[just an angel]

Hi all! Well, I'm having a bit of trouble...I've been trying to find low-fat and/or healthy recipes to incorporate into my menu plans..but they all seem to contain tomatoes, mushrooms, or olive oil! Tomatoes I can deal with in a sauce, but I dislike them other ways. Mushrooms, I just won't eat, and olive oil upsets my stomach!
What's a girl to do? Any ideas?

[lighter]

If you are following the W W Plan I would suggest two of their cook books that every one has stated they enjoyed. The Weight Watcher Complete Cook Book and Weight Watchers Simply the Best. I'm sure you will find many recipes without tomatoes, mushrooms and olive oil. Most of the time you can just omit the mushrooms in a recipe. Use Pam spray for your pans in place of olive oil. In a recipe where olive oil is used for flavor like a salad dressing, you could use canola oil or vegetable oil. They all count as a fat. The flavor will be different. In a home made salad dressing I would look for those that don't call for olive oil.

Even if you are not following the Weight Watcher Food Plan, the recipes in their cook books are all very healthy eating. Over the years all low cal, low fat recipes have improved with new healthier food choices in the stores.

[just an angel]

Ann P: Thanks for the suggestions

[garybearsgirl]

Have you ever been to www.fatfree.com? THey have gobs anf gobs of recipes there, all vegetarian and very low fat.

You might try substituting some other veggie you like for the mushrooms. Use more onion or bell pepper or whatever you like. And try red bell peppers. If they're too expensive you might find them roasted in a jar, jusr inse them off.

[just an angel]

thanks garysbearsgirl! I haven't been to that website, I'll try that!
The only problem with substituting veggies is that I find I don't like any LOL

[garybearsgirl]

Well, dear, some things are an acquired taste.
Did you know that small children in Mexico do not like hot peppers? They grow up to like them, though.
I am a strict vegetarian. When I first gave up milk and started drinking soy milk, I did not like it either. I like it fine now because I developed a taste for it.
Veggies have so many nutrients and good things for your body you might really want to consider learning to like them. Try starting with baby carrots for a snack (which I am almost addicted to). Just be careful to read the labels to make sure they are really baby carrots and not peeled older carrots, which don't taste good. Baby carrots are sweet and crunchy, and grape tomatoes are sweet and fun to pop into your mouth. Different colored bell peppers are good raw, in slices. Try dipping them into fat free Italian dressing.

[just an angel]

I enjoy carrots, celery (both, only raw..there's something about the 'mushiness' that cooked, even barely cooked, vegetables take on that turns me off), broccoli, and cauliflower. I'll eat corn from time to time, but that's about it!
Someone else also suggested 'grape' tomatoes, but I've NEVER heard of them! The only "small" tomatoes we have here in Pennsylvania are "cherry" tomatoes.

[lighter]

Do you like speghetti? If so try shredding a small zucchine squash in the sauce. Do you eat salsa? Use for a dip with raw veggies. Sounds like you might like salads. Broccoli salads are wondeful. Look for a package of Athenos crumbled feta cheese. You won't beable to see it but there is a recipe on the back side of the label for a black bean salad. Black beans, rice, green onions, celery, feta cheese and tomatoes. The other day I did not have any tomatoes so I used corn. Right out of the frozen pkg, just let it thaw on paper towels. You can use salsa for the dressing (1/2 cup) or a fat free Italian Dressing. What about V-8 veg juice, baked potatoes, baked sweet potatoes? Maybe if you looked in cook books on different ways to cook vegetables to spice them up you might like them. I too, get tired of just plain veg.

[just an angel]

Thanks for the suggestions Ann! I'm going to try them! No, I'm not a big fan of salsa, but there are so many "healthier" versions of dressings out there, surely I can find one I enjoy!