You can enjoy backyard barbecue while watching your weight, with just a few simple tweaks.

If steaks are your choice for grilling, you can cut calories by just picking steaks, which say round on the label, or leaner cuts such as top sirloin.

Marinating can turn these cuts, into tasty mouthwatering hits, for your family and guests. There are 200 calories and 9 grams of fat, per four ounce serving of these cuts of beef, compared to almost twice that many calories, with other choices.

Always serve homemade or lean readymade burgers, your average burger will contain 300 calories and 20 grams of fat. When substituting extra lean ground beef, ground chicken or turkey, you will cut the calories by a third.

We have been told the fat found in meat is where the flavor comes from, just by adding fresh herbs, garlic and minced onions, the flavor will be mouthwatering delicious.

Make the old standard potato salad, taste completely different by adding bright colored vegetables, such as red and green peppers, tomatoes, carrots and green onions. Make a low calorie choice when using a dressing, use fat free mayo, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard and red onions.

Choose low calorie side dishes as well, such as veggie toppers, ripe tomatoes, grilled vegetables, hot peppers and Spanish onions an instead of plain old lettuce, serve arugula instead.

For dessert try serving fresh fruit or melons when in season, topped with a tasty Greek yogurt, adults and children alike, will praise your choice.

When serving drinks, offer your guest unsweetened tea or homemade lemon aid made, using a sugar substitute, you will find yourself using these hints throughout the summer. Not only well you enjoy your meals, you will also lose weight at the same time.

If you have any backyard barbecue tips, for a perfect BBQ, please share them with our readers.

Now that we are all getting our grills out of storage, the searching for delicious new recipes starts. I found this wonderful low calorie garden fresh pasta salad, in the EatingWell Magazine, recipe section and wanted to share it with everyone.

The fresh salad is not only pleasing to the taste, but to the sight as well, when you take this taste tempting salad to a friends backyard barbecue, will not only please your host, but their guest’s as well.

When trying to think of some alternatives for your lunch, try taking high fiber, salads they are a great way to keep your daily calorie intake low and they are delicious as well.     

The lightly dressed pasta salad gets lots of flavor from kalamata olives and basil. A colorful mix of diced bell pepper, shredded carrot and tomatoes adds vitamins and minerals. Serve on a crisp bed of greens. Toss in canned chunk light tuna, cooked chicken or flavored baked tofu to add protein and make it more substantial.

Garden Pasta Salad

6 servings, 1 cup each

Active Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole-wheat rotini, (6 ounces)
• 1/3 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup low-fat plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar, or lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup diced yellow or red bell pepper, (1 small)
• 1 cup grated carrots, (2-4 carrots)
• 1/2 cup chopped scallions, (4 scallions)
• 1/2 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
• 1/3 cup slivered fresh basil

Preparation

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes, or according to package directions. Drain and refresh under cold running water.
2. Whisk mayonnaise, yogurt, oil, vinegar (or lemon juice), garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl until smooth. Add the pasta and toss to coat. Add tomatoes, bell pepper, carrots, scallions, olives and basil; toss to coat well.

Tips & Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.

Nutrition

Per serving: 205 calories; 9 g fat ( 2 g sat , 5 g mono ); 1 mg cholesterol; 29 g carbohydrates; 6 g protein; 4 g fiber; 291 mg sodium; 269 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (97% daily value), Vitamin A (70% dv), Fiber (17% dv).

Carbohydrate Servings: 2

Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 2 fat (mono)

This delicious recipe can be found in: EatingWell Magazine.

Everyone loves apples, especially apple cobbler, this low calorie treat may be served to everyone at your dinner parties, or just as a cozy treat by the fire.

Apple Cobbler

1 1/2 pounds tart apples

2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Refrigerated butter spray

1 pie crust

1 Tablespoon sugar

Makes 10 servings:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F (180° C). Peel and core the apples. Slice thin lengthwise, sprinkle with lemon juice and cinnamon.

2. Roll out dough pie dough into a large circle about 14 inches. Place into an 8 inch round oven proof baking dish that is at least 2 inch deep, allowing excess pastry to drape over the edge. Place the apples in the prepared dish, mounding slightly in the middle, bring the pastry up and over the fruit, the crust will not cover all of the apples. Sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for 45 minutes or until the crust is brown and the filling bubbling.

Per Serving: 

126 calories (34 % calories from fat), 1 g protein, 5 g total fat (0.8 g saturated fat), 20 g carbohydrates, 2 g dietary fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 54 mg sodium.

Diabetic Exchanges:

1.5 carbohydrates (1 bread/starch, 0.5 fruit), 1 fat

Diabetic pie crust:

3/4 c. white flour
3/4 c. soy flour
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 c. unsaturated butter
2 egg whites

Using fork, blend butter, salt and flour until crumbles about size of peas. Add egg whites and hand mold mixture into halves. Roll out on lightly floured board to fit pie pan. Bake at 450 degrees until lightly browned for prebaked crust.

This Chocolate Zucchini Cake is so moist, there will be no need to frost it and your diabetic friends can enjoy it along with everyone else.

Not only will the cake be the hit of your party when serving it, wait until you tell everyone there are only 171 calories per serving, you will be passing out recipes.

This is a dessert which can be made ahead of time and placed in the freezer; you may want to pack it in lunches as a treat. By avoiding the vending machines you will cut the amount of high calorie, high fat treats in your daily diet, which will add unwanted weight.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C), Gas Mark 4. Lightly coat two 8X8-inch (20X20-cm) metal baking pans with cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, SugarTwin, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, cream of tartar, and salt.
3. In a large bowl, beat together the melted margarine, egg substitute, sour cream, milk, and vanilla. Gradually stir in the sifted dry ingredients. Mix until smooth. Stir in zucchini and gently fold in beaten egg whites.
4. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Completely cool in pan on a wire rack. Wrap and freeze one cake; refrigerate second cake for up to 3 days.

Please share you favorite low fat, low calorie recipes with us.

Even when we are trying to lose weight on a low calorie daily diet, we can still enjoy some of life’s pleasures such as low calorie low fat, chocolate brownies.

When trying to depriving yourself of all the treats, your cravings will lead to overindulging at some point and this leads to weight gain.

When counting calories allow yourself a treat once in a while, have a cup of tea and a 82 calorie brownie, in the evening as a way of relaxing.

You can also pack these low calorie, low fat brownies in the entire family’s lunch, without feeling guilty.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup non-fat dry milk powder
• 1 egg white, slightly beaten
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp powdered sugar

Preparation:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees:

Lightly coat an 8 x 8 x 2-inch pan with cooking spray; set aside.

In large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon; set aside.

In medium bowl, beat the sugar, brown sugar, non-fat dry milk powder, egg white, applesauce and vanilla with a spoon until well combined. Stir wet mixture into dry mixture, mixing just until moistened.

Spread evenly in prepared pan. Bake 22 to 23 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. If Dust with powdered sugar.

Makes 16 fat-free and low-calorie brownies:

Nutritional Information:
82 calories; 2 g protein; 19 g carbohydrates; 0 g fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 1 g fiber; 11 mcg foliate; 1 mg iron; 121 mg sodium.

If you have a tasty low calorie recipe, which you enjoy please share it with our readers.