My friend Deb has been baking without fat for years, and her recipes are truly delicious. Even while the debate about high carbohydrate versus low carbohydrate rages, most agree that lowering your saturated fat intake is best for your health.

The National Cholesterol Education Program recommends a diet with no more than 30 percent fat, of which no more than 10 percent comes from saturated fat. Saturated fat is found mainly in animal products, but also in coconuts and palm oils.

Try Deb’s really good “rules of thumb” for baking with less fat! I love the simplicity of them.

DEB’S RULES OF THUMB

* Simply substitute the same amount of applesauce as the recipe calls for butter. In other words, if the recipe calls for one stick of butter (1/2 a cup) substitute ½ cup of applesauce.

* Some recipes are better if you just substitute half of the butter with applesauce.

* Other fruit purees such as that made of prunes also work. You can buy fruit purees for just such a purpose, although they are rarely made of pure fruit.

* When substituting thick fruit purees, such as those made with prunes, replace one stick of butter with 1/3 cup of puree.

Click here for recipes to make your own fruit purees..

Using yogurt cheese (Yochee) is another good way to reduce fat. Read here about how to make baked goods using yochee instead of fat here..