Entertaining on a diet

There’s nothing more challenging than inviting friends and family round for a meal if you are on a diet. No-one wants to be a diet bore and dish up a salad or simple vegetarian recipes to their nearest and dearest but then again, if you have been virtuous all week, you don’t want to blow all your good work and pile on the pounds that you have managed to lose by having a blow-out at the weekend. With a bit of careful planning, it is possible to eat healthily whilst also dishing up a delicious meal for everyone to enjoy.Soup is a good starter. Serve it with some nice crusty bread for the non-dieters to enjoy.

Just make sure that it is not a creamy soup although some, such as carrot, can be served with a swirl of cream to make it that bit more special. Use crème fraiche for yours and no-one will be any the wiser. French onion is another favourite but don’t be tempted to serve it with the traditional topping of bread with melted cheese.

For the main course don’t serve anything fried. Instead grill your meat or fish with some of the calorie free spray available in the supermarket. If you are cooking a dish with a sauce give yourself a smaller portion of sauce and if you are having potatoes then boiled are best. If you really need to serve roast potatoes (and after all Sunday lunch is not complete without some crispy roasties) then use the spray oil. Pasta recipes can also be very healthy options.

I have experimented with making desserts where you substitute artificial sweetener for sugar, and crème fraiche for cream and to be honest they just don’t work, or at least they haven’t satisfied my sweet tooth. Instead, you are better off with some fresh fruit, depending on what is in season. You could also make some meringues and allow people to make their own pavlovas. If you are tempted to serve ice cream, why not substitute it with a fruit sorbet, which is far healthier and every bit as tasty?