Shrimp Tacos

• Shrimp are very low in fat, high in protein, quick to cook and tasty. You can use frozen shrimp (thawed out) or fresh. If the shrimp still have their heads or shells, be sure to remove them before cooking. You can cook shrimp in a pan with no oil or just a small drop of vegetable oil and add fat-free flavoring ingredients like lemon juice, cilantro, pepper, chili flakes or chopped tomatoes. Shrimp only take a few minutes to cook through. Warm flour or corn tortillas in the oven or microwave and choose nonfat condiments and toppings, such as salsa, black beans and green taco sauce rather than cheese or sour cream.
  
  

Pasta and Sauce

• Low-fat pasta dishes can quickly and easily be cooked for dinner by carefully choosing the ingredients you use. Store-bought jars of sauce can contain high levels of oil and sugars, so use fresh or canned tomatoes to make your own sauce instead. This way you can control exactly how much fat is in the sauce. If you saute onions, garlic and other vegetables slowly over a low heat, you don't need to use much oil. Just add chopped, skinned fresh tomatoes or canned ones and simmer the sauce for 20 to 30 minutes to allow the flavors to develop. This very low-fat sauce can be served over pasta to make a complete dish, but the addition of grilled skinless chicken breast adds more taste and protein to the meal. Never add butter or oil to cooked pasta--it is unnecessary and adds needless extra fat.
  
  

Burgers

• Low-fat alternatives to hamburgers are just as easy to prepare and just as tasty too. Instead of ground beef, use ground turkey or ground chicken. Because turkey and chicken are lower in fat than beef, you may want to add some extra ingredients to add moisture to the burger. Using a food processor, mince your choice of vegetables to add to the ground poultry. Onions, carrots, celery and bell peppers make tasty additions to turkey and chicken burgers. The patties can be grilled, cooked in a dry frying pan, broiled or baked without oil. Choose mustard, ketchup, lettuce and tomatoes as condiments and avoid fatty mayonnaise and cheese. A vegetarian alternative is to grill a large, flat portobello mushroom with the stalk removed.
  
  

Clear Soups

• Soups can be made from any ingredients of your choice--the more low-fat ingredients you add, the tastier the soup will be. Chop any vegetables you like and any low-fat meat, such as skinless chicken breast, into bite-size chunks. Cover the ingredients with broth--if you are using store-bought broth, check the label for fat content and choose the lowest-fat variety you can find. Simmer the soup for 20 to 30 minutes with any extra herbs and spices you like for extra flavor. To make the soup more filling without adding any fat, you can add noodles, small pasta shapes, beans or lentils.