Low-fat

[sian744]

Hi,

Has anyone got any ideas or recipes for low fat diets. I am fed up with the bland food that's available these days and would like anything as long as it's tasty/well seasoned and easy to cook, not being a Delia Smith myself,

thanks,

[ALLO]

in the atkins diet i beleive they say to make mashed potatoes you cook up collieflour and mash it up. i've never tried it though. i've heard it's good. but that's supposed to be better for you than potatoes!

[Scarlett]

I really wouldn't worry about low fat. Just eat lots of vegetables and salad of all different colours at every meal, and fruit in the morning. Use onions, garlic, chillies, and whatever herbs and spices you fancy to flavour food, and cook from scratch. You can't go wrong with vegetable curry or chilli, and brown rice. Avoid processed food that has a lot of hidden fat, sugar and salt. I find if you cut out dairy you instantly cut out a lot of high fat foods without trying. I also avoid wheat- and you can't eat biccies and cakes if you don't eat wheat! You can still have chocolate, but the dark (Green and Black's) variety, which is better for you anyway.

[b1gys]

Go for asian and thai recipes especially the soups and broths flavoured with lemongrass, chilli, garlic, ginger, coriander etc lots of flavour for fewer calories. Try making up a broth with tom yum soup paste and add noodles, chicken breast, and the seasonings above - completely fat free! Also try Nigella's Vietnamese chicken and mint salad - its great and you can always add a larger variety of veggies to make it more exciting.

Best of luck!

[sian744]

thanks guys, it's so hard being on a diet!! Esp when you are a crisp fan like me and then are faced with bland foods.

[Ouisch]

Don't know if this will be of any help, but when I decided to make an effort to lose some weight a few years ago, my strategy was to only eat vegetables or fruit for lunch every day.  No dressings or toppings, just plain cucumbers, broccoli, strawberries, or what have you.  Then for dinner/supper, I ate whatever I wanted to.  Even if I felt deprived at lunch time, I could look forward to a nice dinner.  And I lost some 20 lbs in about six months.  Good luck!

[sian744]

thanks for that, any helpful tips are appreciated, i am willing to try anything (healthy). Plus my incentive is to go on holiday in Aug a little slimmer.

[antoniam1971]

Join Weightwatchers online! That's what I did and lost 3 stone in 6 months. They have a huge database of recipes on-line, as well as good cookbooks, and they really encourage you to cook. But basically the advice above is what it's based on: fish turkey and chicken, vegetables, spices and herbs. Avoid processed foods and ready meals. Cut down on the cheese (that was my killer). And exercise! You don't even need to go to the gym, just walk more than you do, and you'll find that makes a big difference. For treats and snacks, go with lower fat alternatives - a milky way instead of a mars bar. If you need a sugar injection, marshmallows are great, and I find I can only eat a couple at a time anyway.

[apex204]

Mashed potato is good, filling and a great comfort food if your diet is getting you down. Use little potatos (and leave the skins on), chop them up into little cubes and boil for ages. Then mash em up in the pan with a splash of skimmed milk, a teaspoon of low fat spread (or butter if your diet allows it), and then stir in some freshly cropped spring onions, season and eat! A tasty treat and healthy too.

[flaming]

Can't get much of a quicker low-fat dishes than a baked potato in it's jacket, microwaved with a few drops of water hand-wrung round it, instead of fat  or oil,  on mine about 5 mins. for a med. sized potato.  The very large ones are too much. You can put a smidgen of low  fat spread on, som black pepper, salt if you must, and doll it up with fresh parsley.  TIf you have a bit more time finish the pratey under a grill or baked in oven for a few mins. more until the top crisps and browns.  Have that served with a side salad but you must be sparing with any dressing or mayo.  You could try to get a liking for a squeeze of lemon on things to moisten them.

 Parsley is good for you and livens up things - especially dressing-free salad.  Fresh in pots is avaiilable in most supermarkets. 

Also, as a treat, poach some asparagus a quick wash then about 10 mins. in hot water.  Do it in a frying pan, with the tip ends furthest from  the gas until the harder bits are as you like them. Get the hot water to rolling boil, then turn low. The 'al dente' poaching is a bit hard for me, I like the sticks a bit softer.  Eat hot or cold but def. no usual dressings! A smidgen ow low fat spread, the parsey and lemon juice thing again, maybe  a few grains of salt added if you are keen, but I never put mine in the hot water.

[sian744]

Hi all,

thanks for the great suggestions!! Keep em coming! It's not easy and i don't want to give up just yet!

Sian

[flaming]

Re the asparagus.   drain on kitchen paper, especially if you eat it cold with other salad things;  you could have half the sticks hot and keep the remainder for cold.

Very quick to do green is curly kale, 99p a big bag in my Waitrose, laden with good vits.  It's pre cut up  - do a quick wash , cook as the asparagus above, in a frying pan -that   lets all the contents have equal treatment.  Done when the stalk bits are cooked to your liking.  Try eating a portion of veg. on it's own; if served  with whatever you have as a main item you can have less and keep the other by  in the fridge.  Leeks are good on their own or maybe with carrots and rice. When you go without dressings to speak of  you have to learn to experiment  with herbs and spices.  Soak a few dried herbs in water, whilst you do your other preparation. Don't just use fresh basil on spaghetti - it's nice on salads too.  Get a few herbs in jars in, your cupboard - caraway, rosemary, etc.  A few pumpkin seeds . I like garlic a lot myself. The  'no dairy products 'is good advice, especially cottage cheese.  Remember that dairy food is made from the fat of the milk, when it's skimmed off, so it's no use eating a lot of cottage cheese and thinking it will have a slimming effect.  Might as well have a few gratings of low-fat cheddar., about 1" square-worth. Or a few gratings of parmesan on the salad to give it flavour.

Don't get bogged down in complicated recipes - you might lose patience and then  reach for the ready-prepared meals.  Have a look at some ready prepareds when say one has passed sell-by date.  Rinse it under the tap in a colander, and see what you actually get when sauce is washed away.  Most of us can do a bit better than that.