuccine following the instructions in the package, set aside 1 cup of the cooking liquid, then drain the pasta and return to the pot. Add the ricotta cheese, some of the hot liquid previously reserved -enough to make a creamy sauce- and mix. Add the mushroom and tomato; toss to distribute evenly. Serve.
Sauce
Start with the sauce while you wait for the water to boil and the fettuccine to cook. Heat the oil in a large skillet until hot. Add onions and cook 1-2 minutes then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add mushrooms. Cook stirring frequently for 5-6 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Add the diced tomato, basil and salt. Cook for a further couple of minutes, until the tomato is just warm.
Servings: 4
Add bay leaf kebabs and our country bean soup to your list of low fat recipes. They will help you to cut down on fat while making the most on flavor.
