Instead of saying goodbye forever to your favorite, high-carb foods, here are some strategies for slashing the carb count while still getting to savor the flavor.

Turn  birthday cake into a parfait by putting a small, frosting-less piece into a dessert dish with some sugar-free pudding.

Since the crust is the carb-laden part of pizza, take a few bites of the thin end of a slice, then use a fork and knife to eat the toppings off the rest.

Make a chicken and cheese quesadilla using one white flour tortilla and one whole wheat or low-carb.

Make pasta using half whole-wheat (or low-carb) pasta and half semolina (white) pasta. (Check boiling times; the white pasta will cook faster, so you can just add it a few minutes later.)

At a sushi restaurant, order two pieces of sushi for a rice “fix” but make the rest of your meal sashimi (fish without the bed of rice). And don’t forget the miso soup!

Have a pancake made with whole-grain mix and top it with trans-fat free margarine, a light dusting of confectioner’s sugar (or Splenda) and chopped fruit.

Published 01/09/09