• Choose appetizers that help you get your "5 A Day" fruits and vegetables from a fresh vegetable platter or fruit kabobs.
• Substitute low-fat or non-fat sour cream or yogurt for your dips

• Make cream soups using nonfat evaporated milk rather than cream.
• Chill soups, stews and chili and then skim solid fat off top and discard.

• Salads are a great way to add fruits and vegetables into your menu. Choose low-fat salad dressings and mayonnaise.
• Add pear, orange segments or dried fruit.

• Choose plain over self-basting. Baste with low sodium broth or fruit juice, or place foil tent over as it cooks to avoid drying out.
• Roast on rack to allow fat to drip into pan.
• Remove any skin before cooking or before eating.

• Use fat separator or zip-lock bag to obtain pan juices but eliminate fat layer (clip small whole in bottom of bag and allow only juices to flow-out discard fat layer and bag).
• Freeze pan drippings so you can remove hardened fat.

• For mashed potatoes, use skim milk, garlic powders a little parmesan cheese, and just a small amount of low-calorie margarine.
• For stuffing, use whole grain bread or wild or brown rice.

• Try baked apples, fresh fruits or fruit tarts.
• Try decreasing sugar in recipes by ¼ to 1/3; increase sweet spices or double vanilla or almond extract or add citrus zest for more flavor.
• Try fat-free sorbet (lemon, or strawberry).
• When making holiday cookies, use small cookie cutters or cut bars into smaller pieces.
• Top cakes with powdered sugar, cinnamon or cocoa instead of thick frosting.
• For pumpkin pie, use nonfat evaporated milk for filling and eliminate crust and serve soufflé style.
• For fruitcake, add nontraditional fruits such as dried apricots, cherries, prunes and cranberries.

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 egg
• 4 egg whites
• 1 1/2 cups fat free milk
• 1 1/2 cups fat free half-and-half
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup rum or brandy (optional)
• freshly grated nutmeg to garnish

1. Combine sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl. Add egg and egg whites, and beat with a mixer for 3-4 minutes.
2. Gently heat fat free milk in a large saucepan. Gradually stir egg mixture into the hot milk.
3. Heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is slightly thickened. Stir in vanilla extract and remove from heat.
4. Let the milk and egg mixture cool a little before blending with fat-free half-and-half milk. Cover and chill in the refrigerator. Before serving, sprinkle with freshly grated nutmeg on top.

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