CUTTING DOWN : Calories,Fats and Sodium Can Be Reduced by Using Substitutions That Don’t Eliminate the Flavors

Get two people together these days and one or both are probably: (1) dieting; (2) thinking about it, or (3) bragging about how much weight they have lost. Arguing over the best method to get rid of unwanted extra pounds and inches is as popular as arguing over politics these days.

Often it’s just about as much of a no-win situation too.

The fact is that what works for one doesn’t necessarily work for another. Whether you are trying to lose weight, cut down on sodium and fats, increase your fiber intake or whatever, how you do it is a personal matter. There’s no overall blanket solution for everyone. (Can you imagine an entire world wearing size 9?)

There is one thing, though, that holds true for any kind of a diet plan. If the food doesn’t taste good, chances are excellent that the diet, and the good intentions behind it, will disappear into limbo within a short time.

I’m constantly astonished at how much mail we receive from frustrated cooks who are trying to cut down on sodium, cholesterol or calories and still dine well. The general attitude seems to be that in order to cut down, all of the foods that have been family favorites have to go. Usually that’s not true at all, unless one is suddenly, for health reasons, forced to change eating habits drastically. A red meat, potatoes and gravy lover who is handed a low-fat, low-sodium diet by his doctor will, indeed, need to make some stringent changes. But for the average person who is in good health and simply wants to cut down on some of the less desirable ingredients in daily meals, really drastic changes are rarely necessary. It’s easier to adapt most traditional recipes to a lighter style than one might imagine.

The secret lies in the two words, “cutting down.”

What’s your goal? Are you trying to reduce your calorie intake in order to lose weight? Are you worried that your cholesterol level is too high? Or that you’re incorporating too much sodium into your diet? Or all of the above?

Whatever your goal, begin at the beginning. Check with your doctor and see if you need a special diet for any reason. If so, follow his advice. But if you are in good health and simply want to stay that way, then consider revamping some of your favorite recipes to reduce calories, fats, cholesterol and sodium, while at the same time you maintain or increase your intake of worthwhile nutrients and fiber.

A visit to your local library or bookstore is a good place to start. There are any number of hardcover and paperback books that list the carbohydrate, protein, fat or sodium content of both packaged foods and basic foods. New American Library, for instance, has published a series of paperback books by the late Barbara Kraus that provides this information. These should be readily available through bookstores everywhere. Once you have acquired the reference material needed, the next step is to learn to use it wisely.

Look at the foods that you like and eat frequently. Do they have the undesirable qualities you are trying to avoid? If so, search out an acceptable substitute. Make small changes here and there at first, adding more as you become used to the first ones. It’s amazing how simple it is, for instance to cut down on the calories, fat, cholesterol and sodium in a recipe for Vegetable Macaroni and Cheese without reducing the flavor. In fact, unless you ‘fess up, it’s unlikely that the average person could tell the difference.

The recipe (see Page XX) calls for cheese, milk, margarine, mayonnaise, a can of onion soup, broccoli, tomatoes, bread crumbs and macaroni. By doing nothing more than substituting skim milk for the whole milk, diet margarine for regular margarine, reduced calorie mayonnaise for regular mayonnaise and cooking the macaroni in unsalted rather than salted water, it is possible to reduce the number of calories per serving from 481 to 368, the fat content from 29 grams to 16 grams and the sodium from 827 milligrams to 710 milligrams.

It would, of course, be easy to cut down on the amount of cheese used, which would help even more, or to substitute one of the low-fat cheeses available now. But a bit of experimentation showed that the low-fat cheese didn’t melt the way I thought it should for this particular dish, and that reducing the amount of regular process cheese called for also reduced the flavor to a noticeable degree. Since my object was to eliminate as many calories and as much fat and sodium as possible without eliminating any of the palatability of the dish, I happily settled for these relatively simple changes, particularly since there was little change in the vitamin and mineral content.

The real secret to cutting down lies in being willing to experiment a bit. If you find plain low-fat yogurt much too tart a substitute for sour cream, try using half yogurt and half sour cream at first. A half cup of the yogurt contains only 76 calories compared to the 246 in a half cup of sour cream. By combining them, you will add only 161 calories, still a sizable saving.

Non-stick pan surfaces and non-stick sprays can reduce calorie and fat intakes whenever you take advantage of them. If you’re fond of crispy fried chicken but feel guilty about the amount of fat it takes to fry it properly, a non-stick pan can provide a solution. Place the chicken pieces, skin side down, in a cold non-stick skillet and place the skillet over medium-low heat. It will take a while, but eventually the heat will extract the chicken fat from the chicken parts, providing plenty of fat to cook the chicken to crisp perfection.

If a spaghetti sauce recipe calls for onions and garlic to be sauteed in butter or oil, for instance, use a spray or a non-stick pan and substitute a couple of tablespoons of liquid such as unsalted broth or wine or even water for the butter or oil. By the time high-flavor tomatoes and herbs have been added, you’ll never miss the fats, just the calories.

If sodium is something you want to cut down on, either make your own salt-free beef or chicken broths and freeze them in small quantities, or buy the unsalted products at the market. Become a label reader and reject packaged foods that are high in sodium. At the same time, learn which foods are naturally high in sodium and work them into your menus in a balanced way.

A four-ounce serving of steamed scallops, although low in calories, contains about 300 milligrams of sodium, about 10% of the daily amount that current nutritional guidelines suggest one should consume. Thus, if you started the day with a breakfast of salty bacon and eggs and grabbed a high-sodium, fast-food hamburger lunch, it might be well to substitute a meat or fish that contains less sodium for the scallops. A four-ounce portion of braised beef brisket, which provides only about 70 milligrams of sodium, would be a better choice. If, on the other hand, the rest of your meals for the day have been based on low-sodium foods, there’s no reason not to enjoy this delicate seafood.

The following recipes have been adapted to lower the amounts of calories, fats and sodium that the originals contained. In some, we reduced the calories only. In others, we cut back on the sodium or fat. They aren’t meant to be “diet” recipes per se. But they are good choices for anyone interested in cutting down on calories, fats and sodium without losing the flavors that the original recipes provided. Once you’ve tried them, try making similar ingredient substitutions in some of your favorite recipes and you’ll see how easy it is to cut back relatively painlessly.

EGGPLANT-MEATBALLS RATATOUILLE

1/2 pound lean ground beef

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large eggplant, diced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 onion, cut julienne

1 green pepper, cut in thin strips

1 red pepper, cut in thin strips

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 (14-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained, seeded and diced

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

Season ground beef with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Shape into small meatballs, about 1/2 teaspoon each. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in skillet and lightly brown meatballs. Drain meatballs on paper towels. Cover and set aside.

Cut stem from eggplant and slice in half lengthwise. Scoop out pulp with spoon or grapefruit knife, leaving shell about 1/4-inch thick. Dice eggplant pulp. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to skillet and saute garlic and onion until tender. Add green and red peppers and saute 2 minutes. Add eggplant pulp and saute 3 to 4 minutes. Add basil, oregano and tomatoes. Cook 5 minutes longer. Stir in meatballs, lemon juice and dash freshly ground pepper.

Place eggplant halves in shallow baking dish and add 1/2 inch water to dish. Cover and bake at 350 degrees 10 to 15 minutes. Fill each eggplant half with meatball mixture. Cover loosely with foil. Bake at 350 degrees 30 minutes or until eggplant is tender. Serve sprinkled with parsley. Makes 4 servings.

PER SERVING: 254 calories; 15 gm protein; 16 gm carbohydrate; 16 gm fat; 40 mg cholesterol; 185 mg sodium; 675 mg potassium.

USRDA

Protein 23% Riboflavin 14% Vitamin A 33% Niacin 21% Vitamin C 139% Calcium 05% Thiamine 14% Iron 18% TURKEY LOAF

2 cups minced potato, blanched

1 cup minced or shredded carrot

1/2 cup minced celery

1/2 cup minced onion

1 pound ground turkey

1 clove garlic, minced

2 egg whites

1/4 cup milk

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 (8-ounce) carton plain nonfat yogurt

1 tablespoon finely chopped chives

Combine potato, carrot, celery, onion, turkey, garlic, egg whites, milk, white pepper, salt, parsley and mustard in large bowl. Mix thoroughly. Shape into 1 (3-inch) log and smooth sides with damp spatula to prevent cracks. Place in lightly greased jellyroll pan and cover loosely with foil. Bake at 350 degrees 40 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking 10 to 20 minutes longer. Let stand few minutes, then slice and serve with yogurt mixed with chives. Makes 6 servings.

PER SERVING: 191 calories; 23 gm protein; 15 gm carbohydrate; 4 gm fat; 53 mg cholesterol; 350 mg sodium; 635 mg potassium.

USRDA

Protein 35% Riboflavin 16% Vitamin A 46% Niacin 27% Vitamin C 28% Calcium 09% Thiamine 08% Iron 09% TURKEY-LEEK SOUP

1 leek (white part only), sliced

1/2 pound parsley root or parsnips, peeled and sliced

2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans clear chicken broth

Turkey Meatballs

1 cup water

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Parsley sprigs

Combine leek, parsley root and chicken broth in saucepan. Bring to boil. Add Turkey Meatballs. Cover and simmer until vegetables and meatballs are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove meatballs and set aside, covered. Place remaining mixture in blender and puree until smooth. Return to saucepan and add water, white pepper and lemon juice. Reheat to serving temperature. Add meatballs. Serve hot, garnished with parsley. Makes 6 servings.

PER SERVING: 130 calories; 17 gm protein; 9 gm carbohydrate; 3 gm fat; 45 mg cholesterol; 379 mg sodium; 432 mg potassium.

USRDA

Protein 26% Riboflavin 08% Vitamin A 02% Niacin 20% Vitamin C 15% Calcium 03% Thiamine 04% Iron 09% Turkey Meatballs

3/4 pound ground turkey

2 tablespoons minced green onion

2 teaspoons minced ginger root

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

1 egg white

1/2 cup minced water chestnuts

Combine ground turkey, green onion, ginger, salt, white pepper, egg white and water chestnuts in bowl. Mix well. Shape into 1 1/2-inch meatballs.

BAKED SOLE ROLL-UPS

1 (6 1/2-ounce) can salt-free, water-packed tuna

1 large carrot, thinly sliced

1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced

4 sole fillets, l pound

Pepper

1/3 cup diced green apple

1/3 cup minced green onions

2 egg whites

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon thyme leaves, crumbled

1/4 teaspoon celery seeds

Paprika

Drain tuna and set aside. Steam carrots 5 minutes, then add zucchini and steam 5 minutes longer. Arrange vegetables in 1-quart casserole. Rinse fillets with water and pat dry. Season to taste with pepper and set aside.

Combine tuna, apple, green onions, egg whites, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, thyme and celery seeds. Spread mixture evenly over fillets, then roll up. Place fillets, seam side down, on vegetable slices. Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Sprinkle with paprika. Cover and bake at 350 degrees 25 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with fork. Makes 4 servings.

PER SERVING: 168 calories; 32 gm protein; 6 gm carbohydrate; 1 gm fat; 89 mg cholesterol; 115 mg sodium; 746 mg potassium.

USRDA

Protein 50% Riboflavin 12% Vitamin A 47% Niacin 43% Vitamin C 26% Calcium 10% Thiamine 08% Iron 11% SWISS STEAK

2 pounds round steak, cut 1/4-inch thick

3 tablespoons unsalted margarine

1 cup chopped onion

4 medium tomatoes, chopped

3/4 cup water

1 cup sliced carrot

1 cup sliced celery

1 tablespoon light brown sugar, packed

1 tablespoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon rosemary leaves

1/2 teaspoon marjoram leaves

1 small clove garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

3 tablespoons flour

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Pound steak very thin. Melt margarine in Dutch oven. Brown meat on both sides and remove. Add onion and saute 1 minute. Return meat to Dutch oven and stir in tomatoes, 1/2 cup water, carrot, celery, brown sugar, mustard, rosemary, marjoram, garlic and pepper. Cover partially and simmer 1 hour or until meat is tender, stirring occasionally.

Dissolve flour in remaining 1/4 cup water. Stir into beef mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Serve garnished with chopped parsley. Makes 8 servings.

PER SERVING: 303 calories; 25 gm protein; 11 gm carbohydrate; 18 gm fat; 78 mg cholesterol; 139 mg sodium; 616 mg potassium.

USRDA

Protein 39% Riboflavin 15% Vitamin A 63% Niacin 27% Vitamin C 44% Calcium 04% Thiamine 11% Iron 20% POACHED SCALLOPS WITH ORANGE SAUCE

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can clear chicken broth

2 tablespoons fine julienne-cut orange peel

1 pound scallops

1/4 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined

4 large mushrooms, sliced

1 cup blanched Chinese pea pods

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon orange-flavored liqueur

Heat broth and orange peel in 10-inch skillet over medium heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low and add scallops, shrimp and mushrooms. Simmer, covered, about 3 minutes or until shrimp turns pink and scallops are tender.

Remove seafood and mushrooms with slotted spoon. Arrange in attractive design on 4 serving plates with pea pods. Keep warm. Combine water, cornstarch and liqueur in small cup. Stir into broth and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens. Ladle sauce over prepared plates. Makes 4 servings.

PER SERVING: 197 calories; 34 gm protein; 11 gm carbohydrate; 2 gm fat; 110 mg cholesterol; 661 mg sodium; 702 mg potassium.

USRDA

Protein 53% Riboflavin 09% Vitamin A 06% Niacin 17% Vitamin C 20% Calcium 16% Thiamine 10% Iron 26% POACHED CHICKEN WITH MUSTARD SAUCE

2 whole chicken breasts, boned, skinned and halved

4 leeks, cut lengthwise in halves

1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon, crushed

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can clear chicken broth

3 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/4 cup plain nonfat yogurt

1 teaspoons capers, optional

Place chicken breast and leeks in 10-inch skillet over low heat. Sprinkle with tarragon and add broth. Simmer, covered, 20 minutes or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken and leeks to serving plates.

Increase heat to medium. Combine water, cornstarch and mustard in small cup. Stir into broth and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens. Blend in yogurt. Serve sauce over chicken. Garnish with capers. Makes 4 servings.

PER SERVING: 234 calories; 39 gm protein; 8 gm carbohydrate; 4 gm fat; 96 mg cholesterol; 445 mg sodium; 637 mg potassium.

USRDA

Protein 59% Riboflavin 10% Vitamin A 02% Niacin 69% Vitamin C 07% Calcium 05% Thiamine 05% Iron 13% STUFFED FILLET OF SOLE WITH SHRIMP SAUCE

1 cup diced celery

1 cup sliced onions

1 tablespoon margarine

3 cups cooked rice, cooked in unsalted water

2 tablespoons diced pimiento

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 1/2 pounds sole fillets

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Shrimp Sauce

Saute celery and onions in margarine until tender. Add rice, pimiento and pepper. Turn into greased 2-quart shallow casserole. Arrange fillets on top of rice. Sprinkle fish with lemon juice. Bake at 375 degrees 25 minutes. Serve topped with Shrimp Sauce. Makes 6 servings.

Shrimp Sauce

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1/4 pound sliced mushrooms

2 to 3 tablespoons water

1/4 teaspoon basil

1/4 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled and cut in halves lengthwise

Combine cornstarch, chicken broth, mushrooms, water, basil, garlic and shrimp in saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened.

PER SERVING: 265 calories; 27 gm protein; 31 gm carbohydrate; 3 gm fat; 116 mg cholesterol; 345 mg sodium; 676 mg potassium.

USRDA

Protein 41% Riboflavin 07% Vitamin A 05% Niacin 23% Vitamin C 18% Calcium 12% Thiamine 14% Iron 16% TUNA-VEGETABLE ENTREE FOR TWO

1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch slices

1 medium carrot, thinly sliced diagonally

2 teaspoons diet margarine, melted

1 teaspoon minced onion

Dash black pepper

1 (7-ounce) can salt-free, water-packed tuna, drained and flaked

Grated peel and juice of 1/2 lemon

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Lemon cartwheel twists

Cook zucchini and carrot in boiling water in covered saucepan 5 minutes or until just tender. Drain and arrange in 2 oven-proof serving dishes. Dot with margarine, onion and pepper. Top with tuna and sprinkle with lemon peel and juice. Bake at 400 degrees 8 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 3 minutes longer or until heated through and cheese melts. Garnish with lemon twists. Makes 2 servings.

PER SERVING: 281 calories; 35 gm protein; 9 gm carbohydrate; 12 gm fat; 86 mg cholesterol; 299 mg sodium; 622 mg potassium.

USRDA

Protein 53% Riboflavin 19% Vitamin A 98% Niacin 67% Vitamin C 47% Calcium 27% Thiamine 08% Iron 13% CHICKEN WITH WINE AND GRAPES

1 tablespoon flour

Pepper

1 (3 1/2-pound) chicken, cut up

3 tablespoons margarine

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

1 tablespoon honey

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons slivered orange peel

1 cup seedless green grapes, halved

Combine flour and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and dust chicken pieces. Melt margarine in skillet and saute chicken over medium heat until golden. Add wine, parsley, honey, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and bay leaf. Simmer, covered, over low heat 15 minutes. Add orange peel and continue cooking until tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove chicken to serving platter. Add grapes to gravy and cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. Pour over chicken. Garnish with additional grapes and orange slices, if desired. Makes 6 servings.

PER SERVING: 256 calories; 28 gm protein; 10 gm carbohydrate; 10 gm fat; 102 mg cholesterol; 149 mg sodium; 366 mg potassium.

USRDA

Protein 44% Riboflavin 14% Vitamin A 12% Niacin 53% Vitamin C 08% Calcium 02% Thiamine 06% Iron 12% BRAN-PARMESAN CHICKEN

1 1/2 cups bran flakes cereal

2 egg whites

1/4 cup nonfat milk

1/4 cup flour

Pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground sage

1/4 teaspoon fines herbes

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

2 whole chicken breasts, split, skinned and boned

1 tablespoon olive oil

Crush cereal to measure 3/4 cup. Lightly beat egg whites and milk in shallow dish. Add flour, pepper to taste, sage, fines herbes and cheese, stirring until smooth.

Dip chicken pieces in mixture, then coat with cereal. Place in single layer in non-stick or foil-lined shallow baking pan. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 350 degrees about 35 to 45 minutes or until tender. Do not cover pan or turn chicken while baking. Makes 4 servings.

PER SERVING: 315 calories; 42 gm protein; 18 gm carbohydrate; 9 gm fat; 94 mg cholesterol; 210 mg sodium; 575 mg potassium.

USRDA

Protein 64% Riboflavin 25% Vitamin A 15% Niacin 76% Vitamin C 08% Calcium 08% Thiamine 17% Iron 35%