Here are some basic low-calorie, low-fat recipes that are quick and easy to make and will enhance the flavours of your meals, making them even more delicious.
This quantity of white sauce is enough to use in a lasagne or vegetable gratin to feed six people, which works out at 43 calories and a trace of fat per serving. This is a fraction of the calories and fat grams in a regular white sauce made with flour, butter and full-fat (whole) milk.
2 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
300ml/½ pint/1¼ cups skimmed (lowfat) milk
100g/3½ oz/scant ½ cup virtually fat-free fromage frais
½ tsp Dijon mustard (optional)
pinch of grated nutmeg
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Blend the cornflour with a little of the milk. Heat the remaining milk in a small non-stick saucepan and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat and stir in the cornflour mixture with a wooden spoon. Cook over a low heat for 1–2 minutes, stirring all the time, until the sauce thickens and is smooth.
Remove the pan from the heat and beat in the fromage frais, mustard (if using) and nutmeg with a wooden spoon. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Makes 300ml/½ pint/1¼ cups
Prep and cook: 10 minutes
Per serving
260 kcals
Fat:1g
Fibre: trace
Low GI
This dressing is good for drizzling over sweet cherry tomatoes or some crisp iceberg lettuce and cucumber. Alternatively, use with salad and grilled lamb or chicken in a pitta or wrap. If you use 0% fat Greek yogurt, the calories will be the same but the dressing will be thicker and will be fat-free.
150ml/¼ pint/⅔ cup very low-fat plain yogurt
few fresh mint sprigs, chopped
few fresh coriander (cilantro) sprigs, chopped
good squeeze of lemon juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Mix the yogurt, chopped herbs and lemon juice together in a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Makes 150ml/¼ pint/⅔ cup
Prep: 5 minutes
Per serving
80 kcals
Fat: 1.5g
Fibre: trace
Low GI
Use this aromatic dressing to toss a Thai or Vietnamese beef or chicken salad while it’s still warm.
juice of 1 lime
1 tsp dark soy sauce
3 tbsp nam pla (Thai fish sauce)
pinch of golden (unrefined) caster (superfine) sugar
1 garlic clove
1 red chilli, deseeded and diced
Mix all the dressing ingredients together in a bowl, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
Makes about 75ml/2½fl oz/⅓ cup
Prep: 5 minutes
Per serving
90 kcals
Fat: trace
Fibre: trace
Low GI
Variation
Add a little grated fresh ginger without affecting the calorie and fat content.
Salsa is a great way to flavour Mexican fajitas and quesadillas or as a garnish for a spicy bean soup. You can also serve it as a low-calorie relish with grilled chicken, meat, prawns (shrimp) or roasted vegetables.
3 medium juicy tomatoes, peeled, deseeded and chopped
½ red onion, finely chopped
1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
few fresh coriander (cilantro) sprigs, chopped
juice of 1 lime
freshly ground black pepper
In a bowl, mix together the tomatoes, onion, chilli, coriander and lime juice. Season with pepper. This salsa will keep for a couple of days in a covered container in the refrigerator.
Makes about 150g/5½oz
Prep: 10 minutes
Per serving
75 kcals
Fat: 1g
Fibre: 4.7g
Low GI
Variations
Add crushed roasted garlic cloves or a small red or yellow (bell) pepper, which has been deseeded and diced. This will add 30 kcals, 0.3g fat and 1.6g fibre.
Use this as a dip for raw vegetable sticks and cherry tomatoes, or serve as a sauce with grilled chicken, vegetables or fish. This makes enough to serve four people (25 calories and 0.5g fat per serving).
150g/5½oz/⅔ cup virtually fat-free natural fromage frais
1 tbsp reduced-fat green pesto
salt and freshly ground black pepper
few fresh chives, snipped
In a bowl, mix together the fromage frais and pesto until well blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper and sprinkle with snipped chives.
Makes 150g/5½oz
Prep: 5 minutes
Per serving
98 kcals
Fat: 2g
Fibre: trace
Low GI
This is enough salsa for six servings. The natural sweetness of the mango and papaya complement the fiery chilli.
100g/3½oz mango, diced
100g/3½oz papaya, diced
½ red onion, finely chopped
1 small red (bell) pepper, deseeded and diced
1 hot red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
juice of 1 lime
salt and freshly ground black pepper
few fresh coriander (cilantro) sprigs, chopped
Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Cover and chill in the refrigerator until required. This will keep for a couple of days.
Makes about 300g/10½oz
Prep: 15 minutes
Per serving
150 kcals
Fat: 1g
Fibre: 5g
Low GI
Variation
Add 50g/1¾oz quartered baby plum tomatoes. This adds 9 kcals, 0.1g fat and 0.5g fibre to the salsa.
This is enough tzatziki to feed six people as a dip or a sauce to serve with grilled fish, chicken, lamb or vegetables. Alternatively, use to top a salad or add to pitta bread fillings.
300g/10½oz/1¼ cups 0% fat Greek yogurt
½ cucumber, peeled and diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
squeeze of lemon juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper
small bunch of fresh mint, chopped
Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl, then cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to bring out the flavours.
Makes about 400g/14oz
Prep: 10 minutes
Per serving
170 kcals
Fat: 0.2g
Fibre: 1g
Low GI