Other Helpful Hints
- Use a rack under meat when broiling or roasting to allow fat to drip away. Lower oven temperatures (325º-350º Fahrenheit) will allow more fat to drain out of meat.
- Instead of fat, marinate or baste foods with lemon, lime, or tomato juice, wine, fat free broth, or low sodium bouillon.
- After roasting meat or poultry, chill drippings in the refrigerator. Once cooled, the fat will rise to the top and harden for easy removal. Thicken defatted stock broth with flour or cornstarch for lowfat gravies or sauce to use in stews, or soups.
- Poultry, fish, and meat can be baked in covered cookware with a small amount of liquid. The liquid adds moisture and prevents dryness, especially in skinned poultry.
- Cut down on saturated fat and cholesterol by using more vegetables and less poultry or meats in soups, stews, or casseroles. Finely chopped vegetables are also a great way to stretch ground poultry or meat.
- Sauté vegetables or meats with non-stick vegetable oil spray or a small amount of broth or wine.
- Thicken soup, stews, or sauces with pureed vegetables, cornstarch, or flour dissolved in cold liquids (i.e., skim milk or defatted broths).
- Steaming food in a basket over simmering water preserves natural flavor, color and nutritional value of vegetables. Try adding herbs to the steaming water or using broth instead of water to add more flavor without any fat!
- Mix powdered salad dressing and dip mixes with lowfat yogurt, buttermilk, lowfat cottage cheese, and/or tomato juice, instead of oil or sour cream. When a recipe calls for mayonnaise, try using ½ cup of lowfat or nonfat plain yogurt; for sour cream, use ½ cup light sour cream and ½ cup lowfat or nonfat plain yogurt.
- Use margarine (not oil) in cakes that require creaming of the fat and sugar.
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