Fat Free Half & Half [View all]

[WhollyHeretic]

I've had a bit of a fixation on a fat free half & half lately and been experimenting with it. I've been using it in recipes to replace heavy cream or regular half & half. Just for reference hear are the calories and fat for a cup of each:

Heavy Cream 832 88
Half & Half 320 28
Fat Free Half & Half 160 0

I've tried it in a few recipes so far with pretty good success. It worked great in my tomato soup. I made my wife flambeed beefless tips and mushrooms in cream sauce for our anniversary. It is her favorite thing I've ever made but very high in calories and fat. I replaced the heavy cream with fat free half & half and corn starch. It tasted pretty close but the sauce was a little too thin. I'll have to experiment with that one a little more. I made a tomato cream sauce for some tortellini that came out really well.

Here is the recipe I came up with for the tomato cream pasta sauce:


½ tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion diced
1 shallot finely diced
¼ cup diced baby bellas
1 can tomato sauce
2 small cans tomato paste
1 teaspoon parsley
1 teaspoon basil
¼ teaspoon rosemary
¼ teaspoon sage
½ tablespoon sugar
1 ½ cups fat free half and half
2 teaspoon corn starch mixed with 1 tablespoon water

In a medium sauce pan over medium heat add olive oil, onions, shallots, and baby bellas. Cook until onions begin to brown. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, and herbs. Reduce heat to medium low and stir occasionally for 5-6 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir in half and half and corn starch mix. Continue to stir for a couple minutes and then remove from heat.