Well… it’s just another summer in Southeast Michigan but one thing is for sure: warmer weather is the perfect time to enjoy a “Lite” and satisfying meal.

Just what is a Lite meal?

“Lite” (Light) meals are generally low in calories but high in nutritional value. They provide enough carbohydrates to maintain energy and enough calories and protein to produce a lasting feeling of fullness. High-calorie meals, especially those high in fat and or sugar, are “heavier” and often lead to uncomfortable feelings of overindulgence, drowsiness and bloating. Focusing on light meals can help eliminate these problems while still providing your body with the calories and nutrients it needs.

How do I know if my recipe is “Lite”?

Quite simply, “Lite” recipes use low-calorie ingredients like nonfat dairy products, lean proteins, and fresh fruits and vegetables. They use added fats sparingly, and include whole grains instead of “processed” ones.

Eating Lite Throughout the Day

It may seem as if skipping breakfast is the best option for reducing caloric intake and making a healthy diet work, but that’s not the case according to many experts. Consider eating a big breakfast and gradually reducing the size of your subsequent meals throughout the day. A stack of hot pancakes with lots of butter and syrup, coupled with sausage and bacon may be tempting, but a breakfast of whole-grain cereal with skim milk, fresh fruit, juice and low-fat yogurt is a MUCH better choice if you want to eat “Lite.”

It’s also a good idea to reduce the portion sizes of those mid-meal snacks and your subsequent meals later in the day, focusing on larger portions of fruits and vegetables while keeping your meat choices lean and more sparing.

“Lite” Cooking Techniques

Thankfully, there are MANY cooking techniques that can produce fabulous “Lite” meals. It’s more the ingredients than the method actually. With the exception of breaded, deep-fat-fried foods, most every cooking method can achieve “Lite” results. For example:

• A roasted chicken
• A meat and fresh-vegetable stir fry (Use a spare amount of vegetable spray instead of liquid oil.)
• Steamed anything
• Pan-seared fish or lean meats (not breaded)
• Broiled meats (Don’t be tempted to then finish with butter or a heavy cream sauce.)
• Grilling To grill “Lite,” avoid oily marinades and sweet barbecue sauces, and trim your steaks of excess fat.
• Microwaving, like steaming, pretty much eliminates the need for fats and other “heavier” ingredients.

Other Tricks for Eating Lite

• Use broth instead of oils to simmer meats and seafood rather than sautéing them.
• Use fresh herbs and spices to help eliminate the need for oils, butter and salts.
• Cream-like sauces can be made from low-fat milks and reduced broths, thickened with arrowroot or even cornstarch to eliminate the use of butter and a flour roux.
• Consider low-fat cheeses and egg whites instead of whole eggs (or yolks). Keep in mind that one egg yolk contains just slightly more fat than does one pat of butter.
• Low-fat ricotta cheese or plain low-fat yogurt can replace sour cream.
• Non-stick cooking spray can replace oil when sautéing.
• Remove the skin from chicken before cooking to reduce unhealthy calories in your meal.
• You can remove even more fat from soups and gravies. Colander under warm water to remove even more fat.
• Admittedly, fat adds flavor, but spicing up your foods with a little heat can mask the fat’s absence.

Ok, ready to try some “Lite” recipes? Here are a few to get you started. And they’re waiting for you in Nino’s recipe archives!

• Cajun Blackened Salmon
• Creamy Cucumber Dill Salad
• Fresh Fish Tacos
• Gazpacho Soup

What are some of your favorite “lite” recipes?

CLICK HERE TO VISIT OUR RECIPE LIBRARY

HERE’S 100 LITE MEAL RECIPES FROM WOMENS DAY