Ingredients:

2 pounds peeled crawfish

4 tablespoons dry substitute butter

½ cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped onions

¼ cup green onion tops

¼ cup bell pepper

1 ½ cups water

2 teaspoons cornstarch

¼ cup fresh parsley

¼ teaspoon black pepper

¼ teaspoon red pepper

¼ teaspoon salt

non-stick cooking spray

Super Bowl Snack Mix

1 ½ cup small unsalted pretzels

1 cup bite-size corn-and-rice cereal

1 cup bite-size shredded wheat cereal

1 cup plain croutons

¾ cup bite-size crispy bran squares

2 Tbsp. Reduced-calorie margarine

1 Tbsp. Low-sodium Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning

¼ tsp. pepper

1/8 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. garlic powder

2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

Simple ways to change a recipe: Try these easy to follow techniques and tips for changing and preparing recipes. By using the suggested substitutes you can significantly lower the cholesterol, fat, and sodium content of standard recipes.

To reduce cholesterol or saturated fats:

Select lean cuts of meat

Serve moderate portions

Replace animal fats with appropriate substitutions

Lower fat ingredient substitutions:

Sour Cream                                 Low fat or nonfat yogurt; make sour cream

                                                    Using 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese with 1

                                                    Tablespoon lemon juice and 2 tablespoons

Skim milk.

Cream Cheese                             Fat free cream cheese

Cottage Cheese                           Low fat cottage cheese

Whole Milk Cheeses                    Reduced fat or fat free cheeses

Baking Chocolate                         3 Tablespoons cocoa powder plus 1 t tablespoon canola oil

Ricotta Cheese                             Part-skim ricotta cheese, low fat cottage

Cheese

Heavy cream             Evaporated skim milk or skim milk

Whole Milk                         Skim milk (1% or lower)

Butter                                 Margarine made with vegetable oil

Shortening (1 cup)             2/3 cup canola oil

                                           Oil Safflower or canola oil (in baking, use applesauce or baby food prunes)

Salad Dressings                  Yogurt mixed with mustard, lemon, herbs

                                            And spices OR Light or Fat Free Dressings

Luncheonmeats                 Turkey and chicken breast, low fat (<3 grams fat/serving) luncheon meat

Whole buttermilk                 1 cup nonfat buttermilk with 1 tablespoon

                                            Lemon juice OR vinegar added to 1-cup skim milk

Potato or corn chips         salt-free pretzels, air-popped popcorn, WOW chips, or baked chips

Ice cream,                         Ice Milk Sherbet, sugar-free popsicles, fat free frozen yogurt

Commercial gravies          Homemade gravies, skimmed of fat

Sugar :Reduce amount to ½ to ¼; try sweetening with fruit; 1 tablespoon fruit juice concentrate=1 teaspoon sugar

Chocolate Cake                 Angel food cake

1 egg                                 ¼ cup egg substitute or 2 egg whites

Biscuits, muffins,                                                                                                                             croissants Hard rolls            pita pockets, Italian bread, sandwich bread, English muffins, bagels

High-fat crackers (Ritz-type)     Bread sticks, graham crackers, whole grain crackers, Melba toast

Brown meats by broiling or cooking in non-stick pans with little or no oil. Some fat

Can be eliminated by pan-broiling. Use a heavy weight pan, do not put oil or fat with meat, cover the pan and broil over low heat, turning the meat once or twice. After the meat is cooked, turn up the heat to get the browning effect of a broiler. Drain off all fat drippings. Fat can be removed by placing browned meat in a colander and running hot water over the meat—then return to pan. Fish does not pan broil well, but you can poach them over low heat by adding skim milk or water. Season the liquid with a small amount of lemon juice, vinegar or a dry wine. Add herbs and spices to your taste.

Chill soups, stews, sauces and broth. Lift off congealed fat (saves 100 calories per tablespoon of fat removed). To prepare brown gravy from fat free broth, add one-tablespoon flour and one teaspoon low sodium instant bouillon dissolved in 2/3 cup water.

Trim fat from meat. Remove skin from poultry BEFORE cooking.

Use water-packed canned products (canned fish, canned fruits)

In recipes for baked products, the sugar can often be reduced ¼ to 1/3 without harming the final product. Cinnamon and vanilla also give the impression of sweetness.

Use fresh fruit whenever possible. If canned fruit must be used, select water-packed varieties, fruit in own juice or drain heavy syrup from canned fruits. To make fruit without syrup tastier, add lemon juice, clove, or ginger.

For sauces and dressings, use low-calorie bases (vinegar, mustard, tomato juice, fat-free bouillon) instead of high-calorie ones (creams, fats, oils, mayonnaise).

Steam vegetables. Flavor with herbs rather than using margarine or oils.

Instead of two-crust pies, serve single crust (made with oil or margarine) or use low fat cookie crumbs (graham crackers, vanilla wafers, etc.)

Brown mushrooms and onions without fat by using just enough low sodium soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce to wet the items, cook in covered pan over low heat.

Make your own breading with plain breadcrumbs, coat food with crumbs after dipping in skim milk and egg white.

Reduce the amount of fat in recipes by 1/3 to ½ and increase the water.

Sue A. Hart, MS, LDN, RD

Into small bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, cloves and salt.

In large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed, cream margarine, brown sugar and sugar substitute. Beat in egg whites and then molasses until well blended. Gradually stir in dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk, stirring just until blended after each addition and ending with buttermilk.

Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Add to the milk mixture, then add the vanilla, sugar substitute, and extract. Mix lightly. Cover and chill.

Figuring Out Fiber

November Recipe of the Month

Yield is 9 servings Serving size is 1 1-inch slice

Ingredients