Quick and Easy Low-Fat Recipes Breakfast
Part Four
Recipes
for Low-Fat Living
Quick and Easy
Low-Fat Recipes
Welcome to a wonderful new world of healthful eating that will keep you trim, energized and satisfied. Gone are the days when "diet food" meant a well-done burger with no bun and a scoop of cottage cheese on a bed of lettuce.
These days there's no reason that paying attention to your weight should leave you feeling deprived. Today's low-fat fare is easy to prepare and flavorful. Here are several recipes for low-fat breakfasts, brown-bag lunches, dinners and party fare to help get you started.
BREAKFAST
Maple-Almond Oatmeal
Oatmeal is a filling breakfast choice for those watching their weight. This recipe elevates plain oatmeal above the ordinary. To make it even more special, sprinkle it with some raspberries or blueberries.
3 cups water 11/3 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup chopped dates
2 tablespoons ground almonds
2 tablespoons honey
1 large banana, thinly sliced
12 cups skim milk
In a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, bring the water, oats, dates, almonds and honey to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes, or until thick.
Serve with the bananas and milk.
Makes 4 servings.
Per serving: 229 calories, 3.3 g. fat (12% of calories), 2.9 g. dietary fiber, 1 mg. cholesterol, 39 mg. sodium.
Fruited French Toast
French toast has a reputation for being really high in fat, but it doesn't have to be like that. Using egg substitute and skim milk for the soaking mixture removes some of the fat. Sizzling the pieces in a no-stick frying pan takes out more. And serving the french toast with a syrup and fruit topping instead of butter lightens this dish even further.
3/4 cup fat-free egg substitute 1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
8 slices Italian bread
2 cups raspberries or other berries
1/4 cup maple syrup
In a large shallow bowl, whisk together the egg substitute, milk, cinnamon and vanilla. One by one, dip the bread slices in the batter, turning to coat both sides.
Coat a large no-stick frying pan or griddle with no-stick spray. Place over medium heat until warm. Working in batches, add the slices in a single layer and brown on both sides. (Keep finished pieces warm in an oven set at 150° until all the pieces are done.)
Serve topped with the berries and drizzled with the syrup.
Makes 4 servings.
Per serving: 282 calories, 0.4 g. fat (1% of calories), 4.4 g. dietary fiber, 1 mg. cholesterol, 383 mg. sodium.
Potato and Onion Frittata
A frittata is an Italian version of the omelet--the difference being that the filling ingredients are mixed right in with the eggs rather than being added after the eggs cook. This frittata is great for breakfast, but it's also nice as a low-calorie brunch, lunch or dinner entrée.
2 baking potatoes, peeled, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise 1 onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
11/2 cups fat-free egg substitute
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Steam the potatoes for 5 minutes, or until tender.
In a large ovenproof frying pan over medium heat, sauté the onions in the oil for 5 minutes, or until transparent.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg substitute, curry and ginger.
Add the potatoes to the pan with the onions. Pour the egg mixture over all and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat.
Transfer to the oven and broil 6" from the heat for 5 minutes, or until the frittata has puffy edges and is a golden color.
Makes 4 servings.
Per serving: 145 calories, 3.5 g. fat (22% of calories), 2.2 g. dietary fiber, 0 mg. cholesterol, 127 mg. sodium.
Breakfast Melon Bowl
If you don't have a big appetite in the morning, try a fruit mixture like this for breakfast. The yogurt and ricotta cheese add protein that will help keep you satisfied until lunch.
1 cup nonfat ricotta cheese 3/4 cup nonfat vanilla yogurt
1 small cantaloupe
2 peaches, pitted and thinly sliced
1/2 cup sliced strawberries
1/2 cup blueberries
2 tablespoons toasted sunflower seeds
Mint sprigs
In a food processor or blender, process the ricotta until very smooth. Transfer to a small bowl. Mix in the yogurt.
Halve the cantaloupe and remove the seeds. Cut into wedges, remove the rind and cut the flesh into bite-size chunks. Place in a medium bowl. Mix in the peaches and strawberries. Add the ricotta mixture and gently fold together.
Divide among 4 cereal bowls. Sprinkle with the blueberries and sunflower seeds. Garnish with the mint sprigs.
Makes 4 servings.
Per serving: 190 calories, 2.8 g. fat (13% of calories), 3 g. dietary fiber, 1 mg. cholesterol, 110 mg. sodium.
Herbed Sausage Muffins
These muffins have great sausage taste without delivering the hefty amount of fat that generally accompanies sausage. The muffins are best warm, so either serve them straight from the oven or reheat them in a toaster oven or microwave (to microwave, wrap one muffin in a damp paper towel and cook on high power for about 30 seconds).
6 ounces turkey sausage, casings removed 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup unbleached flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
11/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup skim milk
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg white, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons canola oil
Coat 10 muffin cups with no-stick spray. Set aside.
Crumble the sausage into a large no-stick frying pan set over medium heat. Cook, breaking up the pieces with a wooden spoon for 5 minutes, or until browned. Transfer to a plate lined with a triple thickness of paper towels to drain. Blot the top with more towels to remove all excess fat.
Place the meat in a small bowl and stir in the onion powder, sage
and pepper.
In a medium bowl, stir together the unbleached flour, whole-wheat flour and baking powder.
In a small bowl, combine the milk, maple syrup, egg white and oil. Add the maple mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until combined. Then gently fold in the meat mixture.
Spoon the mixture into the muffin cups, filling each cup about 3/4 full. Bake at 400° about 20 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted near the center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove from the muffin pan.
Makes 10 muffins.
Per muffin: 128 calories, 2.8 g. fat (20% of calories), 1.1 g. dietary fiber, 11 mg. cholesterol, 206 mg. sodium.
