HEALTHY RECIPES

Little Known Cooking Secrets to Help reduce High Cholesterol levels

To lower the cholesterol and fat in your diet, follow these tips when you're cooking.

A good number of your preferred recipes can be made healthier simply by substituting lower-fat ingredients. Go through the list of ingredients on your own recipe. Then consider the table below to check if any of the ingredients are listed in the left column. In that case, you may make the recipe a healthier one using the ingredient in the right column instead.

What Can I Substitute?

- Rather than: Whole eggs, egg yolks - Use: Egg-whites or ¼ cup egg substitute

- As an alternative to: Butter - Use: Liquid or tub margarine, unsaturated vegetable oils, butter-flavored granules, herbs and spices to flavor food

- In place of: Mayonnaise - Use: Nonfat yogurt, mustard, low-fat or nonfat mayonnaise

- Rather than: Regular yogurt, sour cream - Use: Nonfat yogurt, nonfat sour cream

- As an alternative to: Potato chips - Use: Pretzels, low-fat or baked chips

- Rather than: Whole or 2% milk - Use: Skim or 1% milk

- Instead of: Whole-milk ice cream - Use: Ice milk, low-fat frozen yogurt, low-fat or nonfat ice cream, sorbet

- Instead of: Whole-milk cheese - Use: Reduced-fat, low-fat, or nonfat cheese

- In place of: Whole-milk sour cream - Use: Nonfat or low-fat sour cream or yogurt

- Rather than: Coconut oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil - Use: Unsaturated oils, such as safflower, sunflower, canola, and extra virgin olive oil

- In place of: Regular salad dressings - Use: Low-fat or nonfat salad dressings, vinegars

Use less fat in recipes. In case a recipe requires 1 cup of butter, use ½ cup butter and replace the other half with 1/4 cup of prune puree. You can make prune puree by pureeing 1 1/3 cups of pitted prunes and 6 tablespoons of warm water in a blender or mixer. This makes one cup of puree. For baked goods, you can replace 1 cup of butter, oil, margarine, or shortening with 1 cup of applesauce and still have a moist, great-tasting item without all of the fat and calories.

Follow these guidelines for the healthiest cooking methods.

- Bake, broil, roast, steam, microwave, poach, grill or stir-fry with only a little oil.

- Use nonstick pans.

- Spray a light coating of vegetable oil in preference to liquid oil or butter, or cook with defatted broth, bouillon, fresh fruit juices, or wine.

- Thicken sauces and soups with skim or 1% milk and a little flour or cornstarch as an alternative to whole-milk products.

More than once per week, substitute nonanimal sources of protein, like tofu, beans, peas, or lentils, in place of animal protein. This will take some getting used to if you are a so-called meat-and-potatoes woman / man. If this is new for you, check out a couple of vegetarian cookbooks or magazines to get ideas for preparation methods and spices.

Make gradual changes. After some time, you'll get used to your new meals, plus your tastes will change. Adding more vegetables might also increase your soluble fiber, which helps lower your LDL - or bad - cholesterol.

Dietary fiber is found in all the following:

- oats

- oranges

- pears

- Brussels sprouts

- carrots

- dried peas and beans

You possibly can choose healthy food and after that without realizing it add unhealthy ingredients if you aren't wise about how you add flavor. Use herbs in preference to butter or margarine. Or make use of a little unsaturated vegetable oil. Many cookbooks have lists of herbs that reveal the flavour of foods. Try a few. You're apt to discover some new flavors that you like. Try basil on zucchini, for instance. Or use lemon pepper on broccoli.

The word homemade usually makes food sound better. And, and in addition perhaps, many times, it tastes better too. The important secret is that it's usually healthier for you. Use fewer prepackaged foods. Prepackaged sauces and mixes and instant products, like instant rice and pasta meals and instant cereals, often contain fat. It may look less convenient at first, but try recipes for rice dishes from low-fat cookbooks or magazines.

Soon you will have a few recipes memorized. This makes it simple for you to prepare dishes in fresher, healthier ways using your own mix of spices. You can also be very impressed at how little time other homemade dishes that don't rely on a package really take.

If you cannot bring your LDL - the bad cholesterol - down to a healthy level by reducing the amount of fat and cholesterol you eat, try this. Add foods like margarines and salad dressings that lower cholesterol levels.

A sample Low Cholesterol Recipe:

Marinated Barbequed Vegetables

Ingredients

 * 1 small eggplant, cut into 3/4 inch thick slices

 * 2 small red peppers, seeded and cut into wide strips

 * 3 zucchinis, sliced

 * 6 fresh mushrooms, stems removed

 * 1/4 cup olive oil

 * 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

 * 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil

 * 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

 Directions

 1. Place eggplant, red bell peppers, zucchinis and fresh mushrooms in a medium bowl.

 2. In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, basil and garlic. Pour the mixture over the vegetables, cover and marinate in the refrigerator at least one hour.

 3. Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat.

 4. Place vegetables directly on the grill or on skewers. Cook on the prepared grill two to three minutes per side, brushing frequently with the marinade, or to desired doneness.

About the writer - Georgia Rascon writes for the <a href="http://www.lowcholesterolrecipe.org/">cholesterol friendly recipes</a> blog , her personal hobby web site dedicated to ways to eat healthy to prevent high cholesterol.

Author's note: The words provided on this document are designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between a patient/site visitor and his/her doctor. Georgia Rascon has not business intent and does not accept direct source of promotion coming from health or pharmaceutical businesses, doctors or clinics and websites. All content provided by her is based on her editorial judgment and it is not driven by an advertising purpose.

Notes For You:

If you want my Complete Bio: http://www.lowcholesterolrecipe.org/about

Roasted Squash and Onion Soup with Cilantro

Serves 4 to 6

If you've never cooked with winter squash, this recipe is the perfect excuse to start. Any variety will do. A pinch of cinnamon added to the soup just before serving compliments the caramely roasted flavors of the squash and onions. The cilantro add a a gorgeous brightness. Serve with a hunk of warm whole-grain bread and a simple lettuce salad.

• 1 medium squash, such as butternut, acorn or hubbard (about 2 bs), peeled, cut in half, and seeded
• 1 large onion, cut into 4 wedges
• Olive Oil for brushing
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup loosely packed, coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

PREHEAT oven to 425º F. Brush surfaces of squash and onion with olive oil. Place on cookie sheet and cook for 35 - 45 minutes, or until squash is cooked through and tender to touch. Cool slightly.

SCRAPE squash meat into large soup pot. Chop onion and add to pot. Add chicken broth and 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, add cinnamon and cook for 1 -2  minutes, or until very hot. Turn off heat, add cilantro, and stir. Serve.

From Cooking Thin Daybook

TO PEEL SQUASH EASILY

When a recipe calls for you to peel squash, choose a variety that doesn't have lots of ridges, such as butternut. To peel hard winter squash, poke several fork holes in the squash and place int he microwave or 2 -3 minutes, until the squash is barely soft; it shouldn't be hot. Then go to town with your carrot peeler. That's right: peel it as you would an apple.

400 Calorie Meals

Apple Dessert

4 Delicicious Apples (peeled and cut into chunks)

Cook in 1/2 cup water till soft but not mushy.

Add 1 1/2 tsp sugar

1 1/2 tsp low calorie jello

Stir and set in fridge.

Great with  a dollop of Nutri-whip

Shared by TOPS ON 5357 Stratford

during their Biggest Loser Challenge

Choc-Peanut Butter Cookies

1/4 cup skim milk

2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

2 Tbsp sugar

1/4 cup peanut butter

1 cup uncooked old fashioned oats

2 tsp vegetable oil

1. Mix milk, cocoa powder and sugar in saucepan over low heat.
2. Bring to a boil, remove from heat/ Add peanut butter and stir until melted.
3. Stir in oatmeal and oil.
4. Drop 16 spoonfuls onto baking sheet lined with wax paper. Freeze for at least 4 hours, they are better the day after you make them.

1 cookie = 46 calories

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Baked Cinnamon Pears with Oat Topping

MIX

2 1/2 cup peeled and sliced pear

1/8 tsp cinnamon

TOPPING (MIX)

1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats

1/8 tsp cinnamon

1 Tbsp maple syrup

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. In a medium sized baking dish add pears and cinnamon.
3. Scatter topping over pears.
4. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve hot or cold.

Serving - 3/4 cup

Calories - 119

Proteins - 2 g

Total Fat - 1 g

Shared by TOPS ON 5357 Stratford

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Caramel Popcorn (just in time for Halloween)

Ingredients

Cooking spray
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup light-colored corn syrup
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 cups air-popped popcorn (6 T kernels)

Directions

Preheat oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat a large jelly roll pan or baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
Combine sugar, corn syrup, and butter in a medium or large heavy bottomed saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook 4-5 minutes, stirring 3-4 times to scrape down the sides of the pan and keep the mixture from bubbling up. If you have a pastry brush, dip it in cool water and use it to brush down the sides of the pan. Be careful; the mixture will burn you if it boils over. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla, baking soda, and salt. Place popcorn in a large bowl; pour sugar mixture over popcorn in a steady stream, stirring to coat.

Spread popcorn mixture into prepared pan. Bake at 250 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.

Remove from oven; stir to break up any large clumps. Cool 15 minutes. Serve at room temperature.

Let the popcorn cool completely before storing. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Serving size is about 2/3 cup.

Number of Servings: 18 –about 100 calories per serving

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Easy Tortilla Wrap Appetizers

There really isn't a recipe for these. Take your favorite wrap and you favorite low fat/fat free cream cheese. Spread cream cheese thinly and evenly over wrap and roll tightly. Cut in to 1 inch pieces and enjoy.

Examples:

Sun Dried Tomato Wrap with fat free herb and garlic cream cheese

Whole Wheat Wrap with Light Strawberry Cream Cheese

Your imagination is the limit.

Low Calorie, Quick and Easy

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Banana Bread

3 bananas

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup butter

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

Mash banana with a fork. Stir in other ingredients. Our into greased pan. Bake at 350 for an hour.

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Heart Healthy Muffins

½ cup quick cooking rolled oats

½ cup oat bran

½ cup all purpose flour

½ cup whole wheat flour

¼ cup wheat germ

1/3 cup sugar

1 ½ tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 ½ cup mashed banana

2 egg whites

3 tbsp vegetable oil

1 -2 apples shredded

Preheat over to 375. Combine dry ingredients in a large bow. Set aside. Combine wet ingredients together in a separate bowl, mix until smooth. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix just until moistened. Divide batter evenly. Bake approx. 15 minutes. Makes 12 large muffins

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TIPS FOR CHANGING RECIPES

• Replace some of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat, oatmeal, or oat bran to increase fiber.

• You can lower the sugar content by ¼ in most baked goods without affecting end product.

• Use skim milk, 1 %, mashed fruit or a combination instead of whole milk to decrease fat.

• Replace whole egg with 2 egg white to decrease fat and cholesterol.

• Replace melted butter with 25% less oil to decrease saturated fats.

• Use fresh or frozen fruit instead of dried to decrease sugar content.

Shared by TOPS ON 5357 Stratford

during Biggest Loser Challenge

Would love to add some of your favorite healthy dishes........