Low-Fat French Dressing

Recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon grainy mustard
1 small egg white

Method:


1. Combine all ingredients until smooth and well combined.

Low-Fat Orange and Ginger Dressing

Recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons grated ginger
1 teaspoon honey

Method:

1. Mix all ingredients together until well combined.

Low-Fat Tomato and Garlic Dressing

Recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons white vinegar

Method:

1. Process all ingredients until smooth.

Ricotta Cream

Sweetened and whipped low-fat ricotta cheese is a good substitute for cream as a topping for desserts such as fresh or poached fruits, sweet pancakes or a slice of cheesecake. Recipe serves 4-5.

Ingredients:

8 ounce (250 g) tub smooth low-fat ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon sugar (or sugar substitute)
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Method:

1. Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl.
2. Whisk with an electric beater until the mixture is light and fluffy.
3. Refrigerate until required, and serve cold.

Tip: Ricotta cheese is noted for its sweet 'eggy' flavor. It is excellent as a sweet filling, and as a savory filling for pasta such as cannelloni.

Liquid Breakfast

For a quick, healthy breakfast when you simply don't have a moment to spare in the mornings, try this fresh fruit smoothie, which is low in both calories and fat. Recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

2 cups skim or low-fat milk
1 cup low-fat natural yogurt
3 ripe bananas or 1 cup fresh strawberries or unsweetened canned peaches or apricots
2 eggs (optional)
Equal or other artificial sweetener, to taste
Garnish: ground allspice, cinnamon or nutmeg


Method:

1. Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend well.
2. Serve at once, topped with a sprinkling of spice.

Creamy Yogurt Spread

Draining natural low-fat yogurt of excess whey gives it a texture very similar to that of sour cream. Spoon it generously on baked potatoes or spicy dishes, or use it to make low-calorie (kilojoule) dips and sandwich fillings. Recipe makes 2-3 cups.

Ingredients:

2 pound (1 kg) natural low-fat yogurt

Method:

1. Line a large sieve with 4 layers of dampened cheesecloth and place it over a large bowl. Spoon the yogurt into the sieve, cover and chill for at least 3 hours or up to 12 hours. (The longer it drains, the thicker it becomes.) The yogurt will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 1 week.

Chive or Dill Variation: Add 1/4 cup chopped, fresh chives or dill, and 1 clove crushed garlic to the Creamy Yogurt Spread. Mix well.

Sweet Variation: Add 1 mango, peeled, stoned and pureed, 2 tablespoons honey and 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon to the Creamy Yogurt Spread. Mix well. Serve with a platter of freshly cut fruit.

Salmon and Cucumber Sandwich

Low in calories (kilojoules) and fat, high in the gourmet stakes, salmon and cucumber are feted by the weight-conscious. Recipe makes 4 sandwiches.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup low-fat cream cheese
3 tablespoons natural low-fat yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 can (14 ounce/440 g) salmon in water, drained
1/4 cup finely chopped red (Spanish) onion
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
2 small cucumbers (4 ounces/125 g each), peeled and thinly sliced
8 slices wholegrain bread

Method:

1. Using a food processor or an electric mixer at medium speed, beat the cheese, yogurt and lemon juice for about 1 minute or until smooth. In a medium-sized bowl, flake the salmon, then add the cheese mixture, onion and dried dill and mix well. Place half the cucumber slices on 4 bread slices and spread a generous 1/2 cup of the salmon mixture on each. Top with the remaining cucumber slices and bread.

Sardine Variation: Increase the low-fat cream cheese to 1/3 cup and the lemon juice to 2 tablespoons. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons each prepared mustard and vegetable or olive oil, then blend with the yogurt as directed. For the salmon, substitute 4 cans sardines in water (3 1/2 ounces/105 g each), mashing them well. Increase the dried dill to 3 teaspoons, then proceed as for the salmon sandwich.

Herbed Cheese Spread

This creamy spread tastes every bit as good as a bought full-fat herb cheese but it is lower in fat and calories (kilo joules) and much less expensive. Serve it on crackers, accompanied by fruit, or in a rye bread sandwich. Recipe makes 1 cup.

Ingredients:

1 whole clove garlic
8 ounces (250 g) low-fat cottage cheese
1/4 cup parsley leaves
1/4 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled
Black pepper to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives or spring onion tops

Method:

1. In a small saucepan of boiling water, cook the garlic for 1 minute. Drain off the water and transfer the garlic to a food processor of blender.
2. Add the cottage cheese, parsley, basil, pepper and chives to the food processor and blend for 30 seconds or until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to let the flavors merge. Will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 10 days.

Sun-Dried Tomato Variation: In Step 2, add 1 teaspoon sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped. Reduce the amount of fresh chives to 1 tablespoon.

Avocado Variation: In Step 2, add 1 medium-sized ripe avocado and 1 medium-sized ripe tomato, skinned and chopped. Substitute 1/2 tablespoon fresh coriander for the basil and chives.

Wholemeal Spinach and Cheese Pasties

Flavored with fresh spinach and cottage cheese, these delightful pasties are the ideal choice for a low fat dinner. Serve with a salad. Recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

1 large potato
1 tablespoon polyunsaturated oil
1 onion, chopped
4 large spinach (silver beet) leaves, chopped
1 large tomato, peeled, seeds removed
1 egg white
1/4 cup low fat cottage cheese
1/4 teaspoon dried mixed herbs
2 sheets ready rolled wholemeal shortcrust pastry

Method:

1. Cut potato into 1/4 inch (5 mm) cubes. Boil, steam or microwave potato until tender, drain. Heat oil in medium saucepan, add onion, stir over medium heat for about 2 minutes (or microwave on High for about 2 minutes) or until onion is soft. Add spinach, cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes (or microwave on High about 2 minutes) or until soft.
2. Transfer spinach mixture to medium bowl, add potato, chopped tomato, egg white, cottage cheese and herbs, mix well; cool.
3. Cut each pastry sheet into 4 squares. Spoon filling evenly onto center of each square, brush edges of pastry with water, fold pastry over to form a triangle and enclose filling, press edges together with fork to seal. Place pasties onto lightly greased oven tray, bake in hot oven for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.