How to lighten the recipe??

Joanitude

I have a favorite recipe I want to lighten up. Most of it I can do with no trouble. The sauce, however, is another matter.

The original:
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

I'm not sure how to make this still come out rich & creamy and not use the heavy cream. I tried milk (4%, 2%) in the past, but it was just too watery. I'm sure that someone out there has found a good substitute for it in other recipes. Ideas anyone?

tkillion810

I'm thinking you could use laughing cow cheese wedges in lieu of a few of those ingredients.

staceypunk

Homemade alfredo sauce (makes 13 one ounce serivings

Ingredients
Butter - Salted, 2 tbsp
Garlic - Garlic, 3 clove
Philidelphia - Original Cream Cheese, 1/2 block
Mccormick - Black Pepper, 0.5 teaspoon
Cheese - Parmesan, grated, 2 oz
Milk - Nonfat, with added vitamin A (fat free or skim), 1 cup

Total: 826 22 65 38 1,137 16
Per Serving: 64cal 2carb 5fat 3protein 87soduim 1 sugar

It is very rich so you only really need one ounce (weigh it!) even 2 ounces is 128 cal so not that bad for ghow rich it is. You could try with non-fat or light cream cheese as well.

loislenski

Try subbing greek yogurt.

shannonerdelyi

You could also try subbing light coconut milk for the cream. I agree with using light cream cheese too. I say skip the butter altogether, but keep the parmesan!

Kamikazeflutterby

A roux with more flour will thicken the sauce more, then you can get away with whole or 2% milk.

kimmymayhall

Have you tried half & half for the cream? Honestly I wouldn't mess with it too much, just have less of it.

Jaulen

Need the butter to coat the flour for a roux.
(Added: Just looked at your ratios....and usually when I make a roux it's 2x the flour for the fat.)

Add slightly more flour, go with 2% milk (or half and half), 2% parmesean cheese (but the good stuff really makes the flavor), let cook down a little longer. And if still not thick add in a cube of cream cheese (or those laughing cow wedges)

bonniecarbs

2 tablespoons of butter, 3/4 cup of the cream? a small reduction without watering it up with something else. and someone else said just have less

MagnaSky

Use fat free evaporated milk for the cream.

Slaynar

I would try using a light olive oil for the butter, a light cream for the heavy cream or if you want to try it, perhaps a soy milk. Once the sauce is finished, let it simmer which will reduce it a bit making it thicken up. If all else fails take 1/4 cup of water and 1 tablespoon of corn starch, dissolve the corn starch and mix it in. Bring it back to a light boil to thicken it.

shezzzzz

Many vegan recipes with use cashews to make "cream" sauces (or tofu).

You could try googling some and experimenting

TeaBea

Need the butter to coat the flour for a roux.
(Added: Just looked at your ratios....and usually when I make a roux it's 2x the flour for the fat.)

Add slightly more flour, go with 2% milk (or half and half), 2% parmesean cheese (but the good stuff really makes the flavor), let cook down a little longer. And if still not thick add in a cube of cream cheese (or those laughing cow wedges)

OK - Yum! ................ now I'm hungry. I agree, the cheese is going to be important here ....use the good stuff.

bcattoes

I have a favorite recipe I want to lighten up. Most of it I can do with no trouble. The sauce, however, is another matter.

The original:
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

I'm not sure how to make this still come out rich & creamy and not use the heavy cream. I tried milk (4%, 2%) in the past, but it was just too watery. I'm sure that someone out there has found a good substitute for it in other recipes. Ideas anyone?

Use evaporated milk in place of the cream. I can usually only find skim or whole, but if you can find 2% that would good. It's thicker because less water. You could mix skim and whole to lower the fat/calories. All skim will tend to separate when heated though so you need some fat. You could probably lose 1 tbs of butter and not even notice, or replace on with olive oil (no less calories but up the sat to unsat ratio).

Parm isn't really high calorie cheese anyway. Maybe add a little extra.

browncurlz3

Don't use artificial replacements. Eat real food. Just eat less of those high-calorie/cream items.

Replace whole milk for the half-and-half.

Otherwise, don't change a thing, just eat a wicked small portion of that food item and pair it with some awesome baked chicken and a big salad, or fruit (something filling).

bcattoes

Don't use artificial replacements. Eat real food. Just eat less of those high-calorie/cream items.

Replace whole milk for the half-and-half.

Otherwise, don't change a thing, just eat a wicked small portion of that food item and pair it with some awesome baked chicken and a big salad, or fruit (something filling).

You don't have to use artificial things to lighten a recipe. The OP asked for suggestions on how to lighten a recipe, not whether you thought she should.

Junie2013

Homemade alfredo sauce (makes 13 one ounce serivings

Ingredients
Butter - Salted, 2 tbsp
Garlic - Garlic, 3 clove
Philidelphia - Original Cream Cheese, 1/2 block
Mccormick - Black Pepper, 0.5 teaspoon
Cheese - Parmesan, grated, 2 oz
Milk - Nonfat, with added vitamin A (fat free or skim), 1 cup

Total: 826 22 65 38 1,137 16
Per Serving: 64cal 2carb 5fat 3protein 87soduim 1 sugar

It is very rich so you only really need one ounce (weigh it!) even 2 ounces is 128 cal so not that bad for ghow rich it is. You could try with non-fat or light cream cheese as well.

This looks like it would work - I'm going to try it myself Thanks!!

NarneyK

Just substitute your heavy cream with skim milk. This is how I always make alfredo sauce (even when I wasn't using mfp). Not sure what you mean by two watery though, mine always comes out nice and thick.

Joanitude

Thanks for all the replies. Now that the craziness of the holidays is over, I can get back to this. This is actually just the sauce part of a dish featuring scallops & spinach that I make for special occasions. I am trying to modify the recipe to get it to a reasonable level of calories per portion. I agree - flavorful Parm is a must! It looks like there are some choices for cream - half & half, 4% milk, 2% milk, canned milk. Adding a creamy soft cheese (Philly or Cow), tofu or yogurt are all good ideas, but that would probably change the taste of the dish. I'll have to think about those.

Once I get it done, I promise to post the finished recipe on my MFP blog with my other recipes.

highervibes

Coud you make the sauce with 2% and then whisk in 1TBS of Thick nThin or cornstarch?

angserino

Homemade alfredo sauce (makes 13 one ounce serivings

Ingredients
Butter - Salted, 2 tbsp
Garlic - Garlic, 3 clove
Philidelphia - Original Cream Cheese, 1/2 block
Mccormick - Black Pepper, 0.5 teaspoon
Cheese - Parmesan, grated, 2 oz
Milk - Nonfat, with added vitamin A (fat free or skim), 1 cup

Total: 826 22 65 38 1,137 16
Per Serving: 64cal 2carb 5fat 3protein 87soduim 1 sugar

It is very rich so you only really need one ounce (weigh it!) even 2 ounces is 128 cal so not that bad for ghow rich it is. You could try with non-fat or light cream cheese as well.

angserino

Thanks for sharing this. I will be giving this a try.

mrsnecincy

I use the cornstarch and skimmed milk option but with decent cheese just less of it. It does work but is a bit bland so I either go heavy on the black pepper or add Nutmeg, Bay, English Mustard or Tabasco to help with the flavour.

JenNuma

Low fat cream cheese. What is this sauce used for?

Peachy1962

WOW!1 I learned a lot on this thread!! Make the best Mother sauce and then next Rule the World!! :bigsmile:


I will try some of these ideas for making a skinny mac n cheese!!

MyJourney1960

I know this isn't what you asked - but can you just make a different recipe? scallops and spinach in a lemony/herb sauce? I find that when you start substituting light butter for real butter, milk for cream (though milk for cream is one that i do often), soy milk for milk, inferior cheese for parm - well, you end up with a whole different thing. I'd rather either keep the original and have a smaller portion or try something else.

operation_cute

replace the butter with a light margerine (I just started using smart balance light made with flaxseed oil and its really good) that will cut the calories for the butter in half. Use a skim version of the parmesean cheese, and use half and half or evaporated milk for the cream.

HeidiCooksSupper

Canned, evaporated milk is a great substitute for cream in cooking. Also, Laughing Cow alfredo is a great cream sauce substitute. Just melt some Laughing Cow wedges with a bit of milk. Voila. Instant alfredo. And, in many recipes, you can sub olive oil for butter.