I lost quite a lot of weight a few years ago. (You probably can't tell by my holiday posts!) It was just time to. It's back to the right eating thing now tho for my husband and I for the next couple months since we have a trip to Tuscany coming up this Spring. We are hoping the walking will outweigh (?) the eating. Our cardiologist, (who's been to Florence) said it would, so that's a plus! I reduced my fat intake considerably using Joseph Piscatella's book, Don't Eat Your Heart Out. Many friends are now on the low-carb thing, but counting calories and fat grams as out-lined in his book is what worked for me. It's different for everyone, I know. So, if you are not on the low-carb, perhaps some of these will sound good to you, I don't think they are low-carb, I never checked. I am not a fan of fat-free cheeses, I use the ones labeled 2 % or part skim (as in mozzarella). Many, many of the dishes I make are ones I made all along, but I just tweaked using the abundance of low-fat items available now. ie, fat-free mayos and dressing, low-fat cheeses, 99% fat free broths and condensed soups, fat-free milk, creamer, sour cream, yogurt, tortillas and cream cheese. I rely alot on my subscription to Cooking Light magazine, also. I will post some recipes now, and over the next couple weeks keep adding as I run across them in my own search for something, "lighter".

One is the Chicken Veggie Lo Mein I posted just a few days ago on the recipe swap. You can find it by searching for my name or just going thru the past few days worth of swaps.

Another is the Spicy Blacc-eyed Pea Dip Gladys posted in the past couple days recipe swap, I deleted the bacon drippings and flour with fantastic results.

Here's a great dip for carrot or celery sticks or lowfat chips or crackers:

ROASTED RED PEPPER DIP

1/2 Cup plain fat-free yogurt
8 oz. fat-free cream cheese
8 oz. roasted red bell peppers (see below)

Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and mix on high until creamy. Serve with toasted pita bread wedges or crudites.

To roast bell peppers:
Cut peppers into quarters and seed and devein. Place on foil-lined pan and broil until skins blacken. They do not have to be uniformly black. Remove from oven and place in a large zip-lock baggie immediately. Let steam. When cool enough to handle, remove from bag and scrap peel off. If all the peel will not come off, that's ok. Peppers may be refrigerated until needed. These are great on pizza, tossed in a salad, thrown in a lasagna, on sandwiches, etc.

I think I posted a Low-fat Chicken and Dumplings, I'll look and make sure, if not, I'll post it.

Here'a a diabetic recipe that we low, labor-intensive, but I love to cook!

TURTLE CHEESECAKE

6 Tablespoons reduced calorie margarine
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
2 containers (8 oz. each) fat-free cream cheese
2 cups 1% low-fat cottage cheese
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 container (8 oz.) reduced fat non-dairy whipped topping, thawed (Cool-Whip)
1/4 cup prepared fat-free caramel ice cream topping (found near the chocolate syrup)
1/4 cup prepared fat free hot fudge ice cream topping (found near the chocolate syrup)
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted if desired

Preheat oven to 350. Melt margarine in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Stir in graham cracker crumbs. Press crumb mixture firmly into side and bottom of a 10" springform pan. Bake 10 minutes. Cool. Place 1/2 cup cold water in a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over water. Let stand 3 minutes to soften. Heat gelatin mixture over low heat until completely dissolved, stirring constantly. In food processor or blender combine cream cheese, cottage cheese, sugar and vanilla. Process until smooth. Add gelatin mixture, process until well blended. Fold in whipped topping. Pour into prepared crust. Chill 4 hours or until set. Loosen cake from rim. Remove side of pan from cake. Drizzle caramel and hot fudge sauce over cheesecake. Sprinkle pecans evenly over top of cake before serving. 16 servings.