The ingredients that make many favorite foods taste delicious -- fat and sugar -- are also the ingredients that can cause weight gain and disease. The recommended amount of calories from fat is 20 to 35 percent of overall daily calories, according to MayoClinic.com. If you're consuming more than that, it may be time to make some changes in the way you prepare foods. Being able to enjoy your usual recipes with fewer calories may help you make lasting changes toward a healthier life.
Step 1
Substitute low-fat or nonfat dairy products in any recipe that requires them. Milk, sour cream, yogurt and cheese retain the same levels of protein, vitamins and minerals whether they are low- or full-fat. Use evaporated skim milk instead of cream to thicken sauces or soups, bake a cheesecake with skim ricotta or make mashed potatoes velvety with fat-free sour cream instead of butter.
Step 2
Cook items like rice, couscous or potatoes with fat-free chicken or vegetable broth instead of plain water. The broth will add flavor, allowing you to skip more caloric flavorings like butter or sauces.
Step 3
Use low-fat and fat-free salad dressings as marinades, to flavor cooked vegetables or as dipping sauces.
Step 4
Practice cooking techniques that require little or no added fat. Baking, poaching, stewing and steaming require no additional fat at all, and braising, roasting, sauteing or stir-frying typically only require a small amount of cooking oil if spray if you're not using a nonstick pan.
Step 5
Use a sugar substitute to sweeten desserts; some can be used for baking and are measured the same as white sugar. Try reducing the amount of regular sugar in your traditional recipes. Start by eliminating 1/4 of the total amount the recipe calls for, and work up to reducing the sugar by 1/2.
Step 6
Make baked goods like cake and muffins with half the amount of recommended fat and substitute applesauce or mashed bananas for the remainder. Look for packaged "fat replacers" made from fruit in the baking aisle.
Step 7
Make casseroles with half the amount of recommended cheese and/or meat and increase the amount of vegetables to give the dish more bulk.
Step 8
Substitute whole-grain pastas for those made from enriched white flour. They have 2/3 more dietary fiber and fewer calories.
Tips and Warnings
- Experiment with herbs and spices while you are trying new cooking methods. Ingredients like fresh mint, garlic and chili pepper can add strong flavor to foods that seem bland without their usual amounts of fat and sugar.
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