Dear Chef Kathleen,

I am having 14 people for Mother's Day brunch. I hate to admit it but we use family get-togethers as an excuse to eat rich food and too many desserts. I want to change this pattern because almost everyone in the family can stand to lose weight and because this is just the beginning of the outdoor entertaining season. We've got graduations, Father's Day, Memorial Day, two June weddings, Fourth of July, Labor Day and lots of birthdays in between coming up.

I don't want to end up heavier come fall. However, if anyone figures out what I'm up to, I'll never hear the end of it. I host a lot of the functions. How can I cut out some of the calories without getting caught?

Delores


Dear Delores,

Spring and summer produce is the perfect excuse to start working healthier ingredients into recipes. Grocery store produce sections are expanding with the season's latest offerings: asparagus, peas, spring onions, strawberries, mushrooms, fava beans, rhubarb and more.

Farmers' markets are in full swing and it's only a matter of a few weeks before roadside vegetable stands crop up.

Instead of looking through cookbooks to come up with your recipes, cruise the fruit and vegetable displays first. Next, visit the meat and fish aisles. Make a list of the liveliest offerings. Now, turn to your cookbooks. Build your menus around each season's bountiful harvest and the best-looking seafood and lean protein and chances are no one will know what you're up to.

Here are 10 ways to slim down menus for entertaining (or for any menu):

Challenge yourself to work in as many naturally healthful ingredients as you can. Pretend you'll get a $100 bill for every serving of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy and lean protein you work into the meal.

Use your outdoor grill. Grilling foods is an easy way to cut back on excess because there's no way to layer in the kind of calories some casseroles and sauces "require." People accept that grilled foods are usually served as is. Offer more lean protein such as chicken, pork and fish and less meat. Slice the chicken, pork and meat very thinly. People will think they're getting more that way.

Great-to-grill veggies this time of year: asparagus, sliced sweet onions, red, yellow and orange bell peppers, zucchini and eggplant. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and they're good to grill.

Think healthy appetizers. Guacamole and salsas served with baked chips can be nutrient rich and low in calories if you make them yourself or buy wisely.

Go for tomato salsas, pineapple salsas, black bean salsas, low-fat refried bean dips and lower calorie, lower fat chips.

If you have to do a cheese platter, serve one really delicious specialty cheese and one dip. Use yogurt as the base for the dip and serve lots of veggies and one or two kinds of whole grain crackers as opposed to 5 or 6 different kinds of cheese and a variety of crackers. Garnish the tray with two or three different kinds of grapes, some strawberries and perhaps a few raspberries.

Portion control the main course and all high-calorie items in advance. Prepare only one serving of each per person.

Use your microwave. It helps make sure you get the meal prepared with energy left over to entertain. Offer at least two microwavable veggie sides. A platter of asparagus dotted with a few freshly shelled English peas or broccoli tossed with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper served hot or cold, are two of my favorites.

Always serve salad. If you don't have the time to julienne a garden's worth of vegetables, rely on grocery store staples. Washed baby greens, baby spinach, pregrated carrots, tiny tomatoes, quick-to-chop Napa cabbage, fresh herbs such as basil, mint and cilantro are ready to dress, toss and eat.

Toppings and dressings can layer in fat and calories you may wish to spend elsewhere or not at all, so choose wisely.

Skip the bread and butter. A slice of bread with a pat of butter can set you back in excess of 200 calories and 8 grams of fat per round.

Don't offer soda or sugary drinks as an option. Have pitchers of ice water, fancy bottled waters, iced tea, low sugar lemonade or a healthy fruit punch and coffee.

Instead of a pastry table loaded with high-calorie offerings, serve the one dessert you're famous for and construct a make-your-own-fruit-salad bar. It's hard to resist perfectly ripened, beautifully displayed fruit.

Set out individual bowls of raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and strawberries next to bowls of pineapple chunks, cantaloupe pieces, watermelon squares. Go tropical wild and offer diced kiwi, sliced star fruit and chunks of mango.

Balance higher-priced fruits with lots of lower priced fruits. For guests who prefer that little something sweet, set out a bowl of brown sugar to be sprinkled over the fruit.

kd@chefkathleen.com