Low fat cooking doesn’t mean that you have to create bland, less than tasty dishes for your family.  By simply making a few changes you create delicious and healthy meals your entire fmaily will love. Healthy recipes often take less ingredients and are quicker to make as well! I hope you find these tips helpful!

Rather than just pouring oil out of the bottle measure when using. It will be much
easier to moderate the amount you use.

Use non-stick cookware so that you don’t have to use as much oil or fat. When sauteing, use a small amount of chicken broth or wine instead of butter or oil. Purchase the best (heaviest) set of non-stick cookware you
can afford.

To make fat-free broth, chill your meat or chicken broth. The
fat will rise to the top, and you can remove it before using
the broth. Simply skim it off the surface.

Many vegetables and fruits, including potatoes and apples,
retain many of their nutrients in their skin. So when possible,
leave the skin on your fruits and vegetables and cook them whole.

Romaine lettuce is loaded with vitamins compared to iceberg.
It has three times as much Vitamin C and six times as much
Vitamin A. Adding fresh spinach leaves and other green

Did you know that Vitamin C is destroyed quickly in cooking? Steam your
vegetables with Vitamin C in the smallest amount of water
possible and for a short amount of time or better yet, eat them raw!

Stock up on spices. One of the keys to cooking low-fat and not
getting bored is to spice your food well. When you have finished
your recipe, always taste it and adjust the spices to meet your taste.

When cooking a dish with both vegetables and meat (i.e. in stir frys
and stews), reduce the amount of meat by 1/3 and increase the amount
of vegetables by 1/3. You will hardly notice!

Great tip for gravy: Thicken gravies with milk or broth blended in the blender with
flour. Be sure to cook long enough to remove the raw flour taste.
You’ll never notice the lack of fat. Always use cold liquid.

Use olive oil for cooking when appropriate. It adds to the taste
of the dish and is better for you.

It’s hard to resist picking and nibbling while preparing dinner. It’s so easy to pop a cube or two of cheese in our mouths, a slice or two of bread and butter, all while we prepare the family meal. The trouble is, each mouthful represents extra calories, and, in all likelihood, extra fat. So here’s a great tip that works for me. Put out a bowl of grapes or slices of apples. Nibble on that while you cook. You’ll fill up on good food before sitting down to a lager meal. Another tip that really helps me when working on recipes for my cookbook or making meals is to chew gum while I’m cooking! works every time!

Low-fat or nonfat yogurt makes a great substitute for cream and other full-fat dairy products in all kinds of low fat recipes. It tenderizes poultry very well without the salt of meat tenderizers. Yogurt also makes a great snack or dessert.

Substitute phyllo dough to make lowfat pies and pastries.

Even the leanest cuts of meat still have fat, so many recipes advise us to trim all visible fat before cooking. Sometimes this is hard work. To make life easier, pop it in the freezer for up to 20 minutes, which is just enough time for the fat to begin to harden, making it much easier to trim.  Partially freezing beef, lamb or pork also makes it much easier to slice meat thinly for stir fries or salads.

Use cooking spray. Cooking spray can be expensive, so why not make your own? Using cooking spray is a great way to cut the fat in cooking. Here’s how to make your own.  Buy a new plant mister. Wash it thoroughly before using. Add two tablespoons of canola oil followed by 1 cup less two tablespoons of water. Create an olive oil spray, too. Use these sprays the same way you would use commercial cooking sprays. Just make sure you shake it before each use.