Baillie and Mrs. Mellonie Barnum-Branco in response to many requests from those wishing to cut down on their fat and calorie intake and control their weight over Christmas.

The nutritionists have also give guidelines on how to adjust recipes throughout the year.

*** Christmas time is a time of good cheer and happiness with festivities focused on food and drink. Whether you like to throw or attend parties, you too can party hearty and control your weight. Forward planning and moderation in all things are the keys. Don't deprive yourself completely, but be selective with food and drink. Exercise is the only thing you can't get too much of! More and more people are opting to celebrate Christmas without the high fat, high calorie foods and alcohol of the past. You too can join others who are enjoying the taste and health benefits of cooking "Lite''. Try some of our "Lite'' Christmas recipes or use the information provided to adjust your own recipes to make them lower fat. Plan your menus so you minimise the use of high fat foods, use more fruits, vegetables and whole grain breads, crackers, rice and pastas.

You could be saving as many as 150 calories and 15 grams of fat, per portion, by using the Reduced Fat Cassava Pie recipe.

A half a cup of tasty "lite'' egg nog would save you 150 calories and 14 grams of fat.

Use the information provided to calculate the calories and grams of fat in your own recipes.

Enjoy the spirit of Christmas but acquire an eye and stomach for sensible but enjoyable eating and get plenty of exercise.

*** LITE EGG NOG 2 cups skim milk 1 cup evaporated skim milk 1 cup egg substitute 1 cup sugar 1 cup rum OR 1 tsp. rum flavouring 1 tsp. vanilla 1 tsp. nutmeg 2 egg whites, beaten (optional) PLACE first 7 ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth (add more sugar if you like a sweeter nog). In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff, fold into mixture. Pour into glasses and sprinkle with nutmeg. Makes 5 - 6 cups.

1 cup serving (4 oz.) of: Lite Egg Nog has 110 calories, 0 gms. fat.

Original recipe eggnog has 260 calories, 14 gms. fat.

Commercial eggnog has 335 calories, 16 gms. fat.

*** LITE "POUND'' CAKE 1 cup 2 tbsp. margarine 11 cups sugar 33 cups flour 3 tsp baking soda pinch salt 11 tsp baking powder 2 tsp vanilla 12 oz. low fat lemon yoghurt 2 whole eggs 2 egg whites GREASE and flour two 9''x 5'' loaf pans. Cream together margarine and sugar.

Beat in dry ingredients. Add vanilla, yoghurt, eggs and egg whites, and beat for 3 minutes at medium speed. Divide batter between pans and bake at 325 degrees F. for 45 to 60 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans. Cut each cooled loaf into 12 slices.

Serving Size: 1 slice Calories: 218 per serving Fat: 9 grams per serving *** LITE CASSAVA PIE 3 lbs. cassava OR 1 lb. farina 31 cups skim milk IF using farina, soak it in the evaporated milk overnight.

2 cups egg substitute or 8 egg whites 8 oz. margarine 11 cups sugar 1 cup flour 1 tsp. nutmeg 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. baking powder 21 lbs. boneless chicken breast COOK chicken in broth. Strain broth and save. Cut chicken into pieces. Cream margarine and sugar together. Add egg substitute, a bit at a time, to mixture.

Add drained cassava or farine, nutmeg, salt and baking powder. Fold in flour.

Grease two loaf pans with non-stick spray. Pour half the mixture into bottom of loaf pans. Add chicken pieces. Pour remaining mixture on top. Make a hole on the top of the pie. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 2 - 3 hours. After one hour pour chicken stock in pie hole. Yield: 16 portions.

One portion 375 calories, 15 grams fat for cassava. 340 calories, 15 grams fat for farina.

*** LOW CALORIE FESTIVE FRUITCAKE 21 cups candied fruits 1 cup dark raisins 1 cup golden raisins 1 cup dried apricots, chopped 1 cup dark rum 1 cup chopped almonds 1 cup margarine, softened 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon artificial sweetener (granulated sugar substitute) 3 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 11 cups all-purpose flour 11 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon ground allspice 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon salt IN a bowl, combine candied fruits, dark and golden raisins, apricots and rum; set aside about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in almonds. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

In another bowl with mixer, cream margarine, sugar and artificial sweetener (granulated sugar substitute). Beat in eggs, and vanilla. Gradually stir in dry ingredients and fruit mixture. Divide batter between two loaf pans sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake 1 hour and 45 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove and cool on wire racks.

*** LITE MACARONI & CHEESE 2 cups macaroni 11 cups skim milk 2 tbsp. diet margarine 2 tbsp. flour 3 oz. reduced fat Cheddar cheese 1 tsp. mustard 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp. salt COOK macaroni according to directions. Drain. Melt margarine in a saucepan mix in flour and stir over low heat for 1 minute. Remove pan from heat, gradually stir in milk, beat sauce until smooth. Return to heat, bring sauce slowly to a boil, stirring continuously until sauce thickens. Remove from heat and stir in grated cheese, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and macaroni. Serve as is, or place in baking pan sprayed with non-stick spray. Top with bread crumbs and bake 20 - 30 minutes at 350 degrees F. Makes 8 half-cup servings.

Lite macaroni & cheese, per serving: 170 calories, 3.5 gms. fat.

Regular macaroni & cheese, per serving: 215 calories, 11 gms fat.

*** HEALTHY GIFT IDEAS If you must give food avoid the chocolates. Instead, choose fruit baskets, bottled preserves, sparkling grape juices, reduced fat cheeses, speciality teas and coffees, cracker assortments in decorated tins, one of your own"Lite'' homemade goodies, or chestnuts.

*** ADJUSTING RECIPES FOR FAT, SUGAR AND SALT Often the fat, sugar and salt in a baking recipe may be decreased without any damage to the product. By lowering the fat, sugar and salt content you can reduce the calories and produce a more healthful product. Here's how: REDUCING FAT Modifying fats in recipes for baked products requires experimentation. It is important to make changes gradually. Take one step at a time until the recipe is satisfactory for content while retaining its quality. The following guidelines may be helpful: The minimum amount of fat for muffins, quick breads, and biscuits is 1 to 2 tablespoons per cup of flour.

Some yeast breads, such as English muffins and French bread, can be made without fat.

The minimum amount of fat for cakes is 2 tablespoons per cup of flour.

Soft drop cookies generally contain less fat than crisp rolled cookies.

The fat level can usually be adjusted to 2 tablespoons per cup of flour.

Lowering the fat too much in rolled cookies can make the dough difficult to roll.

*** SUGAR Frequently the sugar content in a recipe can be reduced to one-half the original amount or more with minimal effect on the product quality.

Use 1 cup sugar per cup of flour in cakes. (Cakes with less sugar may be more like a quick bread then a cake).

Use 1 tablespoon sugar per cup of flour in muffins and quick breads.

Use only 1 teaspoon sugar per cup of flour in yeast breads.

*** SALT Sodium is a part of salt and most leavening agents (baking powder and baking soda). You can usually reduce the amount of these ingredients and still have a good quality product.

Use 1 teaspoon salt per cup of flour in yeast breads. (In yeast breads, salt helps control the action of yeast.) Use only half the amount of salt called for in baked products other than yeast breads.

Use 11 teaspoons baking powder per cup of flour in biscuits, muffins, or waffles.

Use 1 teaspoon baking powder per cup of flour in cakes.

*** SWEETENING WITH LESS SUGAR Add back flavour without calories by using one or more of the following: Grated orange or lemon rind (1 tsp. per 4 or more servings) Cinnamon, gingr, nutmeg, cloves, cardamon, allspice (1 tsp. per 4 servings).

Vanilla or other flavour (1 tsp. flavour per 4 or more servings). Taste and adjust accordingly. If you increase the amount of a recipe the amount of spices needed does not necessarily increase proportionately.

*** REDUCING EGGS There are three different options: Use egg substitute Substitute 2 egg whites for each whole egg NUTRITION EXPERT -- Betsy Baille.