Make Low-Fat Treats Taste Great!
Next time you make low-fat baked goods like brownies or muffins, be sure you don't overbake them. Since "light" versions have less fat than the originals, you run a greater risk of drying them out if they're in the oven for too long.
Try this: Set your timer for a few minutes earlier than the recipe indicates, than keep a close eye on the dish until it's done.
Reducing Fat in Graham Crusts
To reduce fat in a graham cracker crust, moisten with 1 to 2 tablespoons melted butter for each cup of crumbs used. Then add just enough corn syrup or honey so that the mixture barely holds together. Press the crust into the pan.
Healthier Baked Bread
Add nutrition to any bread with the Cornell Enrichment Formula. Before measuring flour into measuring cup, add 1 tablespoon each soy flour and nonfat milk powder, and 1-teaspoon wheat germ. Spoon in flour and level off. Repeat for each cup of flour used in the recipe.
Watch the Fat!
Boil, steam, microwave or stir fry vegetables in your diet plan but do not use butter or oil for flavoring because this will add too many calories and fat. Instead, use seasoning and herbs for flavoring.
Do Eat Vegetable Fat
Those who eat an average of 41.7 grams of vegetable fat a day have a 22-percent lower risk of developing diabetes than those who consume animal fats. Think peanut butter, olive oil and avocados for your fat intake.
Finding Commercial Fruit Sweeteners
You can find commercial fruit sweeteners, ordinarily a combination of concentrated peach and pear juices and unsweetened pineapple syrup, in health food stores, gourmet food stores and large grocery outlets. It tastes 1-1/2 to 2 times sweeter than refined sugar.
Make Your Own Fruit Sweetener
If a recipe calls for 1/2-cup fruit sweetener, substitute 1/4-cup concentrated apple juice plus 1/4-cup granulated fructose.
Bouillon Cubes
When combined with water, bouillon cubes are a convenient way to add robust flavor to a variety of recipes that call for beef, chicken or vegetable stock. For a flavor boost, use the broth in place of water when cooking rice or beans. Or add it to stir-fries and reduce the amount of fat needed for cooking and to add flavor.
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