Healthy Eats – Food Network Healthy Living Blog: Food Network's Healthy Eats: Healthy Recipes, Weight Loss Tips & Nutrition Information

Yesterday, we gave you hints for slimming down some of Foodnetwork.com’s top recipes from 2008. As promised, here are tips for lightening up the remaining five.

Drum roll, please…

#5 Old-Fashioned Meatloaf

Instead of: ground beef
Try: 90-95% ground sirloin beef or reduce the ground beef and add ground turkey

Instead of: serving 4
Try: slicing smaller pieces for person and pairing with more fresh and light sides

#4 Who Loves Ya Baby-Back Ribs

Instead of: baby back ribs
Try: pork tenderloin. Rub the tenderloin with dry rub then grill or broil, and baste periodically with the braising liquid.

#3 Lasagna Rolls

Instead of: unsalted Butter (for the pan)
Try: non-stick cooking spray

Instead of: whole milk
Try: skim or 1% milk

Instead of: whole milk ricotta cheese
Try: part-skim ricotta cheese and use less

Instead of: 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan
Try: About 1/3

Instead of: shredded mozzarella
Try: part-skim mozzarella

#2 Baked French Toast Casserole with Maple Syrup

Instead of: eggs
Try: egg substitutes (1 egg = 1/4 cup of egg substitute) or a combination of eggs and egg substitute

Instead of: half-and-half
Try: whole or 2% milk

Instead of: whole milk
Try: skim or 1% milk

Instead of: buttered sheet pan
Try: non-stick cooking spray

Instead of: praline topping mix
Try: chopped nuts and cinnamon

#1 Baked Macaroni & Cheese

Instead of: whole milk
Try: 1% or skim milk

Instead of: butter
Try: less than what’s noted in recipe or a small amount of trans fat-free margarine

Instead of: 12 ounces of cheese
Try: about 1/3 less or the low-fat version

Instead of: egg
Try: egg substitute (1 egg = 1/4 cup egg substitute)

Instead of: white pasta
Try: whole wheat pasta

Check out recipes 5 through 10 here >>