FAT REPLACERS, FAT SUBSTITUTES, LOW-FAT PRODUCTS

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    Ward, Carol J.G. 2001May23. Cutting fat: Use tools you have-and your head. Corvallis Gazette-Times, Corvallis, OR. D2.

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    You probably already possess much of the know-how and equipment required for low-fat cooking.

    That's because it doesn't require a lot of special tools or techniques.

    It simply requires putting the tools you have to better use - along with tweaking a few of your favorite recipes and making smarter choices at the grocery store.

    "You don't have to challenge every ingredient," said Colleen Wracker, dietitian at Palmetto Richland Memorial's Heart Center. "Making even one change is progress."

    Use this guide to cooking techniques, ingredients and shopping strategies to help you get started:

    Low-fat techniques

    the key to low-fat cooking is to choose techniques that remove rather than adds fat to foods, said Jeannette Jordan, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.

    "the first thing I tell people is to limit how much they (deep) fry," Jordan said. "Anytime you fry, you pretty much double the fat."

    Instead, use methods such as broiling so the fat drips away from the food or steaming in which no added fat is needed:

  • Baking
  • Roasting
  • Broiling
  • Grilling
  • Steaming
  • Microwaving
  • Poaching
  • Stir-frying - This is a low-fat method only if you are stingy with the oil. Jordan suggested adding no more than one to two tablespoons of oil or using a nonstick skillet or wok coated with cooking spray.
  • Pan-frying or sauteing-The same princple applies.

    • Tips and substitutions

    When preparing dishes, experiment with ways to add as little fat as possible.

    Developing and revising recipes to make them low-fat can be challenging, said Mike Kester, executive chef at Palmetto Richland Memorial Hospital.

    Because taste is the most critical factor when transforming a dish, it's important to make smart substitutions. Simply swapping a full-fat ingredient for a fat-free one can be disastrous.

    Here are some suggestions for smart substitutions:

  • For traditional Southern cooking using lots of ham, bacon or fatback for seasoning, Jordan suggests replacing these fatty meats with lean smoked turkey. For that smoky, downhome flavor, another option is Goya ham seasoning, but be sure to watch the sodium content. "What people want is vegetables that taste good and have some flavor, and they can get that without all that added fat," Jordan said.
  • For best flavor and color, steam vegetables and season with herbs and spices and just a pat of low-fat margarine.
  • Saute using a little broth, wine, juice or a spritz of cooking spray instead of oil.
  • Strip away and discard poultry skin, before or after cooking, depending on the recipe.
  • Choose the leanest ground beef; then combine it with beans or grains to further lower the fat in meatloaf or burgers.
  • For maximum fat reduction, drain, rinse and blot ground beef or sausage before adding to recipes.
  • Stretch stew with "meaty" vegetables such as muchrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, hominy or peppers.
  • Many recipes call for adding butter and flour, a roux, to thicken sauces or other liquids. In many cases, you may use a slurry, a mixture of cold water and cornstarch or arrowroot.
  • If fat-free sauces or soups lack the richness you want, blend in fat-free yogurt, reduced-fat sour cream, evaporated skim milk, mashed potatoes or other vegetables or even bread or fruit to thicken the texture.
  • Use nonfat or low-fat milk instead of whole in casseroles, sauces, puddings and soups. If you want more richness, try evaporated skim milk, Kester suggested.
  • In desserts, low-fat milk, buttermilk, sour cream and yogurt work just as well as milk or cream with less saturated fat.
  • Evaporated skim milk makes an especially good substitute for cream or half-and-half in desserts as well as in quickes and custards, Kester said.
  • Use buttermilk and low-fat varieties of cream cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise.
  • Replace some of the oil in dressings and marinades with vegetable broth, tomato juice, wine or fresh lemon juice. Rely on flavorful vinegars such as balsamic or rice wine vinegar.
  • Thickened yogurt adds flavor and richness to dips, sauces, salad dressings or spreads. To thicken yogurt, you can use an inexpensive yogurt strainer or a sieve lined with cheesecloth.
  • High-flavored condiments such as canned chilis, pickles, capers, hoisin sauce, soy sauce or hot sauce add taste without fat. Another non-fat flavor booster is low-sodium bouillon.
  • Herb-and-spice seasoning blends add flavors and variety without fat. Try spice blends such as Creole, Chinese five-spice powder or Tex-Mex chili powder. Toss them into omelets, jarred tomato sauce, vegetable dishes, rice and beans. Rub them onto chicken, fish and meat.
  • Toasting nuts intensifies their flavor, so a few add lots of flavor.
  • It's tricky to substitute low-fat margarine for regular in baked goods. Instead, Wracker suggested using fruit purees, mashed banana or applesauce to replace fat in baked goods.

    Look for different flavors on the baby food aisle where you can get pureed bananas, apricots, pears and prunes. You can replace all the fat or experiment by replacing just part of it until you find the combination that works for you. When substituting fruit purees for margarine or other fats, you might not need same amount because the fruit purees have a wetter consistency, she said.

  • In many cases, egg whites or egg substitutes may be substituted for part or all of the eggs in recipes and baked goods, Kester said.
  • Look for other ways to modify recipes. Use low-fat versions of ingredients such as cheeses or reduce the amount of high-fat ingredients. For example, you can reduce the fat in egg salad or deviled eggs by cutting back on the yolks and binding the fillings with reduced-fat mayonnaise.
  • If you use fat-free cheeses, remember that they don't behave like full-fat cheeses, Kester said. They don't melt well, and if cooked at a temperature that is too hot, the cheese will seize up and get hard.
  • Cook low-fat hot foods very close to the time you are going to eat them; otherwise they may dry out and lose some of their flavor, Kester said.

    • The Low-Fat Kitchen

    You probably already own some of these items. Most are inexpensive and easy to use. Put them to work reducing the fat in your recipes.

  • Nonstick skillet- Because you can reduce the amount of oil needed for cooking, these pans are a great way to cut fat in cooking.

    "I advise (investing) in a set -large skillet and small saute pan- of quality nonstick cookware and plastic or wooden utensils to stir and remove food. Otherwise if you use metal, it may scratch or remove the nonstick finish," Kester said.

    Nonstick pans will last a long time if cared for properly and cleaned with nonabrasive cleaning materials. Well-seasoned cast-iron skillets can take the place on nonstick skillets, especially if you are sauteing something that you want to brown as well.

  • Fat separator - Thistool was at the top of Wracker's list. "It's so quick and convenient. You don't have to bother with chilling (stocks, etc.) to remove the fat. You just pour it off. Kitchen specialty shops stock these containers that have long spouts on the bottom. You pour stock or meat drippings in, let the fat rise to the top and then pour out the defatted liquid through the spout in the bottom. If you don't want to invest in a fat separator, although they're inexpensive, Wracker said you can remove fat from soups and stews by dropping ice cubes into the warm liqudi. The fat will attach to the ice cube and you can scoop it out. However, this method may dilute the stock.
  • Roasting racks- For placing in roasting pans to let the fat drip away from meats and poultry.
  • Broiling pan- One probably came with your oven. It allows meat fat to drip into the pan beneath.
  • Mini food processor- The small versions hold about two cups of cut-up vegetables or fruit. They can mince vegetables in seconds to add to sauces for extra flavor and nutrients. use them to puree chickpeas or beans, cottage cheese or other low-fat foods into spreadable consistencies for dips or sandwich spreads. Flavor with your favorite herbs or spices. Puree fruits for topping toast, nonfat yogurt or desserts, or make a salsa to use with your favorite lean meat entree.
  • Steamers- For the besttasting, best-looking and most nourishing vegetables cooked without fat, there are many varieties of steamers, ranging from authentic Chinese bamboo steamers to electric versions available in most department stores. A microwave steamer is convenient and fun. Turn out steamed vegetables in minutes without having to wait for the water to boil.
  • Parchment paper- Lining your baking pans with parchment will keep foods from sticking to the pan. "When using parchment paper on sheet pans, a little shot of cooking spray goes a long way to help keep foods from sticking." Kester said. Use it to turn out crispy oven fries or pizza crusts without burning.
  • Slotted spoons - They allow fat or liquid to run off when you remove food from the pan. You can also use them to skim the foam and fat from homemade stocks.
  • Electric skillets-Wracker said these appliances are versatile kitchen tools. You can use them for casseroles, stir-frying, sauteing and braising or to whip up a batch of pancakes for breakfast. Some of the newer skillets are equipped with a lip to make draining fat easier.
  • Chicken roaster- Fat drips into the pan of this vertical roasting pan.
  • Salad spinner - Avoid soggy salads with a salad spinner that spins and dries lettuce and other vegetables.
  • Zester- This tool makes quick work of grating orange and lemon peel to add extra flavor to food.
  • Nonstick stovetop grill pan- although this pan is more expensive than some of the other tools, it is a great addition to your pot rack, Wracker said. The nonstick surface saves coating food in lots of oil. If you do use oil in a marinade, the excess will drip into the grooves of the pan. Choose the heaviest grill pan you can find.
  • Immersion blender- This hand-held tool is useful for pureeing vegetables for soups and sauces.
  • Nonstick or well-seasoned wok- Woks are designed not to burn food at high temperatures because the heat is evenly distributed to cook a perfect stir-fry in just minutes, using a minimum of oil.
  • Microwave oven- Microwaves are perfect for steaming healthful foods such as fish and vegetables without fat.

    • Shopping strategies

  • Don't shop when you're hungry.
  • Go right to the produce. Try to fill half your basket with fruits and vegetables. "Try to cook produce in season; their flavor and ripeness are at their peak, and they are less expensive, too." Kester said. if fresh isn't available, frozen and canned produce are good choices as well.
  • Fill your shopping list and menu with meat and protein substitutes such as beans and legumes.
  • Put more grains, cereals and whole wheat flours in your basket.
  • Shop the perimeter of the store (produce, meats, bread and dairy). The center aisles contain high-fat temptations such as snacks, processed foods and candy. Still, you need to make good choices such as choice grade meats that aretrimmed of excess fat and seafood. And shop with care in the dairy and bakery sections. "All those cakes and muffins. Oh, they're so good, but they're full of fat," Jordan said.
  • Choose reduced fat cheeses and low-fat rather than whole milk. "If you don't like skim milk, try to work your way down, starting with 2 percent. Even if you stay at 1 percent, that's OK. It's less fat than you were getting before," Jordan said.
  • Avoid prepackaged convenience foods and canned processed meats, Jordan said. Choose tuna or chicken packed in water.
  • Check labels for fat content and calories. Wracker recommends a 20 percent fat guideline. That means for 100 calories, a food will contain up to 2 grams of fat. "However, some foods-salad dressings, mayonnaise- are never going to hit that criteria unless they're fat-free," Wracker said.
  • Which brings us to the next point. Fat-free products are not necessarily the best choices. "I'm not a big fat of fat-free foods. They're often high in calories and sugar," Wracker said.
  • Try one new low-fat food a week.

    Updated: Thursday, September 6, 2007.

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