| CHICKEN FOR DIETERS: | | | | _Trick your palette by cooking with your own flavored |
| Are you concerned about the cholesterol in your diet? | | | | vinegars. Use a cup of whichever fresh herb you can |
| Are you watching calories and trying to cut down on | | | | find, such as tarragon or mint or dill, for two cups of |
| fat? Has your doctor suggested that you consume | | | | plain white vinegar and then add a garlic clove or twist |
| less salt? | | | | of lemon peel. Store in a screw top jar for several |
| Then read on. The wonderful thing about chicken is | | | | days and if you want it really strong, leave it for a |
| that the low cholesterol and the low calorie recipes are | | | | week. You might taste it along the way to see if it's |
| the same. And the flavors that add spark to a low | | | | too strong. Finally, strain it and pour into a sterilized |
| calories recipe are the same ones that can help you | | | | bottle and seal. |
| get along with little or no salt. | | | | _Season chicken with concentrated homemade |
| Chicken is the dieter's ray of sunshine. Except for | | | | chicken broth. Make chicken stock, boil it down until it's |
| turkey breast, noother popular meat is as low in | | | | concentrated, and then freeze it in ice cube trays. Use |
| calories as skinless chicken breast. A 3-ounce portion | | | | individual cubes to intensify the flavor of casseroles or |
| of skinless broiled chicken breast has only 115 calories. | | | | stir fry dishes. |
| An equivalent size portion of cooked lean trimmed | | | | After a couple of weeks of following a low salt diet, |
| beef would average 189 calories, and cooked lean, | | | | you'll find that your taste changes and that you'll |
| trimmed pork is 198 calories. | | | | actually be satisfied with far less salt. You'll even find |
| Chicken is also lowest in saturated fat compared with | | | | that the olives and potato chips and peanuts that once |
| non-poultry meats. | | | | tasted just right, now seem too salty. We've found |
| Grams of Saturated Fat | | | | that with salt, the less you eat, the less you feel you |
| Cooked 3-ounce portion skinless chicken breast: 0.4 | | | | need but be patient because this doesn't happen |
| Average cooked 3-ounce portion of chicken: 1.1 | | | | overnight. |
| Average cooked 3-ounce portion of lean, trimmed | | | | MEDITERRANEAN CHICKEN BREASTS Serves 4 |
| beef: 3.4 | | | | Fresh garlic, stored in a cool, dry place will last about |
| Average cooked 3-ounce portion of lean, trimmed | | | | as long as a fresh onion. If the cloves start to sprout, |
| pork: 3.8 | | | | you can still use them, but they won't be quite as |
| To avoid both fat and calories when cooking with | | | | flavorful. |
| chicken: | | | | 4 chicken breast halves |
| Choose breast meat. This is the leanest part of the | | | | 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oilground pepper to taste |
| bird and has less than half the fat of, for example, thigh | | | | 1/2 cup dry red wine |
| meat. | | | | 4 fresh or canned plum tomatoes, seeded and |
| _Remove the skin. Forty percent of the fat in poultry | | | | coarsely chopped |
| is attached to the skin and therefore can be easily | | | | 2 garlic cloves, minced |
| removed. This is in contrast with other meats, where | | | | 1/2 teaspoon dried basil |
| the fat is dispersed throughout the meat and not so | | | | 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram |
| easily removed. One point, though. If you're broiling or | | | | 1/2 cup pitted black olives, cut in half |
| baking or grilling chicken, leave the skin on until you're | | | | 1/4 cup minced, fresh parsley |
| finished cooking; otherwise the meat will lose too much | | | | Remove skin from chicken breasts. In a large skillet, |
| moisture and become tough. The meat cooked with | | | | over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add chicken |
| the skin retained its moisture and was startlingly more | | | | breasts and cook for 5 minutes until golden, turning |
| tender than the meat cooked without the skin. | | | | once. Add more oil if necessary. Stir in wine, tomatoes, |
| _Roast, broil, poach, or grill chicken instead of frying it. | | | | garlic, basil and marjoram; bring to a boil. Reduce heat |
| _Substitute low fat dairy products in recipes. Use | | | | to low; cover and simmer 20 to 25 minutes or until |
| yoghurt or light sour cream instead of sour cream, and | | | | chicken is almost cooked through. Uncover; increase |
| non-fat milk instead of regular milk. To be honest, the | | | | heat to medium-high and cook 5 minutes longer or until |
| taste isn't as rich, but if you're watching calories and | | | | liquid is reduced by one-third. Stir in olives and parsley; |
| cholesterol, these substitutions make a substantial | | | | heat through. |
| difference. For example, plain low fat yoghurt is 122 | | | | Nutrition Figures per Serving |
| calories per cup and light sour cream about 360 | | | | Calories 480. Protein 48 grams. Fat 30 grams. |
| calories, while the same amount of regular sour cream | | | | Carbohydrate 4 grams. Sodium 276 mg. Cholesterol |
| is 440 to 454 calories. Non-fat milk is 80 to 90 calories | | | | 145 mg. |
| per 8-ounce glass, while whole milk is 150 to 160 | | | | POACHED CHICKEN IN CREAMY LEMON SAUCE |
| calories. | | | | Serves 4 |
| _Replace oil or fat in marinades with fresh lemon or | | | | 4 boneless, skinless, chicken breast halves |
| lime juice, or with wine or vinegar. | | | | 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper |
| _Broil with wine instead of butter. | | | | 1/2 cup chicken broth |
| _Take advantage of non-caloric pan sprays. | | | | 1/4 cup white wine |
| _If you're really counting every single calorie, you may | | | | 2 tablespoons lemon juice |
| want to choose Cornish hens rather than the older | | | | 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel |
| broilers and roasters. Cornish hens and broilers are | | | | 1 cup lowfat milk |
| young birds and they bear the same relationship to the | | | | 1-1/2 tablespoons cornstarch |
| older roasters that veal does to beef: the younger the | | | | 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard |
| animal, the lower the fat content. For comparison, the | | | | 2 tablespoons minced, fresh parsley, optional |
| white meat of a Cornish is 35 calories per ounce of | | | | Season chicken with pepper. In a large, deep skillet |
| cooked meat; the white meat of a broiler is 45 calories | | | | over medium-high heat, combine broth, wine, lemon |
| per cooked ounce. | | | | juice and lemon peel; bring to a boil. Add chicken; |
| For low salt diets: | | | | reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer 12 to |
| _Avoid prepared sauces such as barbecue sauce or | | | | 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Transfer |
| ketchup: usually they are high in salt. | | | | chicken to a warm serving plate and keep warm. |
| _Season chicken with foods that are naturally high in | | | | In a small bowl, blend milk, cornstarch and mustard until |
| potassium, such as tomatoes, citrus, raisins or bananas. | | | | smooth; stir into simmering liquid in skillet. Increase heat |
| When you eat foods high in potassium, you don't miss | | | | to medium; cook until mixture boils and thickens, stirring |
| the sodium so much. Tomato paste, by the way, is | | | | constantly. Return chicken to skillet; coat well with |
| very high in potassium, and does not have as much | | | | sauce. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired. |
| added salt as most prepared or canned foods. | | | | Nutrition Figures per Serving |
| _Season foods with garlic, onion, wine and a variety of | | | | Calories 205. Protein 34 grams. Fat 4 grams. |
| herbs and spices. Again, you'll miss the sodium less. | | | | Carbohydrate 7 grams. Sodium 201 Cholesterol 84 mg. |