| We've always been known for our love of food, but | | | | desserts-avoid those rice cakes and creamy salads |
| for most people, that hearty appetite comes at a price. | | | | they serve at parties. Instead, use fresh fruits to make |
| With our increasingly hectic lifestyles, there's hardly any | | | | your own Filipino desserts recipes. For a little variety, |
| time to exercise or get fit. Add to that the fact that | | | | try some of our native fruits such as lanzones, durian |
| Filipino cuisine tends to be high in fat and calories. Yes, | | | | and langka. Mix your favorite fruits together and you've |
| it's great food, but you have to admit it's not exactly | | | | got a nice low-fat salad, perfect for those cravings in |
| healthy. | | | | between meals. |
| But before ditching that adobo or taking out those | | | | Remember to get your fruits and vegetables fresh. It's |
| South Beach cookbooks, here's some good news: | | | | very tempting to get canned or pre-packed food, but |
| there is such a thing as low-fat Filipino food. In fact, you | | | | those tend to be high in calories and packed with |
| can make any dish diet-friendly with just a few simple | | | | preservatives, not to mention overpriced. Get your |
| tweaks-without giving up any of the flavor. If all that | | | | fruits and vegetables whole and slice them up yourself. |
| eating is taking a toll on your waist, start eating | | | | That way, you can control your serving portions and |
| healthier with these tips and | | | | cut them any way you like. This is great if you like to |
| 1. Make substitutions | | | | make quick salads and sandwiches. |
| One of the secrets to low-fat cooking is replacing | | | | 3. Grill what you can fry |
| common ingredients with low-fat alternatives. Start | | | | Most Filipino recipes involve deep frying, sautéing, |
| with your oil: most people use regular cooking oil, which | | | | or other methods that involve cooking in fat. Most of |
| is made from animal fat and very high in cholesterol. | | | | the time, you can do without the frying and use |
| Use vegetable-based oils such as corn, canola, | | | | healthier cooking methods. Try grilling pork chops or |
| sunflower, or if you can afford it, olive oil. When making | | | | chicken instead of frying. It helps preserve the flavor |
| salads, replace mayonnaise with mustard or vinaigrette, | | | | and gives a rich, smoky aroma. It also sheds some of |
| and use fresh instead of canned ingredients. | | | | the fat off the meat, whereas frying seals it in and |
| A common problem with substitution is that they don't | | | | makes it even fattier. |
| always work. You can't expect them to taste the | | | | Explore other cooking methods as well. Steaming, |
| same as the original, but they don't have to taste bad. | | | | broiling, and poaching are all excellent methods for |
| It takes some practice and experience to know which | | | | low-fat cooking. Their main advantage is that you can |
| ingredients will work together and which ones will not. | | | | cook your food more evenly, a common challenge in |
| Feel free to experiment-you'll learn from your mistakes | | | | frying. If you're new to the kitchen and don't know how |
| and get the hang of it in no time. | | | | to experiment, just look for Filipino cooking recipes that |
| Fish is a favorite replacement for meat dishes. Try this | | | | you can prepare without the oil. |
| low-fat recipe in place of steak and meat chops. | | | | 4. Watch your portions |
| Grilled Tuna Steak | | | | The reason some diets fail is that the serving portions |
| Ingredients: | | | | are bigger than recommended. People tend to overeat |
| 4-6 fresh tuna steaks | | | | when they know their food is low-fat. Don't follow the |
| 1 bottle of Italian dressing | | | | recommended portions of Filipino food recipes. If the |
| ¾ tsp saltpepper to taste | | | | recipe says it serves 6 people, it often means tiny |
| Arrange the tuna in a large baking dish. Coat each | | | | servings that don't even feed half a person. Read the |
| steak with the Italian dressing and cover the pan. | | | | nutritional information on your food labels; their serving |
| Marinate refrigerated for a few hours or overnight. Grill | | | | sizes are usually more accurate. you don't have to |
| or broil the steaks until done (when the flesh flakes off | | | | count each calorie every time you cook, but you |
| easily). Season with salt and pepper before serving. | | | | should have a general idea of each ingredient's |
| 2. Always go fresh | | | | nutritional value. If the dish already has meat or |
| You don't have to give up dessert altogether if you're | | | | something heavy, balance it out with lighter ingredients |
| watching your weight. Just choose the right | | | | such as leafy greens. |