Condiment, condiment and condiment my friends. You must pick a low/no calorie condiment that is an easy GO TO for flavor. We ALL love ranch dressing and mayonnaise, but they just aren't good for us and frankly, the low fat/Low calorie versions are revolting! But we NEED flavor...I would never ask you to give up the YUM factor in your food. I love eating too much!
I will share with you a few of my easy no/low cal condiments:
VINEGAR! I love ALL kinds of vinegar. I eat cucumber slices with red wine vinegar and salt in place of fattening chips. I use balsamic vinegar for the same thing sometimes, or drizzled over tomatoes and low fat ricotta cheese for a delicious protein rich side dish. I even sometimes use it as a substitute for salad dressing. If I am indulging in whole wheat bread, it is delicious as a dipping sauce instead of butter!
HOT SAUCE/SALSA! I use hot sauce or salsa over scrambled eggs made from egg substitute w one whole egg - and sometimes wrap it in a whole wheat low carb tortilla for breakfast. I use it in bean dished for flavor instead of cheese. I add it to sandwiches, salad dressings, over the top of boneless skinless chicken breasts. And don't forget all of the variations available - find one YOU love. There are sauces ranging from MILK to BLOW YOUR DRAWERS OUT HOT! Some are thick, some thin...some chunky, some smooth. I keep a variety on hand.
PICKLES/JALAPENOS/PEPPERONCINIS! I love tuna salads and egg salads, but typically they are loaded with calories from mayonnaise and there are just no good substitutes on the market. BUT - what you CAN do to cut back on calories is use LESS mayo - and add some flavor and bulk in with some healthy additions. If weight loss is not a concern and you are just trying to eat healthy - add some mashed avocado in place of part of the mayo. Or some chopped black olives! If calories ARE a concern (as they are for me), add tons of chopped celery, onion, bell peppers and FLAVOR PACKED dill pickles, pepperoncinis and spicy jarred jalapenos! I sometimes use jalapenos pickled in a jar, I OFTEN use canned jalapenos pickled with carrot slices for Mexican dishes and I enjoy FRESH jalapenos sliced thin and blistered in a touch of coconut oil in a hot pan.
PESTO! Ok, so pesto isn't THE lowest calorie condiment around, but when you make it fresh you can control what goes in it and get a LOT of flavor into a small portion of it. My favorite way to make it is to pop open my food processor and add in a few hand fulls of shelled walnuts, an entire bunch of CILANTRO (Yes, cilantro - it is AMAZING!), and some fresh garlic. I start the processor and drizzle in olive oil JUST until the pesto is well blended. I use JUST A TABLESPOON on top of roasted chicken dishes or vegetables. I have used it over low fat cream cheese stuffed mini bell peppers roasted in the oven. GET CREATIVE! Portion size is key because this condiment DOES have a lot of calories, but when you make it at home the calories all come from HEALTHY fats (Nuts and olive oil), so in moderation you can ENJOY!
Do YOU have some ideas to add to the list? Email me at itsjustmeusee@gmail.com and I will add them!
