When you're both planning on cutting calories, low-calorie cooking for two is always easier than going it alone. Vegetarian cooking seems to be the easiest way to keep to a low-calorie diet or low-fat diet without denying yourself too much.
If you're worried about losing protein when you cut out meat, remember that meat is not the only type of protein available. Look to low-fat dairy products, tofu and beans instead. The following recipe provides its protein in the form of low-fat cheese.
Bruschetta for Two
Ingredients You Will Need:
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup onion, thinly sliced and chopped
½ cup chopped tomato, seeded
2 tablespoons capers
4 slices French bread
½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, reduced-fat
Mince the garlic, put it into a cup with the olive oil and set aside.
Prepare a large skillet by spraying it with non-stick vegetable spray. Heat the pan over medium heat. Add the onion. Stirring constantly, sauté for about four minutes or until it becomes transparent. Pour in the chopped tomatoes and capers. Add pepper to taste, plus a dash of sea salt.
Preheat the oven to broil. Brush the bread slices with the oil and garlic mixture, and place them into the oven on a cookie sheet that has been covered with foil. Broil the bread about two minutes or just long enough to heat through. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven, and add the onion mixture to each slice of bread. Sprinkle a little cheese on the top of each, and pop the pan back into the oven for about two more minutes or until the cheese melts.
As an appetizer, this is a real treat. But be careful what you add to the remainder of your day. During the holidays, and while at parties, this is a good choice. If you know the cheese is low-fat, you know you can have one appetizer, still be sociable and not really stray from your diet.
This recipe makes four servings, and each serving has only 90 calories and a mere two grams of fat.
 | A low-fat diet is the way to go. Not only will you lose weight on this diet, but you'll be able to reinforce good eating habits that can last you a lifetime. Meats can be eaten on a low-fat diet, but keep portion control in mind and buy only lean meats. Keep in mind also that foods low in fat may be high in calories. Watch what you buy, read labels, and keep a food diary, and your low-fat diet plan should go as smooth as low-fat chocolate silk pie. |
 | If you and your spouse find it challenging to do low-fat cooking for two, start by considering the foods you love. Don't deny yourself too much, or you will stray. Whenever possible, incorporate your favorite foods into your low-fat diet. |
When birthdays, holidays and special events arrive, you can watch fat, salt, cholesterol and calories and still offer healthy dessert recipes that everyone will love. |
Dieters and people who have health concerns, such as heart, and high cholesterol. are usually advised to skip the fat in their diets. The American Heart Association is now making recommendation to include healthy fat in the diet. |
Avoid fat! Avoid carbohydrates! Avoid everything that's not a grapefruit! As people ask for a quick, easy way to lose weight, one fad diet after another emerges to answer their request. But although some of these fad diets do work for some people, many of them fail to provide long lasting, healthy weight loss. |
