1. Use whole grain bread for stuffing. Substitute a portion of the butter in the recipe with vegetable stock or chicken stock and white wine.
2. Love egg nog? Try my Naughty Nog recipe — it’s under 150 calories!
3. Sub some of the fattening ingredients in mashed potatoes, like cream and butter, with buttermilk and low fat sour cream.
4. For smoother mashed potatoes (without extra cream), press boiled potatoes through a sieve or ricer.
5. Use bananas and/or applesauce as a substitute for some of the butter in baking recipes. The applesauce to butter ratio is 1:1. Never remove all the fat; you don’t want to sacrifice flavor.
6. Use low fat milk versus whole. Never use skim (you need some fat for flavor!).
7. Follow my “Skinnygirl Fixologist Formula” for making drinks quickly and easily with a fraction of the calories:
Fill a rocks glass with ice. As the ice melts, the extra water will keep you hydrated and make your drink last a little longer.
Add a shot of clear liquor. Measure with a shot glass or pour while counting “one… two”. And always stick to clear liquor!
Fill the rocks glass the rest of the way with club soda. This is the best zero-calorie filler that does not have an overly strong flavor. Plus, it helps keep you hydrated.
Add just a splash of the sweet/fruity component that gives your drink character. Whatever you like, go light. You want just enough flavor to accent the drink. Add fresh fruit or a lime wedge for garnish.
For more recipes and tips from Bethenny Frankel, visit her site Bethenny.com and follow her on Facebook.
Photo: Getty
