Four Fat-Free Recipes

In America's fast-food culture, losing weight and staying fit can seem like an impossible task. Many foods and dishes, even ones marketed as all-natural or organic, can contain surprising amounts of saturated and trans fats. All fat is not bad or dangerous, however, and the human body needs a certain amounts of healthy fats to function properly, such as the kind of fat found in seafood or nuts. Also, a little bit of fat can go a long way toward making a dish more flavorful. Cooking and eating leaner, fat-free foods does not have to be a difficult or tasteless experience, however. Revitalize a flagging weight loss program by creating a simple, nutritious, and delectable meal with these fat-free recipes.

Gingered Carrot Soup

1 pound chopped carrots
2 cups chicken broth/base
1/4 T ginger spice
1 tsp cinnamon
juice from one orange
1/2 cup yogurt, divided (I used fat-free vanilla)

In a stock pot, combine the carrots, base, ginger, and cinnamon. Simmer for forty to sixty minutes, or until the carrots are cooked and tender. Transfer the concoction to a blender/food processor. Add the orange juice and 1/4 cup of yogurt. Puree until the mixture is smooth. Serve warm, stirring in the remaining yogurt. This can also be eaten as a cooled gazpacho. Serves 4.

Saucy Vegetable Saute

4 cups fresh green beans, trimmed and chopped
1 cup sliced fresh carrots
1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/8 cup rice vinegar
1 tsp ginger spice

Saute the vegetables over medium to high heat in a pan or skillet greased with fat-free cooking spray. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender but still retain their color.

Add the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and ginger. Add more soy sauce and rice vinegar to taste as needed. Stir and cook for another minute, then remove. Serve or store as needed. Serves 4.

Best Black Beans

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 T apple cider vinegar
2 T fat-free BBQ sauce
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp black pepper

Heat the beans over medium to high heat in a pan well-greased with fat-free cooking spray. Stir the beans often for about ten minutes or until the desired tenderness is achieved. Add the sauces and spices, mixing them with the beans as the concoction cooks. After one minute, remove and serve either warm or at room temperature. These beans can also taste great served over a bed of romaine lettuce with sliced cucumbers. Serves 4.

Palm Tree Green Smoothie

1 handful fresh baby spinach
1 handful ice cubes
1/4 cup fat free vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1 T frozen orange concentrate
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup pineapple chunks

Blend until smooth in a blender or food processor, then serve immediately. Serves 1, but simply repeat the recipe for a larger crowd.