Reduce the calorific content without losing flavour by following these expert tips
Expert-approved tips to ensure tasty food that's also kind to your waistline:
1. A lettuce leaf dropped onto the top of a bowl of homemade soup will absorb the excess grease and make it healthier.
James Martin, chef
2. If you're following a recipe that uses mayonnaise, substitute it with low-fat crème fraiche mixed with a little lemon juice. Same taste, less fat!
Sally Bee, author of The Recipe for Life
3. Got some wine left over? Don't drink it all - you can freeze it in ice cube trays for future use in casseroles and sauces.
Lorena Garcia, chef
4. Keep starters light; they are supposed to whet your appetite, not satiate it. And when dining in restaurants don't binge on free bread. Wait for the starter, otherwise you'll be full before the first course arrives.
Aldo Zilli, chef
5. Use groundnut oil in the wok when you're cooking stir-fries. It's healthier and tastier because it can be heated to high temperatures. The higher the heat, the quicker the food is sealed and stops absorbing oil.
Ching-He Huang, chef
6. Leave casseroles and curries to go cold and pop in the fridge overnight. The next day you can remove any fat that's risen to the surface with a spoon. Not only will they be healthier, they'll be tastier after absorbing all those flavours overnight.
Judith Wills, nutritionist
7. Swap pasta sheets in lasagne for strips of courgette cut lengthways with a peeler, and flat large slices of peppers.
Rebecca Amey, nutritionist
