How to cut calories but save flavor

Published 2:25 pm Monday, March 22, 2010

Dieting doesn’t have to mean giving up taste — and that’s for real, nutritionists say. A few tips:

Wait to remove skin. Cooking chicken without its skin can leave the meat too dry. Take the skin off after it’s cooked and rub on spices for added taste.

Substitute meats. Try ground chicken or turkey instead of beef. Use extra flavorings and vegetable toppings to boost the flavor.

Flavor your water. Instead of lemonade, squeeze some fresh lemon into a glass of water. For a lower-calorie “juice,” stir in a sugar-free mix such as Crystal Light.

Cut the fat in recipes. Most baked goods do fine with a third to a half less oil, butter or margarine. Make gradual cutbacks and experiment with healthier ingredients such as applesauce or fat-free sour cream. Also use nonstick pans and cooking spray.

Emphasize egg whites. Use one egg white and one whole egg instead of two whole eggs in scrambles and omelets (the yolk is higher in calories).

Buy reduced-fat dairy. These versions of milk, cheese, sour cream and buttermilk taste good and will work in most recipes.

Cut down on high-fat extras. Use half the amount of frosting on cakes or replace it with a sprinkle of powdered sugar. Put fewer chocolate or peanut butter chips into cookies — you’ll still get the flavor.

Go whole wheat. Try swapping half the white flour in recipes for the whole-wheat version. Pasta, rice and bread also come in tasty, fiber-rich whole-wheat versions.