Restaurant Vegetarian Starter Kit

Cutting the Fat

• Instead of sautéing vegetables in oil, heat approximately 1/2 cup of water, vegetables stock, wine, or other liquid in a large pan or skillet. Add the ingredients to be sautéed and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally under tender (about five minutes for onions and most other vegetables). Add more liquid if needed.

• The braise-deglaze technique allows you to carmelize onions, bringing out all their natural flavor and sweetness, without adding fat. This is especially useful for soups and sauces. Heat a small amount of water in a skillet and add the onions. Cook over high heat until the water has evaporated and browned bits began sticking to the pan. Add another cup of water, stirring to loosen any particles, then continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the water has again evaporated. Repeat this process until the onions are nicely browned (about 30 minutes).

• Grill or oven-roast for a delicious, low-fat alternative to deep-fried foods.

• When oil is absolutely necessary to prevent sticking, apply a light coating of nonstick vegetable oil spray.

• For cream soups, thicken soups with a potato instead. For soups that will be puréed, simply cook and purée the potato with the other soup ingredients. For other soups, cook a peeled and diced potato in enough water to cover it. When the potato is fork-tender, purée it in its cooking water in a blender and add it to the soup. You can also make bean or pea soups creamy by puréeing half of the soup and mixing the purée back into the rest of the soup.

• Add onions and garlic to soups and stews at the beginning of the cooking time to allow their flavors to mellow.

• For sauces and gravies usually prepared with fat, flour, and liquid, eliminate the fat by toasting the flour in a dry pan until lightly browned. Whisk in the liquid to remove lumps, then cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until thickened.

• Replace oil in salad dressing recipes with rice vinegar or any mild-flavored vinegar, ean cooking liquid, or water. Use puréed soft tofu for a creamy base. If desired, use cornstarch to thicken the dressing.

• For baked goods, mashed banana, applesauce, cooked pumpkin, or prune purée can often replace all or part of the butter, vegetable oil, or shortening with no change in taste or texture. Experiment with your recipes, adding a bit less fat each time and evaluating the results. When you cut the fat, you may need to add extra liquid to achieve the desired consistency. Replacing eggs with cholesterol-free, egg-free substitutes also cuts the fat significantly.

• Prepare pies with a single crust to reduce fat and calories. Crumb crusts may be prepared with less fat than traditional pastry crusts.

<< Starter Kit Home | Meat Substitutes >>