Four Awesome Low Fat Recipes -- Your Comfort Foods, Reimagined!

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Reinvent Your Childhood Favorites

Who doesn't love mac and cheese, pizza, chicken fingers, or french fries? They're a comfort, a reminder of our childhood, and just plain delicious. The problem, of course is that guilty feeling afterwards--all those calories, and for what?

Well, with these recipies, you can eliminate the guilt and keep the comfort!

Below are recipies and ingredients for a low-fat version each of the above-mentioned foods. Bon appetit!

Macaroni and Cheese: An Overview

A comfort food, soul food, and just plain delicious food, mac and cheese has been vilified by low-carb and low-fat dieticians alike. Now, however, we can have our mac and eat it, too, guilt-free.

Yield:
6 servings - ¼ cup or 2 oz each

Nutritional Information:
Calories...260
Fat........1 g
Protein....20 g

Macaroni and Cheese: Ingredients

  • Elbow Macaroni, 8 ounces, Dry
  • Fat-Free Cheddar Cheese, Shredded, 4 ounces
  • Fat-Free Milk, 1 cup
  • Fat-Free Cottage Cheese, Small Curd, 1 & 1/2 cups
  • Reduced-Fat Parmesan Cheese, Grated, 3 teaspoons
  • 3 tablespoons, Panko Bread-Crumb Flakes
  • 2 teaspoons, Dried Mustard
  • 1 tablespoon, All-Purpose Flour

Macaroni and Cheese: Method

adapted from Chef Erin Gaugin. Original recipe here.
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Spray a 2 quart baking dish with cooking spray.
  3. Cook macaroni according to package, in large pot. Drain.
  4. Whisk together flour and 2 tablespoons of the milk, in small bowl.
  5. In large saucepan, heat remaining milk until steaming.
  6. Whisk hot milk into flour/milk mixture bowl.
  7. Pour mix into saucepan, stir over medium heat till boiling and thickening. Remove.
  8. Stir in cheddar, mustard, salt and pepper to taste.
  9. Puree cottage cheese in blender until smooth.
  10. Stir cottage cheese puree into cheese sauce mixture.
  11. Stir everything into the macaroni.
  12. Spoon sauced macaroni into the baking dish (from step one).
  13. Mix breadcrums and parmesan cheese. Sprinkle mixture over macaroni.
  14. Bake 40-45 minutes till golden brown.

Buy Ingredients for: Mac and Cheese (1)

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Find Ingredients for: Mac and Cheese (2)

Fat Free Cottage Cheese, Small Curd
KraftFoods.com page
Fat Free Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
KraftFoods.com page
Reduced Fat Parmesan Cheese, Grated
KraftFoods.com page
Fat Free Milk
Grocery Website link

Pizza: An Overview

Nothing's better than a hot gooey slice of pizza in front of the TV, except maybe a low-fat version of the same!

Yield:
8 servings - 1 slice per person

Nutritional Information:
Calories.....238
Fat...........3 g
Protein......15 g

Pizza: Ingredients

  • Pizza Dough, To Fit Pan
  • 1 Large Red Tomato, Chopped
  • Fat-Free Ricotta Cheese, 1/2 cup
  • Fat-Free Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, 1/2 cup
  • Fresh Basil, chopped, 2 tablespoons
  • 1 Red Onion
  • Reduced-Fat Parmesan Cheese, 1/4 cup
  • 3 Red or Yellow Bell Peppers

Pizza: Method

adapted from Chef Erin Gaugin. Original recipe here
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Cut peppers in half and remove seeds and membranes (white veins on the inside of the pepper).
  3. Line baking sheet with foil, spray.
  4. Place peppers, cut side down, and onions, on sheet.
  5. Spray onions with cooking spray.
  6. Bake onion/pepper sheet 10 minutes.
  7. Remove onions and put aside.
  8. Bake peppers 10 more minutes until bubbly and brown.
  9. Wrap peppers in foil till cool enough to handle.
  10. Rub skin off and cut peppers into 1 inch strips.
  11. Spray another cooking sheet.
  12. Spread dough on sheet, to fit.
  13. Pat down dough, raising edges slightly for crust. Do not let rise.
  14. Place dough in oven for 10 minutes/lightly browned. Let cool.
  15. Mix ricotta with salt and pepper.
  16. Spread seasoned ricotta on dough with spatula--make sure to cover entire surface.
  17. Evenly spread out veggies.
  18. Top with mozzarella and basil.
  19. Spread parmesan over the top thinly.

Buy Ingredients for: Pizza (1)

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Find Ingredients for: Pizza (2)

Fat Free Shredded Mozzarella
Kraftfoods.com Page
Fat Free Ricotta Cheese
Kraftfoods.com Page
Red Tomato
Grocery Website link
Red Bell Pepper
Grocery Website link

Chicken Fingers: An Overview

No diet denies you chicken, but, since the best way to eat chicken is with a golden-brown breading, we're lucky to have Panko and egg whites!

Yield:
4 servings - 4 oz each (approx. 6 strips per person)

Nutritional Information:
Calories.....176
Fat..........1.5g
Protein......34.5 g

Chicken Fingers: Ingredients

  • Panko Bread Crumb Flakes, 1 & 1/2 cups
  • Egg Whites, 1/2 Cup
  • 4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, 4 ounces each
  • Lawry's Seasoning Salt, 2 tablespoons
  • Black Pepper, 1 tablespoon

Chicken Fingers: Method

adapted from Chef Erin Gaugin. Original can be found here.
  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  2. Cut breasts into strips (6 strips each, approx).
  3. Put egg whites in a bowl. Beat lightly.
  4. Put Panko breadcrumbs in separate bowl. Add seasoning salt and black pepper.
  5. Dip strip in egg whites and coat thoroughly.
  6. Dip coated strip in panko mixture.
  7. Repeat 5 and 6 for each strip.
  8. If panko mixture becomes too sticky, create entirely new batch of seasoned panko. Continue dipping subsequently.
  9. Spray cookie sheet.
  10. Place coated, breaded strips on cookie sheets.
  11. Cook 8-10 minutes until golden brown.
  12. Serve immediately.

Buy Ingredients for: Chicken Fingers (1)

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Find Ingredients for: Chicken Fingers (2)

Egg Beaters/Whites
Official Product Page
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
Grocery Website Link

French Fries: An Overview

The smell of salty, crisp fries has ruined many a diet. Luckily, we've found a way to kill this craving, with the ever-simple solution of just not "frying." You'll love it!

Yield:
6 servings - 4 oz per person (About 12 fries)

Nutritional Information:
Calories.....175
Fat..........0g
Protein......2.25 g

French Fries: Ingredients

  1. 6 Large Baking Potatoes
  2. Lawry's Seasoning Salt, 3 tablespoons
  3. Garlic Salt, 3 tablespoons
  4. Black Pepper, 3 tablespoons

French Fries: Method

adapted from Chef Erin Gaugin. Original found here.
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Peel potatoes.
  3. Cut peeled potatoes into long strips.
  4. Rinse sliced potatoes in water. Drain.
  5. Mix seasonings in separate bowl.
  6. Mix seasoning mixture and potato slices in one bowl. Toss until well coated.
  7. Spray cooking sheet.
  8. Place potato strips on sheet, put in oven.
  9. Cook for 15-25 minutes, till easily pierced, or till golden brown.
  10. Serve hot.

Buy Ingredients for: French Fries

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Feedback?

Did you try any recipes here? Have a substitution? Just like the lens? Let me know!?

  • CherylK Sep 17, 2009 @ 9:57 pm | delete
    These recipes look really good! Healthier versions of old favorites - great idea!
  • researcher1 Jun 18, 2009 @ 5:31 pm | delete
    WOW! The mac & cheese sounds so good. I'm hungry now! Will be making it for supper. Thanks for the recipe.
  • completedietinfo Mar 20, 2009 @ 3:52 am | delete
    The magic and wonders of diet food. This lens is recommended! For inexpensive weight loss programs that can supplement your diet, feel free to visit CompleteDietInfo.com! Cheers to a healthy living!
  • poutine Oct 6, 2008 @ 5:48 pm | delete
    Thank you so much for a lighter version of my favorite foods.
  • beeobrien Apr 17, 2008 @ 8:01 am | delete
    Great ideas and recipes. Thanks for the lens. I'm trying the pizza recipe.
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bookcat

A student and internet-a-holic. Tumblelogging at http://likeaduck.tumblr.com.

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