About Low Fat Cooking

How Much Are You Really Eating?

2010-02-09T15:56:47Z

How many calories did you eat for breakfast this morning? You may be tell yourself you ate a 110 calorie cereal, but unless you're measuring the suggested 3/4 cup or, in some cases, 1 cup serving, you may be pouring twice as many calories before you even add milk. If you ate one of those handy microwaveable pots of soup for lunch, did you realize that many of these pots contain two servings? If you ate the whole bowl, your 90-calorie soup you thought you ate turned out to be 180 calories, with double the amount of fat, cholesterol (if any) and sodium.

As much as we might scan a label to see how many calories are in a food, and how much fat, cholesterol, salt and sugar is inside, we seem to gloss over the amount of food those numbers refer to. Serving sizes tend to be much smaller than we imagine because we've become so accustomed to eating ever-larger portions of food. Food manufacturers often package multi-serving items as single units. In some cases it's obvious from the size of the package, but it's not always clear cut -- those soup pots are one such example.

We tell ourselves we're eating only this many calories and that much fat, but unless you're an expert calorie counter, the reality is very different. Soon food labels will be overhauled to make consumers more aware of how many calories the package really represents, and perhaps serving sizes will be adjusted to bring them in line with reality. Key data will appear on the front of the package instead of hiding on the back or side. What we do with that information, of course, is entirely up to us.

Find out more about servings, food labels and portion distortion.

_{Photo courtesy of Getty Images}

How Much Are You Really Eating? originally appeared on About.com Low Fat Cooking on Tuesday, February 9th, 2010 at 15:56:47.

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A Low Fat Valentine's Day Menu

2010-02-07T00:01:18Z

Flowers are nice, chocolates are nicer, but dinner at home with my husband is what I like most about Valentine's Day. Quite honestly, it doesn't have to be anything terribly fancy, just something we both enjoy eating. The advantage of eating at home is that it's easier to stick with your healthy eating plan; and even if you choose to indulge a little more than usual, you can control portion sizes.

For example, if you choose to cook your sweetie some steak as a special treat, you can limit yourselves to a nice, lean 4-ounce filet mignon, served with some skinny mashed potatoes and your favorite steamed vegetables. Then you might serve some ruby-red strawberries dipped in a little dark chocolate for some dessert. That sounds pretty nice to me.

At your local steakhouse, you might be tempted to have the lobster tail with butter, followed by a "small" 10-ounce steak with creamy mashed potatoes and vegetables drenched in butter. Then there's the whole matter of dessert: mile-high cheesecakes, decadent chocolate mousse, and so on. By the end of the evening, you'll have consumed at least a day's worth of fat calories in one meal.

So if you want to enjoy a nice, light romantic meal with your loved one, consider eating at home. Keep things simple rather than attempt your first ever souffl� or some other potentially tricky culinary technique. Instead, serve one of your favorite light dishes but dress it up with pretty napkins, candlelight and some romantic music.

If you're stuck for dinner ideas, here's my low fat Valentine's Day Menu.

A Low Fat Valentine's Day Menu originally appeared on About.com Low Fat Cooking on Sunday, February 7th, 2010 at 00:01:18.

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Valentine Meringue Cookies

2010-02-03T00:01:18Z

If you're looking for a low-calorie, fat-free treat this Valentine's Day, then try these light meringue cookies. You can pipe heart shapes with a pastry bag filled with the meringue, or spoon the meringue into a heart-shaped cookie cutter and push it out again as you lift the cutter.

More on Meringue

_{Valentine Meringue Cookies © Fiona Haynes, licensed to About.com, Inc.}

Valentine Meringue Cookies originally appeared on About.com Low Fat Cooking on Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010 at 00:01:18.

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A Lower-Fat Super Bowl Party

2010-01-31T17:49:38Z

A low-fat Super Bowl party need not be an oxymoron; and I'm not foolish enough to suggest you prepare dainty little sandwiches and pass around the sparkling water. It is a party after all. You can still serve a hearty chili with cornbread, and have plenty of tasty snacks on hand. With a little planning and some nifty ingredient substitutions, the lighter fare will taste just as good. Here's how to plan your low fat Super Bowl party.

_{Turkey Chili Photo © Fiona Haynes, licensed to About.com}

A Lower-Fat Super Bowl Party originally appeared on About.com Low Fat Cooking on Sunday, January 31st, 2010 at 17:49:38.

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Turkey Sloppy Joes

2010-01-28T14:48:28Z

Sloppy Joes made with lean ground turkey make a great weeknight meal for the family at any time of the year. But with Super Bowl LXIV only a week away, these turkey sloppy joes are be ideal to feed the hungry football fans in your family. Keep things healthy by serving them in a whole-grain roll, with some baby carrots and grapes on the side.

Turkey Sloppy Joes originally appeared on About.com Low Fat Cooking on Thursday, January 28th, 2010 at 14:48:28.

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Potato-Topped Chicken Pot Pie

2010-01-25T00:35:40Z

Chicken pot pie is the epitome of comfort food, but hardly of low-fat fare. Here's a neat twist on a comfort-food classic: a potato-topped chicken pot pie that happens to be low fat. This chicken pie is chock-full of white-meat chicken and loaded with good-for-you vegetables. The sauce is creamy but not indulgent. Enjoy this potato-topped chicken pot pie with a side or two of vegetables such as broccoli or peas.

Potato-Topped Chicken Pot Pie originally appeared on About.com Low Fat Cooking on Monday, January 25th, 2010 at 00:35:40.

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Low Fat, Low Calorie Blueberry Scones

2010-01-21T00:01:57Z

I used to think nothing of buying an occasional blueberry scone to go with my morning drive-through coffee, until I realized that my morning's indulgence, excluding the coffee, contained more than 450 calories and an unhealthy dose of fat. I also realized that I didn't need to eat a whole wedge, which, truth be told, lay like a stone in my stomach. So here's a much lighter blueberry scone, which is smaller but just as tantalizing. These scones are drop scones rather than wedges, which make them the perfect portion size for a morning or afternoon treat.

Low Fat, Low Calorie Blueberry Scones originally appeared on About.com Low Fat Cooking on Thursday, January 21st, 2010 at 00:01:57.

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Black Bean Chipotle Chile

2010-01-18T00:00:14Z

This black bean chipotle chili is actually one of my all-time favorite winter recipes. The smokiness and heat imparted by the chipotle chile adds a great depth of flavor to this hearty and delicious vegetarian dish. If you've never used chipotle chiles in adobo sauce before, be careful to use just one chile and a little of the sauce. If you make the mistake of emptying the whole can, you'll be in for something of a fiery surprise. Enjoy this black bean chipotle chile with a generous spoonful of thick and creamy fat-free Greek yogurt.

Black Bean Chipotle Chile originally appeared on About.com Low Fat Cooking on Monday, January 18th, 2010 at 00:00:14.

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Spotting High-Fat Foods on Menus

2010-01-14T19:56:31Z

It ought to be easier to spot high-fat foods on menus these days. After all, many restaurants now publish calorie counts, though not terribly accurately, as researchers from Tufts University note. Eating out can be the undoing of many a diet. So here's a guide to spotting some typically high-fat foods in restaurants. Yes, some are obvious, but others may be less so. And sometimes a basic small burger and fries is actually healthier (or less unhealthy) than a salad. Strange but true.

Spotting High-Fat Foods on Menus originally appeared on About.com Low Fat Cooking on Thursday, January 14th, 2010 at 19:56:31.

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Share Your Story: Why Do You Eat Low Fat?

2010-01-12T00:00:59Z

I'm curious: why do you eat low fat? Some people do it because they feel it's a healthier way to eat. Others are watching their cholesterol or trying to manage their weight. Some people need to eat this way because of gallbladder problems. We know that eating low fat is not for everybody, and these days it's not as fashionable as, say, eating low carb. What are the biggest challenges for you? Is it something you plan to do long term? Share your story and offer some tips and advice about eating low fat.

Share Your Story: Why Do You Eat Low Fat? originally appeared on About.com Low Fat Cooking on Tuesday, January 12th, 2010 at 00:00:59.

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