Recipes! It's Low-fat month in the kitchen Don't let that depress you. We don't believe in no-fataround here because we've seen too many friends go on no-fat Pritikin diets and then act as if they're senile--really, their brains just don't function correctly. We wouldn't do that to you. But here are some ways to trim the fat and still eat well. Because if you don't eat well then just forget it--for-get-it, what's the point? Those evil dietitians tell you that you can't eat movie popcorn, Chinese food, Mexican food, Italian food--not even sandwiches! What's left? Broccoli appears to have no deadly qualities--except that a recent study has shown that more people choke to death on vegetables than anything else! Non-fat Brownies: Don't believe this is possible? Well, think again, kemosabe. It's not only possible, it's easy--and delicious! 100% healthy? Well,... let's just say it will make you feel better and leave it at that, shall we? One box chocolate brownie mix (I prefer Better Crocker; of course, I've always thought she was a babe). One 6 oz. cup of plain non-fat yogurt. Dump the contents of the box into a bowl and use the yogurt in place of the oil and eggs listed on the box. Bake as directed on package. Brownies tend to be 'fudgy." If you prefer 'cakey," just bake longer. Sour Cream Substitute If you like sour cream for dips or toppings but don't like the high-fat content, try this: One 8 oz. container of cottage cheese (hey--let's not hear any moaning about cottage cheese, you won't even know what it is when you're done with it) Dump the entire thing into a blender, or better yet, whip it with an immersion blender (like those from Braun or Bamix). Whip it, Whip it good. Add a small amount of milk or plain non-fat yogurt until it's smooth and reaches the proper consistency. This isn't as repulsive as it sounds--actually, it's not repulsive at all, and with the addition of some fresh herbs and spices or a little dip mix, you can hardly tell the difference. Maria Russo, opera singer extraordinaire sent me the following sour cream substitute which she says is far better: Dump 1% Yogurt into a sieve lined with paper towels. Put a bowl under this and keep in in the refrig over night. Dump out the water in the bowl. Use the ex-yogurt. Bingo, there you have it. Who knew?

Copyright © 2000 Daniel Will-Harris, www.will-harris.com