People with a gift for serving up delicious-but healthful-dishes say it’s important to present food that tastes good, is made with natural ingredients and is good for you. Fortunately, that doesn’t have to mean skipping many classic recipes. These tips may help:

Portion Size-You can help control weight gain by being wary of portion size. If you’re serving meat, for instance, nutritionists say not to give a portion that’s larger than a deck of cards. Fill the empty space on plates (and in stomachs) with veggies and whole grains.

Something On The Side-Try serving a healthful vegetable soup and a side salad before dinner. That way, people can fill up on veggies, instead of less nutritious foods. Also, if you’re trying to eat a little less, remember that our bodies often mistake thirst for hunger.

So before you dig into dessert, try having a big glass of water and waiting a few minutes. You may turn out to be less hungry than you thought.

Cooking Tips-Something as simple as switching to nonstick oil sprays can make a difference in how healthy a meal is. For instance, new Mazola Pure Cooking Spray is a healthier alternative to high-saturated-fat products such as butter or margarine.

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Don’t you just hate it when you ask for a sugar free drink in a pub or restaurant and all they have to offer is diet cola or water?

Or you’re offered a pure fruit juice - “Well, that’s sugar free - isn’t it?” No it isn’t - the sugar that occurs naturally in fruit juice is very high and that will play havoc with your blood sugar levels. But here are a few drinks you might like to try…

I got so fed up of the standard cola offer, I decided to experiment with mixing the different sugar free drinks that are available and you might like to try these alternatives to ‘just cola’.

1) The first experiment I tried was to mix a diet cola and diet tonic water in the same glass. Then I added ice and lemon. The mixture gives a slightly sharper taste and it makes a very long and refreshing drink on a hot summer’s day.

2) Then I tried splitting a pure orange fruit juice (you could also try pineapple or tomato juice) with a friend and added sparkling water to my half of the juice. You could also try mixing your juice with diet tonic water.

3) If you want to make a refreshing drink at home, this pineapple slushy will hit your dry spot:

Take 1 can sugar-free ginger ale, add 1/4 cup of unsweetened pineapple juice and ice cubes.

Place in a blender and blend until the ice-cubes are crushed and you get a slushy mixture.

Why not experiment with other unsweetened fruit juices? And, if you want a little bit more of a kick, you could add rum extract to give it more flavor.

If you have any more ideas or recipes for sugar-free drink I would really love to hear about them.

There are many ways of lowering your carbohydrate intake, even when you crave deserts. Try this cheesecake recipe:

Best Cheesecake

Low Carbohydrate Recipe

Ingredients:

3/4 pound grated aged asiago cheese

1-1/4 pound cream cheese at room temperature

4 eggs

1 clove of garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon or 1 tablespoon fresh salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat asiago and cream cheese with a mixer until smooth.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add garlic and tarragon and combine well. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Pour into an 8 inch buttered spring form pan and bake for 45 minutes to an hour, checking after 45 minutes.

Cake should be golden and puffed, not loose in the center. Remove from the oven and let stand 30 minutes before cutting.

Or try this recipe, for Chocolate Meringue Kisses:

Chocolate Meringue Kisses
Low Carbohydrate Recipe
Ingredients:
4 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup Splenda
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

Directions:
Preheat oven to 225-degrees. Put baking parchment on a cookie sheet.

Beat egg whites until foamy. Add vanilla extract a few drops at a time and cream of tartar. Beat until meringue starts to look creamy and forms soft peaks. Add in Splenda a little at a time. Add in cocoa a little at a time.

Put meringue on parchment paper cookie sheet by spoonfuls. (You can use a pastry bag and pipe them into cones like Hershey kisses, or flower shapes.) Bake at 225-degrees for one hour. Turn off oven, open oven door a crack, and allow to cool five to ten minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool away from drafts. Remove from parchment paper when cool.

Carb count for total recipe: 28.7g. Number of cookies varies depending on size.

Variation:
You could also do these with daVinci-flavoured syrups and a little food coloring if desired. Then sprinkle a little granulated Splenda on the top for that sugar “sparkle.”

Note:
If you make smaller meringues, don’t bake them quite as long, or they will be over-dry and fracture easily.

Berries and Roasted Pecans

Low Carbohydrate Recipe

Ingredients:

18 ounce round of Brie cheese

1 cup mixed berries, fresh or frozen

1/4 cup Cognac

1/3 cup apricot preserves

1/2 cup lightly toasted pecan pieces

Assorted crackers

Directions:

Early Preparation: Marinate berries in Cognac for four to six hours. Lightly toast pecans in 350-degree oven for three to five minutes. Set aside.

To serve: Pre-heat oven to 350-degrees.

Cut a wedge 1/4 of the diameter of the Brie. Stack it o top of remaining round and place on ovenproof serving platter.

In a small saucepan heat apricot preserves over medium heat until dissolved. Stir in marinated berries and then nuts. Reduce heat and warm through.

Heat the Brie in oven until softened, but not runny. Spoon mixture over Brie and serve immediately with assorted crackers.

Recipe makes four to six servings.

Blackberry Ice Cream

Low Carbohydrate Recipe

Ingredients:

1-1/2 quart Half n Half

1 quart heavy whipping cream

1-1/2 cup Splenda

6 egg yolks

1/3 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

30 ounces fresh blackberries

Directions:

Mix first five ingredients together; heat to a gentle boil.

Remove from heat and chill.

Add vanilla extract; crank for about 30 seconds then add blackberries and crank until done.

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories: 201

Total Fat: 18.7g

Total Carbohydrates: 6g

Chocolate Mousse

Low Carbohydrate Recipe

Ingredients:

4 ounces heavy cream

One chocolate (or cappuccino) Atkins shake mix

Stevia to flavour (optional)

Directions:

Sift shake mix, then whisk ingredients in a bowl until just thickened (be careful not to over-whisk).

Scoop into individual serving dish. Chill for 30 minutes.

Recipe makes two servings.

Carbohydrates: 2.5g per serving