Fat Fight

So you’ve settled back into your normal eating pattern after the onslaught of sweets and other goodies that began at Halloween and ran through New Year’s.

If, like many Americans, you gained weight over that time - the average is 5 to 7 pounds - then it’s time to get back on track with a healthy eating plan.

And that means low-fat foods with high-fat flavor.

Since fat-free foods - celery and carrots, grapefruit, cottage cheese and such - can get boring, we’ve collected some tips and recipes that bring more familiar and satisfying foods onto the low-fat track.

If you haven’t yet mastered using applesauce, mashed bananas and other fruit purees as fat substitutes in baked goods, make this your year to experiment.

Half or more of the major fat ingredients - butter, solid shortenings and oil - in cakes, muffins, quick breads, scones, biscuits and brownies can be replaced by fruit purees.

Dietitian and nutritionist Sandra Woodruff, author of “Secrets of Fat-Free Baking” (Avery, 1994), recommends using a little less of the substitute than the original measurement of the fat being replaced.

That applies to traditional recipes, not newer recipes that already are reduced in fat. Make changes in a new recipe gradually and with care.

Be particularly careful with cookies, since cutting too much fat tends to make them cakey. Woodruff omits only half of the fat when making cookies, and replaces it with only half that amount of fat substitute (i.e., 1/4 cup substitute to replace 1/2 cup fat).

That’s still a big savings in fat grams and the calories they pack - nine calories in every fat gram, compared with four calories per gram of protein or carbohydrate. And, just as important, most tasters don’t miss the fat.

Woodruff found that the fiber of whole grains helps disguise the lack of fat in recipes using fat substitutes.

“Fiber, like fat, interferes with the development of gluten, the protein in wheat flour that can cause a tough texture, tunnels and peaked muffin tops when batters are overmixed,” she explained.

Woodruff also recommends reducing the baking temperature for lower-fat baked goods by 25 degrees to help retain moistness. She suggests baking reduced-fat biscuits and scones at 375 degrees; muffins at 350 degrees; cakes, quick breads and brownies at 325 degrees; and cookies at 300 degrees.

Along with fruits, other alternatives to fat in baking include mashed squash or sweet potatoes. Many cooks find baby-food purees the most convenient fat substitute.

Chocolate syrup and cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process) can provide chocolate flavor without the fat. There’s a little less than 1 gram of fat in an ounce (two tablespoons) of chocolate syrup and 1.5 grams in an ounce (three tablespoons) of cocoa powder, compared with 15 grams of fat in an ounce of solid baking chocolate.

In her book “Healthy Homestyle Desserts” (Viking, 1997), dietitian Evelyn Tribole suggests using evaporated skim milk (87 grams of fat per cup) in place of cream (621 grams per cup). She also recommends using buttermilk to avoid the rubbery texture found in some fat-free recipes, and phyllo dough (available in supermarket freezer cases) to replace high-fat puff pastry or pie crust.

A sampling of other fat-trimming tips:

Saute onions, garlic and other vegetables in broth or wine, even water, instead of butter or oil.

Low-sodium, reduced-fat chicken broth can be used to replace half or more of the fat in dressings and marinades.

Use nonfat yogurt, not cream, to make creamy sauces or dressings. But if you’re heating the sauces, don’t let them boil.

Reverse vinaigrette proportions; instead of three parts oil to one part vinegar, mix three parts vinegar to one part oil. Use different flavors of vinegar (there are more on supermarket shelves all the time) for variety in dressings and in recipes.

Add fat-free flavor with herbs and spices, or a squirt of lemon or lime. Chilies are especially effective.

Chill cooked soups and stews and skim off the fat that congeals on the surface (ditto for canned broths).

Use naturally low-fat Canadian bacon as a pizza topping instead of pepperoni or sausage. For bite, add crushed red pepper.

Substitute cooked beans or bulgur wheat for half the beef in ground meat dishes.

Vanilla has the taste cue of ice cream or eggnog. Play on that by using nonfat vanilla yogurt in shakes and dessert sauces, and vanilla extract in baked goods. Even cream soda is apt to be more satisfying than other flavors.

When making cookies, cut the amount of chocolate chips and/or nuts in the recipe in half.

Stock up on healthful low-fat snacks - fresh fruit and vegetables, nonfat yogurt, fat-free tortillas, air-popped popcorn, pretzels and such.

These snack and dessert recipes are low in fat yet rich in flavor and texture.

Nutty Peas

This nutty alternative to peanuts has only a fraction of the fat found in nuts.

1 (16-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzos)

1 teaspoon olive oil

Seasoning blend or salt, to taste

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse and drain chickpeas; pat dry. Toss lightly with oil; spread in nonstick baking pan. (Or spray beans lightly in pan with olive oil spray.)

Bake 1 hour or to desired texture and crispness. Shake pan every 10 to 15 minutes for even browning. Remove to cool. Season to taste.

Yield: 4 (1/2-cup) servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 145 calories, 6 grams protein, 26 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fat (12 percent fat calories), no cholesterol, 339 milligrams sodium.

Cinnamon Chips

Adapted from “Fat Free and Ultra Low-Fat Recipes,” by Doris Cross (Prima, 1995).

4 (6-inch) soft flour tortillas, regular or fat-free

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Butter-flavored nonstick cooking spray

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut tortillas in half and cut each half into 3 wedges. Arrange on nonstick baking sheet. Mix sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over wedges. Spray lightly with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes or until golden and crisp.

Yield: 4 servings.

Nutrition information per serving, using regular tortillas: 139 calories, 3 grams protein, 26 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fat (13 percent fat calories), no cholesterol, 167 milligrams sodium.

Note: Chips also may be baked plain or with savory seasonings, to taste.

Fruitful Graham Pie Crust

Make this nearly fat-free crumb shell, from Sandra Woodruff’s “Secrets of Fat-Free Baking” (Avery, 1994), to complement your choice of fillings. Ready-to-eat flake cereal may be substituted for the graham crackers.

8 large (2-1/2- by 5-inch) fat-free or regular graham crackers

3 tablespoons fruit spread or jam

Break up crackers in food processor or blender. Process to fine crumbs (there should be 1-1/4 cups). Add fruit spread; process until moist and crumbly.

Spray a 9-inch pie pan with nonstick cooking spray. With the back of a spoon, press crumbs evenly on bottom and sides of pan, dipping spoon in sugar to prevent sticking. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until edges feel firm and dry. Cool to room temperature; fill as desired.

Yield: 1 (9-inch) crust (8 servings).

Nutrition information per serving, using fat-free graham crackers: 21 calories, 0.2 grams protein, 5 grams carbohydrates, 0.2 grams fat (9 percent fat calories), no cholesterol, 31 milligrams sodium.

Carrot Spice Cake

This cake, from “Healthy Homestyle Desserts” by Evelyn Tribole (Viking, 1997), is made lighter by using egg whites instead of whole eggs, replacing oil with a combination of buttermilk and applesauce, and using marshmallow cream in place of butter in the frosting.

Cake:

1 cup whole-wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3/4 teaspoon ground cloves

6 egg whites

1-1/3 cups sugar

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups shredded, peeled carrots

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 (8-ounce) tub light cream cheese

1 (7-1/2-ounce) jar marshmallow cream

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 13- by 9-inch baking pan with nonstick vegetable-oil spray.

In a large bowl, combine the whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.

In another large bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form; gradually add the sugar. Gradually add the buttermilk, applesauce and vanilla to the egg white mixture. Add the flour mixture. Fold in the carrots.

Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan. Bake 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool, in the pan, on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, make the frosting. In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, marshmallow cream, lemon juice and vanilla. Take care not to overmix or frosting can become runny. Frost cooled cake and serve.

Yield: 12 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 283 calories, 4 grams fat (12 percent fat calories), 2.2 grams saturated fat, 7 milligrams cholesterol, 301 milligrams sodium.

One-Bowl Chocolate Cake

Cocoa powder replaces baking chocolate in this recipe from “Secrets of Low-Fat Cooking” (Eating Well Books, 1997).

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose white flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch process

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 large egg, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup hot strong black coffee

Powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 9-inch round cake pan or coat it with nonstick cooking spray. Dust the pan with flour, tapping out the excess.

In a mixing bowl, whisk flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add buttermilk, brown sugar, egg, oil and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add hot coffee and beat to blend. (The batter will be quite thin.)

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 30-35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes; remove from pan and let cool completely. Dust top with powdered sugar before slicing.

Yield: 12 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 110 calories, 3 grams fat (25 percent fat calories), 0.5 gram saturated fat, 18 milligrams cholesterol, 205 milligrams sodium.