Fiona's Low Fat Cooking Blog

My kids won't eat apple pie, as they're not too fond of pastry. But give them a helping of apple crisp, and it disappears very quickly. Apple crisp is probably more nutritious, or less unhealthy, anyway. This apple crisp features oats, whole-wheat flour, plus all the goodness of apples. Sometimes we add a 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts. While this undoubtedly raises the fat content a little, it is at least the heart-healthy kind.

_{Apple Crisp © 2008 Fiona Haynes, licensed to About.com, Inc.}

These little pumpkin squares make a perfect treat for your Halloween party. Light in texture, yet deliciously moist, they pack in a mere 63 calories per square, with only 1.5 grams of fat. Pumpkin itself is highly nutritious, but using whole-wheat flour and only a 1/4 cup of sugar makes these squares almost healthful. A smattering of chocolate chips adds a little decadence. The biggest challenge is limiting yourself to just one.

_{Pumpkin Squares © 2008 Fiona Haynes, licensed to About.com, Inc.}

Now that there's a distinct chill in the air, I'm looking for warm and filling low-fat foods to eat at lunch. Soup is the first thing to come to mind, but I don't want to resort to over-salted canned soups with long lists of additives. It's much more satisfying to make your own soup. Hearty soups can be made with fresh seasonal vegetables that simmer until softened, then pureed until velvety smooth. My daughter thinks of these soups as hot vegetable smoothies, which is a great description. So try this autumn-hued carrot and zucchini soup, or smoothie, which is the perfect antidote to a cold and wet day.

_{Carrot and Zucchini Soup © 2008 Fiona Haynes, licensed to About.com}

I’m something of an oatmeal fanatic. I eat it almost every morning, even during the summer. Hot oatmeal is one of the few low-fat breakfast foods that gives me enough energy to make it through until lunch. As boring as eating oatmeal every day may sound, there are many low-fat ways to vary it, without resorting to the somewhat over-sugary, slightly chemical-tasting flavored instant oatmeal varieties.

Some days I simply add a tablespoon of my favorite preserves; other days I add a swirl of maple syrup or a sprinkling of cinnamon, but there are times when I make it extra-special. One of my favorite variations is pumpkin oatmeal, which is perfect during the fall and winter months.

More Oatmeal Recipes

• Apple Oatmeal
• Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins
• Cranberry Almond Oatmeal by About’s Guide to Diabetes
• Crockpot Oatmeal by About’s Guide to Southern U.S. Cuisine
• Oatmeal Pancakes by About’s Guide to Bodybuilding

_{Pumpkin Oatmeal Photo © Fiona Haynes, licensed to About.com}

A sweet and delicious fall and winter treat, this sweet potato bread will fill your kitchen with a wonderful aroma. Enjoy a slice of this wholesome sweet potato bread as a mid-afternoon snack, or pack a slice in your child's lunch box. Even my vegetable-averse younger daughter gave this sweet potato bread a big thumbs up.

Wholesome Muffins and Cakes

• Morning Glory Muffins
• Lemon Zucchini Bread
• Pumpkin Bites
• Healthier Banana Bread

_{Sweet Potato Bread © 2008 Fiona Haynes, licensed to About.com, Inc.}

In honor of World Vegetarian Day and Vegetarian Awareness Month, I'm posting this seasonal and delicious baked pumpkin pasta. Perfect for fall and winter, pumpkin pasta offers a chance to break free from the mac and cheese habit and pack our pasta with more nutrients. For an extra nutritional boost, use whole-grain pasta.

_{Baked Pumpkin Pasta © 2008 Fiona Haynes, licensed to About.com}

Comfort food needn’t be heavy and unhealthy. It can be filling and nutritious like this chicken, kale and white bean stew. I love the earthiness of kale, which adds its own flavor to this stew. Plus, it makes a nice change from spinach, which tends to be my default green. As for the white beans, I like to use cannellini beans, but navy beans would be just fine.

_{Chicken, Kale and White Bean Stew © Fiona Haynes, licensed to About.com, Inc.}

Nothing says comfort food like lasagna, but lasagna can be a high-fat, high-calorie dish. So here's a lighter version that uses lean ground chicken instead beef (although shredded white-meat chicken works just as well), fat-free ricotta cheese, and reduced-fat shredded cheese. Serve with a side dish of steamed green beans or broccoli.

_{Chicken and Zucchini Lasagna © 2008 Fiona Haynes, licensed to About.com, Inc.}

Pancakes are just about everybody's favorite breakfast food no matter what the season. And while boxes of pancake mix are convenient, it really doesn't take much time to make your own pancake batter. For a little extra fiber, try these yummy applesauce oatmeal pancakes. Resist the temptation to top them with butter. A little maple syrup is perfect, or try some warmed apple pear sauce and a sprinkling of cinnamon.

More Pancake Recipes

• Buttermilk Pancakes
• Berry Pancakes
• Pumpkin Pancakes

_{Applesauce Oatmeal Pancakes © Fiona Haynes, licensed to About.com}

Here's a healthy twist on a classic American dessert. I chop my bread into tiny pieces, but feel free to make the more usual bread crumbs from your whole-wheat bread. Either way, this Apple Brown Betty is a delicious low-fat dessert that's perfect for fall.

More Low Fat Desserts

• Blueberry Crisp
• Apple Phyllo Pie
• Pear Cranberry Strudel
• Low Fat Custard Sauce

_{Apple Brown Betty Photo © 2008 Fiona Haynes, licensed to About.com, Inc.}