PARTY TIME May 3, 2006 Susan Noble Family and Consumer Science Extension Agent

As the weather heats up, our social calendars fill up. There are parties for graduates and brides-to-be. We celebrate our mothers and fathers with special days. Some folks even celebrate the horses - or the running of the Kentucky Derby to be more exact.

Whatever you're celebrating, check out these recipes. They'd be great on any party menu.

I admit this chicken recipe has more fat than the recipes I usually share with you. But give me a break. It is a chicken recipe. It's baked, not fried. I substituted "lite" mayo for the real stuff. You'll just need to practice portion control. Stop with one serving -- though you'll want a second.

Let's go back to that lite mayonnaise. I need to add some words of caution. Actually, these cautionary words apply to any and all reduced-fat products from salad dressings to peanut butter, not just mayo.

When manufacturers remove fat from a product, such as salad dressing, let's face it, they also remove flavor. So that consumers will continue to like their product, they usually add something back to pump up the flavor. Salt and/or sugar are typically the added ingredients.

Excess salt (or technically sodium) can be a problem for people with high blood pressure. If you're trying to cut back on sodium, use those nutrition labels. Compare the sodium in reduced-fat products to the sodium in the "real" versions to make wise choices.

Excess sugar can be a problem for people with diabetes. Sugar is a form of carbohydrate. Diabetics need to control the amount of carbohydrate they eat. Generally, doctors will give their patients guidelines on the amount of carbohydrate they can consume per meal. Regular use of reduced-fat products can make staying in bounds more difficult.

The term "sugar-free" should also be a red flag for diabetics -- and dieters. Sugar-free makes us think the product has not been sweetened and, thus, has fewer carbohydrates and calories than the real McCoy.

However, legally, sugar means sucrose or white granulated table sugar. A sugar-free product simply does not have table sugar.

But what does it have instead? Since most folks like the taste of sweet, manufacturers are sweetening their sugar-free products with something.

Typical replacements are fructose, corn syrup, sorbitol, and mannitol. You might as well consider these sugar. They do have carbohydrates and calories; these elements have not magically disappeared.

Sometimes, artificial sweeteners, such as saccharin and aspartame, are used. You may better know these chemicals by brand names like Sweet 'n Low, NutraSweet, Equal, or Splenda. Artificial sweeteners generally do not contain significant carbohydrates or calories. Products made with artificial sweeteners are generally better choices for diabetics and dieters.

In short, never trust the front of a food container. Check out nutrition labels. Be sure you're getting what you think you're getting.

And be prepared to do some of the work yourself. Diabetics are at increased risk for heart disease and do need to control the amount of fat they eat. But if reduced-fat products may get them into carbohydrate trouble, they need to look at other ways to reduce fat.

Possible techniques include trimming fat from meats, skipping gravy and cheese sauce, using skim milk instead of whole, and going easy on the salad dressing. There's also baking instead of frying; maybe my recipe was okay after all.

Rub mayonnaise over both sides of each chicken breast. Roll coated chicken in crumbs. Top each breast with slice of cheese and then bacon. Place prepared breasts in baking dish that has been lightly coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350°F for 55 minutes or till chicken is done. Turn oven to broil and broil chicken for 5 minutes to brown and crisp bacon.

Cook beans in boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes or just till "tender crisp" (do not overcook). Drain beans. Return to pan or serving bowl. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine.

The use of brand names in this column does not imply endorsement by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service of the products or services named or criticism of similar ones not mentioned.

E-mail address: Susan_Noble@ncsu.edu

Mailing address:
P. O. Box 2280
Lumberton, NC 28359-2280

Phone: 910-671-3276
Fax: 910-671-6278

Date Created 5/3/06