Lighten Up Your Cooking

1. Limit sodium by using only half of the amount of salt called for in recipes.

2. Switch to reduced-fat or strong-flavored cheeses. Reduced fat cheeses, like Cabot’s 50% Reduced Fat cheddar, are excellent choices because they are made with low fat milk. Stronger-flavored cheeses such as blue cheese or goat cheese require less cheese (as well as fat) to flavor the dish.

3. Choose whole wheat ingredients. Whole wheat pizza crust, flour, pasta, and even breadcrumbs make a big difference. When baking, try substituting 50% of wheat flour with whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour.

4. Finely chopped nuts distribute flavor better than coarsely chopped nuts; therefore, you can cut back on the amount. For quick bread recipes, rather than mixing nuts into the batter, try using less and just sprinkling on top for a concentrated flavor.

5. When a recipe calls for more than 1 egg, substitute each additional egg for 2 egg whites or cup of egg substitute, saving you 40 calories, 5 grams of fat and 212 mg of cholesterol without sacrificing any protein.

6. Increase the quantity of vegetables in recipes for stir-fries, soups and casseroles. It increases volume of food, but not the calories.

7. Use nonstick pans to decrease the amount of fat needed to prevent sticking. When cooking with oil, try using a spray dispenser for even distribution.

8. Substitute with low fat dairy products. Try 1% milk instead of whole milk or evaporated milk rather than cream.

9. Use fresh herbs and spices. Because they are natural flavor-enhancers, it takes less salt, fat and sugar to spice up recipes.

10. When cooking with meat, select lean cuts. For poultry, stick with skinless white meat such as breast meat. For pork and beef, look for words such as “loin,” “round,” and “center-cut.”

About This Series:

During the month of March, the More Time on Your Hands articles will be written by members of the Nashville District Dietetic Association. Tune in each week to learn about an important nutritional issue as part of National Nutrition Month.

Previously in this Series:

• Crucial Moments: Cultivating Healthy Eaters Begins in the Highchair
• Registered Dietitians: Who They Are and Why You Should Care
• Be Green, Lean, and a Money Saving Machine: Be a Vegetarian for a Day

About the Author:

Lauren Petr is a Registered Dietitian and Dietary Manager for The Heritage at Brentwood, an upscale assisted living facility in Brentwood, TN. While Lauren’s passion is helping individuals learn how to cook healthful meals that are nutritious, fulfilling and very simple, she also specializes in food allergies, sports nutrition, and weight loss. For nutrition questions or more information, you can contact Lauren at lpetr@theheritagelcs.com