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LOW FAT COOKING

Our bodies need some essential fatty acids to function properly. We also need some fats in our diet, to provide the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. But too much fat is not good for you. If you want to be healthy, reduce your consumption of fats, especially saturated fat and trans-fatty acids, to reduce your risk of heart disease.

Eating a low fat diet does not mean sacrificing your flavor and taste. You can enjoy many of the foods you love with just a few changes here and there. You can alter recipes, change the way you prepare food and slightly alter your cooking methods to reduce the amount of fat in the foods you prepare.

Lowering the Fat in Your Cooking

You can lower the fat from your foods by following these simple tips :

• Remove all visible fat from meats before it is prepared. Always remove the skin from your poultry and trim the fat from your meats.
• Cook with non stick pans.
• Use cooking spray rather than using butter / oil . And use vegetable cooking sprays whenever possible. A light mist is all you need to keep foods from sticking.
• Boil, Broil or Bake your food instead of frying.
• Stir-fry your vegetables in broth. Chicken, beef or vegetable broth give your vegetables a great flavor, and using broth instead of oil cuts down the fat.
• Microwave foods rather than fry. This way, you don't have to add any fat or liquid during the cooking process.
• Grill meat/chicken or roast it on a rack so the fat can drip away.
• Steam vegetables.
• Add vegetables to meat dishes to decrease the amount of meat you consume.
• Cook with sharp cheeses and reduce the amount of cheese that you add .Since the flavor is stronger, you don't have to use as much.
• Cook with non fat cheeses or mix non-fat with regular cheese.
• It is advisable to make marinades with chicken stock rather than oil them.
• Chill stocks, soups and stews, then remove the fat and reheat.
• Use applesauce or fruit purees in place of butter and oil in baked foods. You can use it in cake and bread recipes also- it is delicious.
• Use skim milk instead of whole milk.
• Replace heavy cream with skimmed milk or low fat yogurt.
• Sour cream can be replaced by low fat yogurt or cottage cheese.
• Substitute two egg whites for one whole egg.
• Try stir frying in chicken stock rather than oil.
• When cooking brown meats, drain the excess fat by tilting the pan and spooning it out .You can also use paper towels to soak up the fat. After removing the fat, rinse the meat with water and then reheat it.

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