# Simple Tips For Low Calorie Foods



## Wisconsin Ann (Feb 27, 2007)

Thought I'd start a thread here about how to make those low calorie, generally low taste level, foods more attractive 

My first, most tasty tip is *Parmesan cheese*. Just a couple of dashes (a whopping 10 calories worth) in bowl of broth or even a thick veggie soup is FANTASTIC! Even up to a tbls won't make you go nuts on fat and calories. Or shake over the broccoli on your plate. Or cauliflower. Parmesan on non-buttered popcorn is great, too! Just a couple of shakes over the bowl and you're in for a treat 

Make *veggie soup* without adding milk. Just throw cauliflower, broccoli, squash or whatever into the crockpot. Add almost equal amount of onions(chopped) and pepper. An amount of water that will let it cook and go on high for a few hours. WOWZERS. Talk about filling and tasty!

*Cottage cheese*...adding a dash of *cinnamon *and a dash of equal or similar will give you an excellent dessert (okay..NOT as tasty as a big dish of icecream with chocolate sauce, or a chunk of cheesecake, but....)

speaking of sweeteners. Did you know that a tsp of *sugar* is only 14 calories? It will build up over the day if you add sugar to your coffee or something, but a tsp of sugar on your cereal in the morning won't break the bank. 

*Ground turkey*: cut the calories of ground beef by almost 1/2 by using 1/2 ground turkey in place of the beef. You won't even notice it. (my beef loving SO never sees a difference when I do this). 

If you're okay with using soy...*textured soy protein* is a great way to add a meat texture and flavor to dishes like hamburger helper, or spaghetti, or...?


Anyone else with tips and suggestions? So many things will make your lite/bland meal more attractive.


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## Wisconsin Ann (Feb 27, 2007)

gee...completely forgot one I use a lot...combining tastes. Use cinnamon in your meat dish  Or add fruit to it! Combining flavors gives the brain something to er, chew on...and you end up feeling more fulfilled. (and filled up).


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## Nomad (Dec 19, 2002)

Wisconsin Ann said:


> Make *veggie soup* without adding milk. Just throw cauliflower, broccoli, squash or whatever into the crockpot. Add almost equal amount of onions(chopped) and pepper. An amount of water that will let it cook and go on high for a few hours. WOWZERS. Talk about filling and tasty!


It doesn't seem like it would have a lot of flavor. I don't like squash, so I wonder if there is something else I could substitute? I would probably put some hot sauce in to liven it up a little. Or is the pepper you mention a hot pepper?

I already told the wife to start using ground turkey in place of ground beef. That will save us money, fat and calories.

Nomad


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## Wisconsin Ann (Feb 27, 2007)

It actually has a lot of flavor. The onions are great for adding flavor to almost anything. You can also add in any veg you like..hot peppers would make it REALLY snappy  

I have a friend who makes a cauliflower/garlic soup. mashed cooked cauliflower cooked with a LOT of garlic bulbs. She roasts the garlic first, then mashes it up with the cauliflower. Add some salt and wheeeeeEEEEe. 

The other thing to do for flavor is using something Like Lipton's Onion Soup or making a stock/broth out of rabbit/chicken/beef/venison bones. Some folks have to watch the salt intake, so the Lipton's is out...HOWEVER, if you use 2x the water that a soup mix calls for, and then fill it up with broccoli, green beans, etc. ....and onions  that's a great soup. Just stay away from adding pasta or potatoes. Unfortunately, those add a lot of calories 

The squash or pumpkin soup (just pumpkin and onions with some water) I include because it's extremely filling. If you add hot peppers...hmm...i NEED to try that! The other thing to try is a dash of cinnamon or cloves when you have a bowl...sometimes that little kick of odd flavor is extremely satisfying.


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## DWH Farm (Sep 1, 2010)

The soup kind of sounds like what they serve at Thai restuarants..Very basic, looks like diced veggies in a very watery broth but the taste is wonderful..


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