Week 7
Kitchen Replacements for the Unhealthy Trinity of
Fat, Sugar, Salt

FAT: First of all, fat is good. Fat carries important fat-soluble nutrients to our brain, cushions our vital organs, and protects our bodies from temperature extremes. Fat is a flavor enhancer, and it produces a feeling of fullness and satisfaction. The problem is when you have too much fat. Recommended fats to use in the kitchen are olive oil, canola oil, and small amounts of butter for flavor. To minimize fat when sautéing, start with 1 or 2 teaspoons of fat. As the food begins to stick, use chicken stock or vegetable stock instead of more fat. When baking, some of the fat can be replaced with unsweetened applesauce or prune puree. In baking and cooking, replace full fat cream cheese or sour cream with reduced-fat (not fat free) varieties. The fat-free types will not substitute and your product may fail. Replace mayonnaise with a blend of ½ fat free yogurt and ½ mayo. Use skim milk in the kitchen. Add fat with small amounts of heavy cream.

SUGAR: It’s no secret that high fructose corn syrup has slowly and steadily crept into our diets. It’s cheap and the ingredient of choice for food manufacturers. Don’t purchase processed foods. Reduce the sugar in your baked goods, if the recipe calls for a cup of sugar, try it with ½ cup. Use burst of sweetness like chocolate chips, raisins, or chopped apricots. Love your family and friends: offer them fruit instead of cake.

SALT: Second only to sugar, salt is one of the cheapest additives in process foods. Become label conscious, look for labels that say “low sodium.” In cooking, don’t add salt until the very end, and then only to taste. Salt is a flavor enhancer. Use sea salt. Enhance the flavor of your food with a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Other flavor enhancers are chopped fresh parsley, herbs like basil, thyme and oregano. The zest of citrus fruit, lemons, limes and oranges are great flavor enhancers. The Italians use a seasoning called gremolata: equal parts of minced garlic, chopped parsley and lemon zest for embellishing their food.

Cheryl Wixson’s Kitchen is a non-profit organization dedicated to teaching people the joys and benefits of healthy eating and cooking utilizing regional products while supporting a sustainable environment.  For more recipes, visit our website at: www.cherylwixsonskitchen.org

Lose and Win is sponsored by Healthy Hancock, a coalition of organizations working together to improve the health of residents in Hancock County.

Approximately 40 Lose and Win team members braved the cold to hear Cheryl Wixson give hints on preparing healthy Maine foods.
Lose and Win teams have completed week 6 of the 10 week program in Hancock County to lose weight and become healthier.
They have accumulated a loss of 2,408 pounds which is equivalent to the weight of a 20 ft. male giraffe or one of the Budweiser Clydsdale Horses.
The “Chunky Monkeys” from Hannafords in Ellsworth were the top losers for week 6. The “Livin’ Life Large Girls” came in second and the “Be Moore-Weigh Less” team from the Moore School and the “Trenton Taste Testers” from the Trenton IGA store won the third place honors.
It was also reported that a member of the "Hip Huggers" who used this program to stop smoking was still smoke free.