The secret to long term weight loss success is to include the food you enjoy. Knowing how to make your favorites into low fat versions will help you to enjoy your food and not feel deprived. Making simple changes to how you cook can achieve not only major health benefits but also lose those unwanted pounds.
Here are some cooking tips:
1. Put the dripping and butter away and instead use cooking sprays where possible, spray instead of soak or use the baking papers, which are very good. Give the deep fryer away and instead grill, bbq or bake.
A good example of how you can make crumbed fish or chicken is to beat an egg white with a little no fat milk, dip in egg mix then roll in bread crumbs until coated well. Heat a good quality non-stick frypan and coat generously with cooking spray. Spray over the top of the fish or chicken and place this side down to cook first. When ready to turn spray top of crumbs and then turn to cook. Don’t have the gas or element too high so to avoid burning.
2. Many dishes taste good because they are loaded with lots of fatty ingredients. To make a dish come alive I love to use fresh herbs and spices to enhance the flavour, such as basil, cilantro, mint and parsley really. When using dried herbs you need to use sparingly as they can be quite strong, so start small and work your way up. My favourites are cumin, coriander or cilantro, basil, oregano, turmeric, paprika, tarragon and chilli.
3. Low fat baking can produce heavy cakes so to avoid this happening add baking soda. I also use 1/2 cup of apple sauce (in jar) instead of oil or butter in a cake or batch of muffins. Add the bicarb soda to the apple sauce (it will froth). Apple sauce gives the moisture butter or oil would normally give, but has no fat so this is a great way to cut down the fats when baking.
4. Another way to enhance a dish is to use low sodium bouillon. Be careful you don’t overdo it as and don’t forget a little freshly ground pepper can really add flavour to a dish.
5. I love using low fat 2% evaporated milk to make creamy sauces. Thicken with corn flour and remember it may separate if you over-boil the milk. You can use the canned milk to replace cream for most sauces and also in some desserts.
Annette Sym will be launching her cookbook Symply Too Good To Be True on the 1st March. For more info go to www.symplytoogood.com
