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