low fat

Makes 30 servings; serving size 1 bar

This remake of a cookie classic has only 160 calories and 2.5 grams of saturated fat. Not bad for a sweet dessert and a lot better than traditional Seven Layer Bars.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
1 cup garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup wheat germ
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut
One 14-ounce can low-fat sweetened condensed milk

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil or coat a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

2. Spread the oats evenly on a baking sheet and bake until lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir occasionally to ensure even browning. Remove and set aside. Place the walnuts on the same baking sheet and bake, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. (Keep a watchful eye on the nuts so they don't burn!) Remove and set aside.

3. Place the toasted oats in the bowl of a food processor and process for 10 seconds. Add the beans, wheat germ, butter, canola oil, and salt and pulse until well combined. Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan, and smooth down evenly with your fingers or palms to form a bottom crust.

4. Top evenly with the chocolate chips, cranberries, walnuts, and coconut. Pour the condensed milk evenly over the layers.

5. Bake 22 to 25 minutes, or until the coconut is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack and cut into thirty 1¾ x 2-inch bars. Best if stored in the refrigerator.

Nutrition:
160 calories, 7g fat (2.5g saturated, 0.5g omega-3), 50mg sodium, 20g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, 14g sugar, 3g protein

New England chowder is loaded with heavy cream and butter. But our tasty and nutritious twist on this traditional seafood dish loses much of the fat without sacrificing chowder's creamy texture.

Our chicken Parmesan recipe retains all that cheesy goodness but without all the extra fat and calories of this traditional dish.

You may have heard of the South American food quinoa. But what do you do with it? Here's a delicious idea from registered dietitian Liz Weiss.

Most store-bought chicken salad is made with lots of mayonnaise. But our recipe loses much of the mayo but not the great taste.

These sweet potato fries are a healthy, nutritious alternative to traditional fat-laden fries – and they taste great.

Makes 4 Servings

These pizzas are more of a concept than an actual recipe. Anything goes in terms of the sautéed veggies you choose to use. I like onions, mushrooms, bell peppers and baby spinach, but depending on your taste buds, you could also add olives, eggplant, broccoli, diced butternut squash and tomatoes. For a non-vegetarian option, use cooked chicken sausage or grilled shrimp. As for amounts, it's entirely up to you and your family--just avoid piling on the cheese.

Ingredients:
4 large whole grain pita rounds
Pasta sauce
Basil pesto
One 5- or 6-ounce bag baby spinach, sautéed
8 ounce mushrooms, coarsely chopped and sautéed
1 Vidalia onion, sliced into thin half-moons and sautéed
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch dice and sautéed
Shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
Crumbled Feta cheese
Extra virgin olive oil for sautéing

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Arrange the pita rounds on one large baking sheet.

2. Spread pasta sauce or basil pesto (or both) on each pita and then top with your choice of vegetables and cheese.

3. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cheese melts and is lightly browned

Serving size: 1 fillet; 4 servings

Salmon is a good source of omega-3 fats, which may lower your risk of heart disease. And like other fish, salmon is a good source of protein. This tasty dish is low in calories and salt.

Ingredients:
1 tsp canola oil
1 garlic clove minced
4 3-ounce salmon fillets
1/8 tsp sea salt

BBQ glaze
1/2 cup cider vinegar
2 tsp molasses
1 tbsp dark brown sugar
2 tsp Worchestershire
1 tsp red pepper flakes

4 cups uncooked spinach

Directions:
Heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and saute until just turning brown. Add salmon fillets, sprinkle with sea salt and cook on each side for about 3 minutes.

Remove from heat.

In the same skillet, add remaining ingredients through pepper flakes and heat until simmering.

Serve salmon over spinach with a tablespoon of sauce on top.

Nutrition:
150 calories, 1g fat (0g saturated), 65mg sodium, 33g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, 4g protein, 10% vitamin A, 30% vitamin C, 10% calcium
Nutrition: 227 calories, 13g fat (3 saturated, 4 monounsaturated, 4g polyunsaturated) 47mg cholesterol, 8g carbohydrate, 54mg calcium, 161mg sodium, 18g protein, 1g fiber, 2mg iron

Why is yogurt easier to digest than milk? Find out the answer to this question and other fascinating facts about this ancient food.

Servings: About 4; serving size: 1 cup

I love a good jambalaya, but the dish can often be overloaded with salt and fat. In this dish we used ground turkey instead of sausage to cut the fat and low-sodium chicken stock to reduce the salt. The result is a dish with big Cajun flavor and healthy ingredients.

You can substitute cooked shrimp and crawfish for a more traditional Cajun flare.

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. canola oil
3 Garlic cloves, diced
2 Celery stalks, chopped
1 White onion, diced
1 Medium bell pepper, diced
2 Jalapeño peppers, chopped
1 lb. ground turkey
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1 Tbsp. oregano
2 Cups low-sodium chicken stock
1 Diced tomato
1 Cup water
1 Cup long-grain rice

Instructions:
1. Heat canola oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat.

2. Add garlic, celery and onion and sauté until onion is translucent.

3. Stir in peppers and ground turkey. Brown the turkey.

4. Add the spices and herbs, chicken stock, water and rice. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat and cover. Cook for 45 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

Nutrition:
413 calories, 13g total fat (3g sat, 6g mono, 4g poly) 84mg cholesterol, 45g carbohydrates, 74mg calcium, 495mg sodium, 28g protein, 3g fiber, 4mg iron

One of the best--and worst--parts of holidays are the desserts. I love a slice of pecan pie or an apple crisp topped with vanilla ice cream. Unfortunately, most holiday desserts are loaded with saturated fat and sugar.

But holiday desserts don't have to be dietary disasters. For a simple dessert, we like to take raspberries, blueberries and walnuts and mix them with whipped cream. Sugar free whipped heavy cream has as few as 20 calories a serving and only 2 grams of fat. We also whip vanilla flavored Greek yogurt with melted dark chocolate, nuts and strawberries for another low-fat, low-cal treat.

Here are some other tasty holiday dessert recipes that won't stuff you with extra fat and sugar:

Servings: 8; about 3 ounces of pork

Pork and apples naturally compliment each other. Like a hot cup of cider, this low-fat, hearty recipe will warm you up on cold nights.

Ingredients
1 2-pound pork loin
1 tbsp canola oil
2 cup apple cider (divided)
1 yellow onion coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove diced
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
2 medium potatoes cut into 1-inch cubes (with skins)
2 to 3 medium apples sliced (with skins)
1 cup water
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Trim any fat off pork loin.

2. In a Dutch oven, heat canola oil over medium heat. Brown meat on all sides until dark brown and crusty.

3. Remove pork from pot and set aside on a plate. Reduce heat to medium. Add garlic, onion, carrots and celery and sauté until onion is soft or translucent.

4. Add one cup of apple cider and, using a wooden or plastic utensil, scrape bottom of Dutch oven to release any parts of pork.

5. Put the shoulder back into the pot, add the potatoes, apples and salt and pepper. Pour the remaining cup of apple cider and water over the pork, cover and move to oven.

6. Cook for 90 minutes or until pork is tender and falling apart or when internal temperature reaches 150 degrees.

Nutrition:
296 calories, 6g fat (2g saturated), 83mg cholesterol, 27g carbohydrate, 33mg calcium, 237mg sodium, 31g protein, 4g fiber, 2mg iron

Makes 6 servings; serving size 2 bundles

This may be hard to digest: A typical pot pie made with a shortening-laden crust can have a staggering 10 grams of trans fat and 20 grams of saturated fat per serving.

To slash the artery-clogging fats, we created a crust-less pot pie using egg roll wraps to hold the savory filling. Our new twist on this pie is a bundle of fun for kids and adults to eat. In fact, we encourage everyone eat the bundles with their hands and use a spoon to pick up any bits of chicken or veggies that escape.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1 cup)
1/2 small onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1/2 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon or 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch of black pepper
1 cup all-natural chicken broth
4 teaspoons cornstarch
3/4 cup frozen petite peas, thawed
3/4 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
12 egg roll wraps (NOT the smaller wonton wrappers)

Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the carrot and onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook 1 minute more.

2. Stir in the chicken, tarragon, salt, and pepper. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.

3. Place the broth and cornstarch in a bowl and whisk until well combined. Add to the skillet along with the peas and corn, and bring the liquid to a simmer, stirring constantly. Continue to simmer and stir gently until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes.

3. To prepare the bundles, use a muffin pan with 12 medium-size cups (do not coat with nonstick cooking spray). Gently place 1 egg roll wrap into each cup, letting it extend over the sides.

4. Place a generous 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture into each wrap, and sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top. Fold the corners up and over the top of the filling and press to seal the edges (it doesn't have to be perfect!). Brush the remaining oil on top of each bundle.

5. Bake until golden and crisp,12 to 15 minutes. Cool slightly before eating.

Nutrition Information:
360 calories, 7g fat (1g saturated, 0.4 omega-3), 680mg sodium, 48g carbohydrate, 3g fiber, 24g protein, 70% vitamin A, 15% iron

This recipe is from the new book No Whine with Dinner by Liz Weiss and Janice Newell Bissex. Order your copy today.

Most cheese dipping sauces may seem innocent enough, but underneath they contain lots of butter and heavy, rich cheeses. Registered dietitian Liz Weiss cuts down the fat with this twist on a party dip favorite.

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Two great snacks at the same time? Registered Dietitian Liz Weiss combines pizza and buffalo chicken for this unique, tasty treat.

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Our chocolate caramel pie recipe doesn’t just taste amazing—it’s low in fat and calories. Registered Dietitian Liz Weiss uses an unexpected ingredient—dark chocolate silken tofu—to lighten this dessert.

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This reduced fat cupcake recipe hides a secret nutrition ingredient: Carrots. It's tasty and loaded with vitamin A, and your kids will never know it has veggies in it.

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Most mashed potatoes recipes are loaded with fat and calories. Registered dietitian makeover is lower in fat, calories and salt but still tastes rich and creamy.

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Want to make this at home? Download the recipe now. (PDF)

This easy sweet treat is loaded with cancer-fight antioxidants like the lycopene in watermelon. Plus it's fat free and contains the juice of two superfoods: pomegranate and blueberries.

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Traditional twice-baked potato recipes are loaded with fat. But this lightened recipe features low-fat alternatives to bacon, butter and sour cream.

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Want to make this at home? Download the recipe now. (PDF)

Caesar salads can contain a lot of added and unnecessary fat. We've lightened this chicken Caesar salad without sacrificing the taste.

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Learn the best ways to preserve the vitamins and minerals in the vegetables you cook.

Registered dietitian Liz Weiss substitutes turkey for beef, lowering the fat in this healthy spaghetti and meatball recipe. She also amps up the nutrition with garden vegetables and a dash of heart-healthy omega-3 fats.

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