http://www.democraticunderground.com/11571305Oh my.
WhollyHeretic (3,602 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail
Fat Free Half & Half
I've had a bit of a fixation on a fat free half & half lately and been experimenting with it. I've been using it in recipes to replace heavy cream or regular half & half. Just for reference hear are the calories and fat for a cup of each:
Heavy Cream 832 88
Half & Half 320 28
Fat Free Half & Half 160 0
I've tried it in a few recipes so far with pretty good success. It worked great in my tomato soup. I made my wife flambeed beefless tips and mushrooms in cream sauce for our anniversary. It is her favorite thing I've ever made but very high in calories and fat. I replaced the heavy cream with fat free half & half and corn starch. It tasted pretty close but the sauce was a little too thin. I'll have to experiment with that one a little more. I made a tomato cream sauce for some tortellini that came out really well.
Here is the recipe I came up with for the tomato cream pasta sauce:
½ tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion diced
1 shallot finely diced
¼ cup diced baby bellas
1 can tomato sauce
2 small cans tomato paste
1 teaspoon parsley
1 teaspoon basil
¼ teaspoon rosemary
¼ teaspoon sage
½ tablespoon sugar
1 ½ cups fat free half and half
2 teaspoon corn starch mixed with 1 tablespoon water
In a medium sauce pan over medium heat add olive oil, onions, shallots, and baby bellas. Cook until onions begin to brown. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, and herbs. Reduce heat to medium low and stir occasionally for 5-6 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir in half and half and corn starch mix. Continue to stir for a couple minutes and then remove from heat.
You know, if the primitives weren't so busy clogging up their bodies with chemicals, and if the primitives indulged in heavy-duty manual work, they wouldn't have to worry a whit about "fat free" this or "low calorie" that, and be able to enjoy food in its whole state.
The "calorie content" or "fat content" of food is about the last thing franksolich worries about.
Denninmi (1,641 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail
1. I'll have to try it again.
I bought some once, years ago, when I first saw it and was on a diet at that time. I wasn't too impressed. Like anything, it probably has been improved.
Glassunion (3,464 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail
2. I love the stuff.
Thanks for the recipe.
GoCubsGo (7,609 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail
3. Me, too.
I have also found that fat-free evaporated milk works almost as well. But, the half-and-half has nicer flavor to it.
boston bean (10,941 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail
4. Is us eFF half and half instead of milk to make my mashed potatos w/o butter.
I've been dieting, and let me tell you, I like my mashed potatoes. So for them to pass snuff using the ff half and half it has to be a good replacement.
Your tomato cream soup sounds wonderful. I must give it a try! Thanks for the recipe.
Major Nikon (1,432 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail
5. I use cultured buttermilk in my mashed potatoes instead of cream or regular milk
You might give that a try also.
Lucinda (13,427 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail
6. Excellent! I'd love to see any other recipes you come up with too.
I have a friend who can use them, he's recently started watching fats and I'm going to show him your recipe.
Thanks!
The empressof all (26,819 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail
8. It is a good sub for regular half and half BUT
If you want a sub without so many chemicals and additives use fat free evaporated milk. It's great for cooking....and when I used dairy regularly I even used in in coffee. It does have that "canned milk" taste but is not as pronounced in cooking. I have even used it in custard to make ice cream and it was lovely.
By the way, all the cooking and baking primitives will have at least cameo roles in the upcoming "a primitive Christmas Carol," in which hippywife Mrs. Alfred Packer meets franksolich as the Ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future.
