Terry Blonder Golson - 1,000 Lowfat Recipes

1,000 Low-Fat Recipes

Terry Golson

Hungry Minds, Inc.
909 Third Avenue
New York, NY 10022

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Copyright 1997 by Terry Blonder Golson

Illustrations copyright by Sally Mara Sturman

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Publisher.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Golson, Terry Blonder.

1,000 recipe lowfat cookbook / Terry Blonder Golson.

ISBN 0-02-860354-0

1. Cookery. 2. Lowfat diet--Recipes. I. Title.

TX714.G6487 1998 97-28738

641.5'638--dc21 CIP

Book design by Amy Trombat

Manufactured in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Acknowledgments

Many people have helped me during the course of the three years that it took to write this book. Without Carla Glasser, my agent, I would not be published. Justin Schwartz was the editor who started this project and Jennifer Griffin saw it to completion. Along the way there have been many professionals working on the manuscript, from copy editors to designers. I thank them all.

The nutritional analyses were done by registered dietician Tammi Hancock, who did much more than just run the numbers through her computer. Not only do the analyses reflect her knowledge of cooking, but the recipes themselves are better due to her careful reading and insistence on accuracy and consistence.

Often food writing is a lonely profession, first in the kitchen and then in front of the computer. Not so this book. When I enlisted the help of some home cooks to recipe test, I had no idea that I would receive far more than their enthusiastic (and honest) feedback on the hundreds of recipes that they prepared. Molly Gayley Gnichtel, Susan Hollingworth, Regina Knight, Beverly Koenigsberg, Bettina Messana, Elizabeth Parson, Carolyn Shohet and Ingrid Wheeler encouraged and inspired me. They have become friends beyond the confines of the creation of this book and my life has been enriched by them. Thanks also to friends Lois Wurts and Emily Anhalt who tested several recipes and to Ann Owen who contributed her Belizean Stew recipe.

Iz Cohen has been generous with his phenomenal knowledge of baking. I am fortunate to benefit from his decades of experience. However, his humor and friendship mean more to me than all of his advice on glazes and yeasts. Thanks, Iz.

Food writing is home-based work and my family had no choice but to be involved. Thankfully, they embraced the project and stayed positive throughoutdespite the dinners that were all rice pilafs, or the memorable meal of winter squash in which every dish was orange! My husband Steve has been supportive and generous in many small and large ways. He often takes time out of his workday so that I can finish mine. He keeps my computer running and the copier filled with paper. He also keeps my days filled with love and companionship. My stepson Jordan is ever helpful in the kitchen and his enthusiasm never wanes. He brought a teenager's palate to the mix. The recipe is for him. For the bulk of the recipe testing I kept Daniel, the toddler, out of the kitchen and harm's way. However, we frequently cook together (especially when the tasks are easy, like stirring a batter), and his very presence fills the kitchen, and house, with joy. I was pregnant with Jacob while finishing the writing, and his kicking reminded me that there is more to life than a publisher's deadline. He arrived in time to keep me company while finishing the last edits on the book, and, in fact, is cooing and cuddling in my arms as I write this.

This book was nurtured and written with the love and friendship of family and friends. I hope that the end result reflects all that they have given me.

Appetizers

Finger foods, from dips and chips to savory little mouthfuls, are often all that is needed for many gatherings. Whether you call these foods hors d'oeuvres, appetizers, or small bites, their role is the same: to provide interesting nibbles for your guests as they meet and converse. However, little appetizers are often the fattiest part of a meal. Cheese platters are obviously sources of fat, but those tiny filled pastry shells, turnovers, and quiches are also extremely high in fat. The alternative selection offered here keeps food festive and healthy.

When planning which recipes to serve, keep in mind how casual the party issome recipes are more elegant than others. Also consider how messy the food is to eat. If your guests are wearing silk they won't appreciate sticky barbequed finger foods. If there are few places to sit, don't serve foods that need to be eaten with a knife or fork. Always have plenty of napkins and obvious places, such as trays, to leave the soiled paper and dirty dishes.

For larger parties, I like to have both foods for passing and others at stationary sites. Having some foods circulating in the room keeps the guests from crowding around one table. Also, hot hors d'oeuvres (such as stuffed mushroom caps) are best when eaten immediately, which will happen if they are taken from person to person at the party.

It can be difficult to decide how much to make. I've discovered that if you are having a party at a meal time and your guests arrive hungry, you'll need twice as much because they'll make a meal out of the finger foodeven if they know that they'll sit down to a full dinner in an hour. For many parties, a selection of three or four passed appetizers (three pieces per person) and two appetizers at stationary sites (such as a dip and crackers and a vegetable platter) is ideal.

Although nuts are high in fat, they can have a place in a healthy diet.

3 cups whole shelled nuts

1 teaspoon chili powder

14 teaspoon kosher salt

18 teaspoon cayenne pepper

14 teaspoon ground ginger

12 teaspoon ground cinnamon

13 cup sugar

1 egg white

1 tablespoon orange liqueur

Preheat the oven to 325F. Coat a large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray.

Toss the nuts with the dry ingredients. Lightly whisk the egg white with the orange liqueur, and stir into the spiced nuts until all is moist.

Spread the nuts on the baking sheet in one layer. Bake for 15 minutes. Using a spatula, turn the nuts over. Continue to bake for about 15 minutes longer until the surface of the nuts is dried out. After they have cooled, store in a tightly lidded container.

Per Serving: Calories 189; Protein 4g; Fat 16g (Saturated 1g); Carbohydrates 11g; Fiber 1g; Sodium 49mg

Although curried, these are more sweet than hot.

12 cup sugar

1 tablespoon orange juice

12 teaspoon ground cinnamon

14 teaspoon ground cloves

14 teaspoon ground ginger

2 teaspoons curry powder

1 egg white

3 cups whole shelled nuts

Preheat the oven to 325F. Coat a large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray.

In a medium bowl, blend together all the ingredients except the nuts. Toss the nuts into this mixture and stir until they are well coated.

Spread the nuts on the baking sheet in one layer. Bake for 15 minutes. Using a spatula, break the clumps of nuts apart and turn over. Bake for another 8 minutes. The nuts at the edges of the baking sheet might brown more quickly. Keep an eye on them and stir as needed.