Skip to content

Top Secrets Recipes-Lite!: Creating Reduced-Fat Kitchen Clones of America's
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

Top Secrets Recipes-Lite!: Creating Reduced-Fat Kitchen Clones of America's Favorite Brand-Name Foods Paperback - 1998

by Todd Wilbur

Bestselling food detective Todd Wilbur offers 75 "lite" recipes inspired by favorite brand-name foods such as Big Macs and Snickers bars, complete with his helpful diagrams, which call for ingredients easily found at the local supermarket.


Summary

With the new health-consciousness sweeping America, many of us feel we can no longer indulge in the tasty but guilt-inducing foods we grew up with. Todd Wilbur, who made a name for himself by allowing us to clone treats such as OreosTM and Outback Steakhouse® Blooming OnionsTM in our own kitchens, now gives us back our cherished foods with reduced fat and calories. Not only does Wilbur enable us to produce lite versions of Cinnabon® Cinnamon Rolls and TwinkiesTM, he shows us how to duplicate our favorite SnackwellTM and Healthy ChoiceTM products. Top Secret Recipes—Lite! includes recipes for 75 new dishes, complete with Wilbur's helpful diagrams, which call for ingredients easily found at the local supermarket. The newest addition to the Top Secret Recipe franchise is sure to make us not only happier, but healthier.

From the publisher

#1 bestselling Top Secret Recipes series with more than 4 million books sold! With health-consciousness sweeping America, many of us feel we can no longer indulge in the tasty but guilt-inducing foods we grew up with. Todd Wilbur, who made a name for himself by allowing us to clone treats such as Oreos(TM)and Outback Steakhouse(R) Blooming Onions(TM)in our own kitchens, now gives us back our cherished foods with reduced fat and calories. Not only does Wilbur enable us to produce lite versions of Cinnabon(R) Cinnamon Rolls and Twinkies(TM), he shows us how to duplicate our favorite Snackwell(TM) and Healthy Choice(TM)products. Top Secret Recipes--Lite! includes recipes for 75 new dishes, complete with Wilbur's helpful diagrams, which call for ingredients easily found at the local supermarket. The newest addition to the Top Secret Recipe franchise is sure to make us not only happier, but healthier.

Details

  • Title Top Secrets Recipes-Lite!: Creating Reduced-Fat Kitchen Clones of America's Favorite Brand-Name Foods
  • Author Todd Wilbur
  • Binding Paperback
  • Edition Eighth Printing
  • Pages 256
  • Volumes 1
  • Language ENG
  • Publisher Plume Books, New York, New York, U.S.A.
  • Date 1998-11-01
  • Illustrated Yes
  • ISBN 9780452280144 / 0452280141
  • Weight 0.61 lbs (0.28 kg)
  • Dimensions 9.04 x 6.04 x 0.68 in (22.96 x 15.34 x 1.73 cm)
  • Ages 18 to UP years
  • Grade levels 13 - UP
  • Themes
    • Topical: Health & Fitness
  • Library of Congress subjects Cookery, American, Low-fat diet - Recipes
  • Library of Congress Catalog Number 98039944
  • Dewey Decimal Code 641.563

Excerpt

Top Secret Recipes Fat-Free Version of Kellog's Rice Krispies Treats

It wasn't long after the cereal's 1928 introduction that Kellog Kitchens invented a way to mix Rice Krispies with melted marshmallows and butter to produce an alternative, nonbreakfast use for the product. In the early forties the Rice Krispies Treats recipe was printed on boxes of Rice Krispies cereal and became a great recipe for kids since it was very easy to make, required no baking, and could be eated almost immediately. The popularity of these treats inspired two additional cereals in the early nineties: Fruity Marshmallow Krispies, and Rice Krispies Treats Cereal. And at the same time, Kellog came out with individually packaged Rice Krispies Treats, for those who wanted instant satisfaction without having to spend time in the kitchen. But that product, just like the popular recipe printed on the cereal box, contained 2 grams of fat. And since the packaged Treats are small, it's tough to eat just one (tell me about it).

By using the Butter Buds Sprinkles and making some other important changes to the recipe, I have come up with a treat recipe for bars that taste like the packaged product, at considerably less cost (the recipe makes the equivalent of three boxes of the real thing), and with not one gram of fat.

non stick cooking spray
7 cups miniature marshmallows
3 tablespoons Butter Buds Sprinkles
2 tablespoons water
? teaspoon vanilla
? teaspoon salt
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal

Lightly coat a large nonstick saucepan or pot with cooking spray.
1. Add the marshmallows, Butter Buds, water, vanilla, and salt to the pan and set over medium/ low heat. Stir the mixture constantly while cooking until the marshmallows are completely melted. Turn off the heat.
2. Add the Rice Krispies and stir until the cereal is completely coated.
3. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with a light coating of the cooking spray. Pour the Rice Krispies mixture into the pan. Moisten your hands and press the mixture into the pan until flat.
4. When the mixture cools completely, cut four times down and four across, making 25 bars.

? Makes 25 Bars

Nutritional facts (per serving) Serving size: 1 bar Total servings: 25

Calories: Lite 90 Original 90

Fat: Lite 0g Original 2g


Top Secret Recipes reduced-fat version of McDonald's? Big Mac?

When the first Big Mac was served by a McDonald's franchisee in 1968, it was a time when all food in America was prepared with little attention to the amount of fat. Some low-calorie products had been developed, but they were not hugely popular, and most Americans ate and prepared food using whatever ingredients made it taste the best. Around 27 years later, McDonald's responded to the public's rapidly changing, health-conscious eating habits with the McLean Deluxe, a burger with a significantly reduced amount of fat. But the McLean Deluxe was not a commercial success; it never even came close to selling as fast as the other McDonald's burgers. Soon the McLean Deluxe was history. And today, as reduced-fat products in supermarkets are selling faster than ever, McDonald's has not replaced the McLean Deluxe on its menu. The Big Mac is still king, with its 31 grams of fat. Here's a clone to make a version of the Big Mac at home with less than half the fat of the original.

FAT-FREE "SPECIAL SAUCE"
? cup fat-free mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fat-free French dressing
2 teaspoons sweet pickle relish
11/2 teaspoons finely minced white onion
? teaspoon white vinegar
? teaspoon sugar
dash salt

2 sesame seed hamburger buns
2 additional top buns
? pound super-lean ground beef (7 percent fat)
dash salt
dash pepper
2 teaspoons finely diced white onion
1 cup chopped lettuce
2 slices fat-free American cheese
dill pickle slices

1. Prepare the sauce by combining all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and mixing well. Cover and chill until needed.
2. With a serrated knife, cut the top (the rounded part) off both the extra top buns. This will create two double-faced middle buns for your double-decker hamburgers. The part you cut off,-the part with the sesame seeds, can be tossed.
3. Brown the faces of all the buns-including both sides of the two middle buns-in a frying pan or griddle that has been preheated to medium heat. Keep the pan hot.
4. Divide the meat into four 1/8 pound portions. Roll each one into a ball and press down onto wax paper to approximately the same diameter as the bun. Peel the beef patties from the wax paper and cook them in the hot pan or on the griddle. Lightly salt and pepper each patty and cook them for 2 to 3 minutes per side.
5. While the meat cooks, prepare the rest of the sandwich by spreading about a tablespoon of the sauce onto the face of the bottom bun, and the same amount onto the top face of the middle bun.
6. Sprinkle about ? teaspoon of white onion onto the sauce on each of the four buns.
7. Divide the lettuce into four even portions and spread it on the onions on each of the sauce-covered buns.
8. Place a slice of American cheese on the lettuce on each of the two bottom buns.
9. Place two dill pickle slices on the lettuce on each of the two middle buns.
10. When the meat is done, place the patties on each of the bottom and middle buns on top of the other ingredients, then assemble the burger by stacking the middle buns onto the bottom buns, and finish it off with the top bun. Microwave the burger for 10 to 15 seconds, if you would like it to have that just-out-of -the-wrapper heat.

? Serves 2

Nutritional facts (per serving)
Serving Size: 1 burger
Total servings: 2
Calories: Lite 500 Original 560
Fat: Lite 13g Original 31g

Media reviews

Citations

  • Booklist, 11/15/1998, Page 556

About the author

For more than 25 years, Todd Wilbur has been reverse-engineering America's most iconic foods for his series of 11 Top Secret Recipes cookbooks. With over 5 million books in print, the self-proclaimed "food hacker" has appeared in over 100 media outlets including The New York Times, People Magazine, Newsweek, The Daily News, Entertainment Weekly, The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Today Show, Good Morning America, Fox & Friends, The Dr. Oz Show, and The Food Network. His website www.TopSecretRecipes.com is the #1 copycat recipes website with 1 million visitors every month. He lives with his family in Las Vegas, NV.
Back to Top

More Copies for Sale

Top Secret Recipes Lite!
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

Top Secret Recipes Lite!

by Wilbur, Todd

  • Used
Condition
UsedGood
ISBN 13
9780452280144
ISBN 10
0452280141
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Imperial, Missouri, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£4.05
FREE shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
UsedGood. The item shows wear from consistent use, but it remains in good condition and works perfectly. All pages and cover are intact (including the dust cover, if applicable). Spine may show signs of wear. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting. May NOT include discs, access code or other supplemental materials.
Item Price
£4.05
FREE shipping to USA
Top Secret Recipes Lite!
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

Top Secret Recipes Lite!

by Wilbur, Todd

  • Used
Condition
Used - Good
ISBN 13
9780452280144
ISBN 10
0452280141
Quantity Available
2
Seller
Mishawaka, Indiana, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£4.07
FREE shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Penguin Publishing Group. Used - Good. Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages.
Item Price
£4.07
FREE shipping to USA
Top Secret Recipes Lite!
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

Top Secret Recipes Lite!

by Wilbur, Todd

  • Used
  • good
  • Paperback
Condition
Used - Good
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 13
9780452280144
ISBN 10
0452280141
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Memphis, Tennessee, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£4.16
FREE shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Plume, 1998-11-01. Paperback. Good. 8x5x0.
Item Price
£4.16
FREE shipping to USA
Top Secret Recipes Lite!
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

Top Secret Recipes Lite!

by Wilbur, Todd

  • Used
  • Acceptable
  • Paperback
Condition
Used - Acceptable
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 13
9780452280144
ISBN 10
0452280141
Quantity Available
3
Seller
Memphis, Tennessee, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£4.16
FREE shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Plume, 1998-11-01. Paperback. Acceptable. 6x0x9.
Item Price
£4.16
FREE shipping to USA
Top Secret Recipes Lite!
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

Top Secret Recipes Lite!

by Wilbur, Todd

  • Used
  • good
  • Paperback
Condition
Used - Good
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 13
9780452280144
ISBN 10
0452280141
Quantity Available
4
Seller
Houston, Texas, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 4 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£4.19
FREE shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Plume, 1998-11-01. Paperback. Good. 6x0x9.
Item Price
£4.19
FREE shipping to USA
Top Secret Recipes Lite!
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

Top Secret Recipes Lite!

by Wilbur, Todd

  • Used
  • Acceptable
  • Paperback
Condition
Used - Acceptable
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 13
9780452280144
ISBN 10
0452280141
Quantity Available
3
Seller
Houston, Texas, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 4 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£4.19
FREE shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Plume, 1998-11-01. Paperback. Acceptable. 6x0x9.
Item Price
£4.19
FREE shipping to USA
Top Secret Recipes Lite!
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

Top Secret Recipes Lite!

by Wilbur, Todd

  • Used
  • good
  • Paperback
Condition
Used - Good
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 13
9780452280144
ISBN 10
0452280141
Quantity Available
3
Seller
Kingwood, Texas, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£4.19
FREE shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Plume, 1998-11-01. Paperback. Good. 6x0x9.
Item Price
£4.19
FREE shipping to USA
Top Secret Recipes Lite!

Top Secret Recipes Lite!

by Todd Wilbur

  • Used
  • good
  • Paperback
Condition
Used - Good
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 13
9780452280144
ISBN 10
0452280141
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Seattle, Washington, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 4 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£4.88
FREE shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Penguin Publishing Group, 1998. Paperback. Good. Disclaimer:A copy that has been read, but remains in clean condition. All pages are intact, and the cover is intact. The spine may show signs of wear. Pages can include limited notes and highlighting, and the copy can include previous owner inscriptions. At ThriftBooks, our motto is: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
Item Price
£4.88
FREE shipping to USA
Top Secrets Recipes-Lite!: Creating Reduced-Fat Kitchen Clones of America's Favorite Brand-Name...

Top Secrets Recipes-Lite!: Creating Reduced-Fat Kitchen Clones of America's Favorite Brand-Name Foods

by Wilbur, Todd

  • Used
  • Paperback
Condition
Like New
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 13
9780452280144
ISBN 10
0452280141
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Seattle, Washington, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 4 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£4.88
FREE shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Penguin Adult Hc/Tr, 1998. Paperback. Like New. Pages are clean and are not marred by notes or folds of any kind. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
Item Price
£4.88
FREE shipping to USA
Top Secret Recipes Lite!
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

Top Secret Recipes Lite!

by Wilbur, Todd

  • Used
Condition
UsedAcceptable
ISBN 13
9780452280144
ISBN 10
0452280141
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Interlochen, Michigan, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£5.25
FREE shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
UsedAcceptable. The item is very worn but continues to work perfectly. Signs of wear can include aesthetic issues such as scratches, dents, worn and creased covers, folded page corners and minor liquid stains. All pages and the cover are intact, but the dust cover may be missing. Pages may include moderate to heavy amount of notes and highlighting, but the text is not obscured or unreadable. Page edges may have foxing (age related spots and browning). May NOT include discs, access code or other supplemental materials.
Item Price
£5.25
FREE shipping to USA