There's usually a favourite dish you love — at a restaurant or made at home — that you really enjoy. Keeping your portions in check with these dishes can be a challenge, and if a favourite is high in calories and the portion gets away from you, the numbers on the scale can be frustrating. So how about enjoying your favourite meal without worrying about the calories? It's possible to cut the calories from the foods you love without giving up their flavour. With these tips, you can lighten up your favourite dishes.
- If it's a creamy dish, try using fat-free yogurt instead of cream. Cream adds flavour but also plenty of calories — one tub adds about 600 calories to a dish.
- Add vegetables when cooking meat dishes. Vegetables are low in calories and high in water, so they help add moisture, mix with the sauce and reduce the dish's calories.
- Use spray oil instead of butter, margarine or liquid oil when cooking, and reach for a non-stick pan to cook with less oil. This lets you lighten your favourite dish with less fat.
- The meat in restaurant meatballs and burgers is often fatty, which raises the calories. Try making these at home with lean mince instead.
- Many people dream of eating dessert freely without gaining weight. Try baking your desserts with less sugar or a sweetener, without losing the flavour. Adding dried fruit while preparing them boosts the nutritional value while keeping the taste — so you can wave goodbye to the extra calories from sugar and enjoy homemade, lighter treats.