Low fat and loving it!

Today we all know that the food choices we make have an important effect on our health. There is no longer any question that we should all be eating less fat. Low-fat cooking is no longer a special diet, but a way of life. If you are concerned about your health, you may already be trying to trim fat from your diet. However, you should not try to cut out all fat. Our bodies require some fat for good health, but most of us eat too much of it. We particularly eat too much saturated fat, the type of fat we get from animal sources, which seems to do the most harm to our bodies. As a rule of thumb, saturated fats tend to be solid at room temperature (with the exception of coconut and palm kernel oils). Unsaturated fats tend to be liquid at room temperature. Vegetable oils, such as corn, safflower and cottonseed, for example, contain unsaturated fat.

The negative side effects of a high-fat diet have been well documented. Saturated fats tend to raise blood cholesterol and clog arteries, which in turn means an increased risk for heart attack and stroke. Another common health problem associated with a high-fat diet is obesity. Fat provides, gram for gram, more than twice the calories of carbohydrates or protein, which means that for the same quantity of food, a high-fat food provides you with many more calories. To compound the problem, your body finds it much easier to turn fat into body fat for storage. The connection between fat and cancer risk is also strong. From laboratory studies and clinical observations of people's eating habits, it has been learned that there is significant evidence that eating too much fat leads to an increased risk of colon, rectal, prostate and breast cancers. Scientists are still trying to comprehend the exact role that dietary fat plays in the cancer process.

A reasonable and healthy approach to better nutrition should begin by reducing some of the higher-fat foods in your diet. Your primary goal should be to limit your total daily fat intake so that fat contributes no more than 30 percent of your total daily calories. By looking at your overall diet in this way, rather than at particular foods you can enjoy an occasional high-fat food item while still limiting your total daily fat. The secret is to monitor your overall fat intake.

Here are some tips to help you reduce the fat in your diet:

* Read food labels. * Bake, broil, steam or boil foods instead of frying. * Use low-fat or nonfat products. * Select lean cuts of red meat. * Limit the amount of meats, poultry and fish in your diet to 3 to 6 ounces per day. * Use nonstick pans and vegetable cooking spray. * When baking, use 1/2 to 2/3 of the fat called for in recipes. Applesauce or apple butter often can be used to replace the fat. * Avoid deep-fried and fried foods.

Here are some easy and delicious recipes to help you on your way to a low-fat way of life.

ZESTY LIME CORNISH HENS

6 Cornish hens, about 1 pound each 2/3 cup low-fat or fat-free Italian salad dressing 1/2 cup fresh lime juice 1/4 cup green onions, chopped 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped 1 tablespoon lime rind, grated 1/4 teaspoon paprika Salt and pepper to taste

Wash hens; pat dry. Combine remaining ingredients in shallow baking dish. Add hens; turn to coat with marinade. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Turn several times. Remove hens from marinade. Grill over hot coals, 4 inches from heat, about 1 hour or until done, or bake in a 350-degree oven for 1 hour. Turn and baste often with remaining marinade.

Yields 6 Cornish hens

TURKEY BURGERS

1 pound ground turkey 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs 1/4 cup onion, finely chopped 1 egg or egg white 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder Salt and pepper to taste Vegetable cooking spray Lettuce, tomato and onion slices

Combine turkey, bread crumbs, onion, egg, garlic powder, salt and pepper in medium bowl. Shape turkey mixture into 4 patties, each about 1/2-inch thick.

Spray large skillet with vegetable cooking spray. Heat skillet over medium heat until hot. Place patties in pan and cook for 5 minutes on each side until golden brown. Cover and cook over low heat for 10 minutes longer or until cooked through. Serve on toasted hamburger buns with lettuce, tomato and onion slices if desired.

Yields 4 servings

SPICY SAUTEED GREENS

1 small bunch kale (about 12 ounces) 1 small bunch collard greens (about 12 ounces) 2 tablespoons olive oil 4 to 5 large garlic cloves, minced 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper 1 small onion, thinly sliced 1 tablespoon sugar 1tablespoon rice vinegar Salt to taste

Cut or tear leafy part of greens from tough stems and center rib; discard stems and rib. Rinse leaves two or three times in cold water and drain. Slice leaves into bite-size pieces by rolling several leaves together and slicing into 1/4-inch strips. Bring two cups of salty water to a boil in Dutch oven or large saucepan. Add greens and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until leaves are bright green; drain.

Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, crushed red pepper and onions; cook for 1 minute. Add greens, sugar and rice vinegar. Continue cooking and stirring until greens are cooked through, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.