LOW FAT – NO FAT

This area of the LivingMS recipe section
is devoted to low fat and no-fat recipes.
EVERYONE, not just people with multiple sclerosis,
should follow a low fat plan. It is good for the heart
and helps to maintain an ideal body weight,
thus reducing strain on our already overtaxed muscles
and central nervous system.
Be smart...for yourself and those who love you.

(listed alphabetically by recipe title)

Banana Pudding
low fat and almost sugar free
from the kitchen of Mary Camp, a/k/a MaciA

1 large package instant sugar-free pudding
2½ cups skim milk
1 cup low-fat Cool Whip 
¾ cup no-fat sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 - 4 bananas, sliced
Low-fat vanilla wafers

Mix first five ingredients, until smooth and fluffy. 
Stir in bananas. Immediately pour into a bowl.
Insert vanilla wafers around the edge, standing them on end, with top half exposed – out of pudding. 
A few cherries may be placed on top of the pudding,
for decoration.

Rice Krispie Chicken
from the kitchen of Joy

Quick and Easy one-pan recipe
(altered to be lower in fat)

Servings: 4

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cups rice krispies cereal, crushed
fat-free Italian dressing
2 to 3 tablespoons fat-free grated Parmesan cheese

Marinate chicken in salad dressing, at least two hours.
Mix crushed rice krispies
and grated parmesan cheese together.
Coat marinated chicken with mixture.

Place in uncovered casserole dish, coated with non-fat cooking spray. Bake at 350ºF for one hour.

Spaghetti Casserole
from the kitchen of Joy

Quick and easy
(altered to be lower in fat)

1 ½ pounds of ground turkey, browned
1 jar low-fat, chunky spaghetti sauce
2 cups shredded, fat-free mozzarella cheese
or fat-free cheese of your preference
1 box of spaghetti noodles

Cook noodles according to package directions.
Mix together browned meat, jar of sauce and
1 cup of the shredded cheese.
Pour into large casserole dish.
Top with the remaining shredded cheese.
Bake in 350ºF oven for 30 minutes.

Editor's Note: This could be a one-dish meal, if the meat were browned, on the stove top, in a large, oven safe pan and drained. Then, the noodles cooked in the same pan. And finally, the ingredients mixed and baked in the pan.




Sausage Lasagna
from the kitchen of Joy
Quick and Easy 
(altered to be lower in fat)

1 Butterball turkey polish sausage, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 8 oz. box of lasagna noodles
1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
1 8 oz. package of fat-free, shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook noodles, according to package directions. Spray bottom and sides of oblong baking dish with non-fat cooking spray. Layer ingredients in this order: sausage, noodles, sauce, cheese. Repeat layers, until ingredients are used up, remembering that shredded cheese should be the very top layer. Bake in 350ºF for 30 minutes.





Beef Lentil Soup
from the kitchen of Gloria aka Glo

Recipe can be doubled for another meal.
Freezes and reheats well.
This can be a one-pan meal
if ground beef is browned in the same pan
in which you plan to cook the soup.

1 pound lean ground beef, browned and drained of fat
1 quart water
1 cup dried lentils, rinsed
2 cups cabbage, chopped
1 cup carrots, sliced
1 cup celery, sliced
1 cup onion, chopped 
¼ cup green pepper, diced 
½ teaspoon black pepper 
½ teaspoon thyme
2 bay leaves
2 beef bouillon cubes
1 teaspoon salt
1 package frozen chopped spinach

After the ground beef has been browned and drained of fat, add water, lentils, cabbage, carrots, celery, onion, green pepper, black pepper, thyme, bay leaves, bouillon and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 1 to 1½ hours.
Add spinach and heat through.




Gloria's Molasses Cookies
from the kitchen of Gloria, aka Glo

These cookies "crack"
just like they are meant to and taste wonderful
Using canola oil and egg whites
keeps the fat and cholesterol content low.
To cut the fat even more,
modify as instructed below.

Yield: 38 cookies 

¾ cup canola oil
1 cup sugar 
¼ cup molasses
2 egg WHITES
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon 
½ teaspoon cloves 
½ teaspoon ginger 
¼ teaspoon salt
Granulated sugar

Cream oil and sugar, by blending together with a fork. Add molasses and egg whites and beat well. Mix together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and salt. Add to molasses/egg white mixture. Mix well.
(Chill for an hour or two, so dough is easier to work with.)

Form into one-inch balls (about the size of a walnut). Roll each ball in sugar and place on ungreased cookie sheet, about two inches apart.
DO NOT PUSH BALLS DOWN TO FLATTEN
as they will flatten and crack nicely in the oven.

***MODIFICATION: To cut the fat even more, alter the recipe by using ½ cup of canola oil and ¼ cup of applesauce. You must then use 3 cups of flour, instead of two cups.
These cookies will rise higher and don't crack quite as nicely, but the taste is still very good. ***

Bake in 350ºF oven for 10 to 12 minutes




Sea Legs Casserole
from the kitchen of Gloria aka Glo

Quick and easy– one-pan recipe

1 8 oz. package of imitation crabmeat
1 package frozen, chopped broccoli (or fresh, if you prefer) 
½ small onion, chopped
1 4 oz. can mushrooms
(or an 8 oz. can, if you like lots of mushrooms)
3 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded
1 can of 97% fat-free cream of mushroom soup
Salt
Pepper

Spray a casserole dish with non-fat cooking spray. Put brocolli, chopped onion and mushrooms in the casserole dish. Slice (or tear) imitation crabmeat into bite-sized pieces and place on top of vegetables. Spread mushroom soup, UNDILUTED, over the crabmeat. Sprinkle cheese evenly over top and season with salt and pepper, to your taste.

Bake, uncovered, in 350ºF oven for 45 minutes to one hour.

Serve with a salad.