Lighten Up Low fat Cooking in 15 Minutes
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To my parents, Louise and Ellery Clark
CONTENTS
Copyright
Introduction
Cooking Terms
Basic Cooking Utensils
Pantry List
Measurement Equivalents
How to Prevent Foods From Sticking
Beverages
Snacks
Breads & Muffins
Salads
Vegetables
Potatoes & Rice
Vegetarian Dishes
Chicken & Turkey
Meats
Seafood
Desserts
INTRODUCTION
Lightening up in the kitchen:We all know that's what we should do, but who
has the time? And who wants to eat bland, boring food?
This book shows you that anyone—yes, even you, who in the past may
have only boiled water in your kitchen—can make delicious, low-fat meals
that will satisfy even the pickiest eater.
Most of the recipes in this book are fast and easy and should take only
15 minutes or less to prepare. Some may require some additional baking
time, but while something bakes you can prepare a salad, set the table, or
put your feet up on the table and relax! When you are first starting out,
some of the recipes may take a bit longer since you might be unfamiliar
with some of the techniques as well as the recipes themselves. Don't worry
—the more you cook, and the more comfortable you become in the kitchen,
the quicker your preparation time will be.
A few years ago, like everyone else, I decided that I needed to cut down
on the amount of fat in my diet. I went to the bookstore and was surprised
to find that there were very few good low-fat cookbooks available,
especially for the beginner cook. Most of them contained complicated
recipes or the recipes were for bland-tasting, terrible food. It may have been
low-fat, but no one would want to eat it.
I've always liked to cook, so I began to experiment on my own with low-
fat recipes. Over time, I developed many delicious dishes. I began to invite
friends over for dinner, and they were amazed that I had time to prepare
these wonderful meals.r When I told them how easy it was, they started
begging me for recipes. I realized that I was not the only one with a hectic
schedule and a desire for wholesome, homemade food. On a whim, I drew
up a few comic strips illustrating my recipes. And my friends loved it!
Soon, I developed an audience of cooks who couldn't wait for me to send
them the next easy strip.
I hope that the recipes in LIGHTEN UP! will make your life in the
kitchen easier and give you ideas for creating new recipes. You deserve
home-cooked, healthy meals! If you can boil water, you can make a
delicious low-fat meal.
Some things to remember about the recipes in this book:
Most of the recipes serve four people, unless otherwise stated, but
remember: serving size also depends on your appetite!
I have tried to stay with simple, wholesome ingredients. (Please see
the list of staples on p.xii for ingredients you should always keep on
hand.) Occasionally a recipe will require something unusual, but that
makes our meals more interesting and expands our cooking ability.
It is okay to substitute ingredients and play with recipes to change
their flavor. Cooking can be fun!
In the following recipes, T=Tablespoon and t=teaspoon. For most of
the recipes, the measuring is approximate and you can use less or
more of a seasoning depending on your tastes.
And last, remember not to take your cooking too seriously. The worst
that can happen is that you have to order in pizza (with low-fat cheese, of
course), and how bad is that?
COOKING TERMS
Cooking terms can be confusing, so I have included some definitions that I
hope will be helpful.
Bake: Cook in the oven.
Beat=whip: Mix ingredients vigorously with a hand egg beater or an
electric mixer until smooth and thick.
Boil: Heat liquid in a saucepan on high heat until bubbles
continuously break on the surface.
Broil: Hot, direct heat from the top of the oven, quickly cooking
the top side of the food. Food must be turned over to cook
the other side.
Brown: Cook in a skillet until the red meat has turned brown or until
white meat has developed a brown color.
Coat: Cover food with crumbs or sauce.
Fold: Using a rubber spatula, gently combine ingredients by
lightly cutting through the mixture and up the other side,
while rotating the bowl a quarter-turn with each stroke. This
gentle folding maintains the volume of the mixture, usually
beaten egg whites.
Grate=shred: Cut food into thin particles using the holes of a grater or by
using a food processor.
Marinate: Allow food to sit in a seasoned liquid for 30 minutes to 24
hours, to add flavor or to tenderize meat.
Mince: Cut into very tiny pieces.
Mix=stir: Combine ingredients with a spoon to evenly distribute or to
create a smooth mixure.
Pare: Cut or scrape off outer covering with a knife or vegetable
peeler.
Poach: Cook in a hot liquid.
Score: Cut surface of the food to ¼ inch deep with a knife to
tenderize meat or to expose more surface area for sauce or
marinade.
Simmer: The liquid in a saucepan remains just below boiling.
BASIC COOKING UTENSILS TO MAKE YOUR
LIFE EASIER
There are thousands of cooking gadgets out there and you do not have to fill
your cabinets with all of them. If you are just starting to cook, you will need
most of the following utensils to make your time in the kitchen a happier
and easier experience. Better-quality cooking utensils are easier to cook
with and clean. Start with the basics and gradually add more. You will
eventually find a use for all the utensils on the list.
Aluminum foil (to use as a cover in the oven and for storage)
Baking pan with sides (two sizes—8 × 8 inch and 9 × 12 inch)
Can opener
Casserole dish (this can go in the oven or microwave and it will look like
you know what you are doing)
Colander (to drain spaghetti and washed lettuce)
Custard cups (the small size is useful for mixing small portions and they are
great in the microwave)
Cutting board (wood or plastic)
Cookie sheet
Egg beater (electric or manual)
Electric blender
Frypan or skillet with a lid (nonstick coatings are great)
Garlic press (expensive, but a time-saver and worth it)
Glass measuring cup (also goes in the microwave oven)
Grater or cheese shredder
Knives very sharp
Large for chopping and slicing
Short for peeling and cutting small items
Knife sharpener
Large kettle—about 10 quarts (for cooking spaghetti and stews)
Measuring cups (1 cup, ½ cup, cup, ¼ cup)
Measuring spoons (1 Tablespoon, 1 teaspoon, ½ teaspoon, ¼ teaspoon)
Mixing bowl
Muffin pan
Pancake turner (spatula)
Pie tin or glass pie plate (good for baking small items)
Plastic wrap (to store food and use as a cover in the microwave, but you
know that)
Pot holders (very important)
Rubber spatula (to scrape bowls clean; if you use it while cooking it may
melt—use the wooden spoons)
Saucepan (2-quart) with a lid
Scissors (to open packages and to cut up foods)
Strainer
Vegetable peeler (great for peeling potatoes, carrots, and apples)
Wire rack (to cool baked food)
Wooden mixing spoon (handle will not get hot in a hot pan)
PANTRY LIST
The following is a list of staple food items that you will need in your
kitchen to prepare most recipes. I suggest that you purchase a few items
each time you visit the grocery store.
Baking powder
Baking soda
Black pepper
Bouillon powder (chicken and beef)
Catsup
Cinnamon powder
Cornstarch
Flour (unbleached white and/or whole wheat)
Garlic (head)
Garlic powder
Garlic salt
Ground ginger
Lemon juice in a bottle
Mayonnaise (fat-free)
Mustard (yellow and Dijon)
Nonstick spray
Oil (canola and olive are most healthy)
Onions
Oregano
Pepper (black and red flakes)
Salad dressings (your favorite)
Salt
Soy sauce
Sugar (white and brown)
Tabasco sauce
Vanilla extract
Vinegar (cider, balsamic, wine)
Worcestershire sauce
These foods are gourmet or specialty items, which are called for in a few
recipes. Experiment with them to see what you like!
Allspice
Cumin
Dry sherry
Dates
Green chilies
Fresh ginger
Hoisin sauce
Horseradish
Jicama
Marsala wine
Molasses
Raw wheat germ
Raisins
USEFUL MEASUREMENT EQUIVALENTS
t = teaspoon
T = Tablespoon
oz = ounce
3 teaspoons = 1 Tablespoon
4 Tablespoons = ¼ cup
16 Tablespoons = 1 cup
5 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon = cup
1 cup = 8 fluid ounces
2 cups = 1 pint
Beverages
Snacks
