With Memorial Day around the corner, I can't help thinking ahead to summer. Summer ought to be the easiest time of year to eat low fat. With an abundance of fruit, from super-sweet berries to succulent watermelon, and a variety of veggies to use in all kinds of salads, there's really no excuse not to eat healthy. But factor in big juicy steaks, hot dogs, burgers, ribs, potato salad, chips, ice cream sundaes, not to mention beer and soda, and the calories and fat soon add up. Yet summer wouldn't be the same if you couldn’t fire up the grill, pack the cooler for a picnic, and celebrate Memorial Day and beyond. So find out how you can do all those things while cutting back on fat.

_{Photo © Fiona Haynes, licensed to About.com}

Janice Taylor, author of Our Lady of Weight Loss, and most recently, All is Forgiven, Move On, is on a mission. She wants to make weight loss fun. Perhaps that's not the adjective that comes to mind when you think about losing weight. But before you dismiss any attempt to make light of the subject (excuse the pun), Ms. Taylor does have a serious message. She urges us to forgive ourselves when we stray. This is no easy task. Most of us give up at the drop of a doughnut.

Thankfully, in All is Forgiven, Move On, Ms. Taylor provides a road map to Sveltesville, our metaphorical destination, with plenty of fun yet mostly practical stops along the way. And for those who take a wrong turn, there are plenty of opportunities to turn around.

Find out whether this journey to Sveltesville is for you by reading my review of All is Forgiven, Move On. You have nothing to lose but weight.

_{Cover Photo Courtesy of Pricegrabber}

Perhaps it’s my British upbringing, but I find rhubarb quite irresistible. I have fond memories of being served rhubarb crumble (and custard) as a child—it's the British equivalent of America's apple pie. Technically a vegetable—think red celery—we use rhubarb as a fruit, although it can be used in savory dishes. But for many people rhubarb is too tart, and simply avoided. So why not try this classic pairing of sweet strawberries with rhubarb and see if it wins you over. Here’s the recipe for Strawberry-Rhubarb compote, which can be served warm over pancakes or cold in a dessert.

_{Photo © Fiona Haynes, licensed to About.com, Inc.}

We're not having much of a spring here in the Pacific Northwest. It's colder than it should be, and it's raining. A lot. I suppose rain is a feature of spring, but some sunshine would be nice, too. All this rainy weather has me yearning for some comfort food. At the same time, I don't want anything too heavy, so I'm making a nice fish pie.

This creamy fish pie is topped with fluffy mashed potatoes. It's comfort food at its lightest and best, and highly nutritious, too.

_{Low Fat Fish Pie Photo © 2008 Fiona Haynes, licensed to About.com, Inc.}

Cheese is a wonderful source of protein and calcium, but a major source of saturated fat. It's not necessary to eliminate cheese from your diet, though, unless your doctor says you should. Compromise most of the time by using reduced-fat cheese, and indulge in the real thing from time to time; just use it sparingly.

I had the chance to review some of Sargento's reduced-fat cheeses. Find out if they deserve a place in your refrigerator. For more on whether cheese fits into a low-fat diet:

• Yes or No to Cheese?

_{Sargento Cheese © 2008 Fiona Haynes, licensed to About.com, Inc.}

In my world there are two Mother’s Days: the U.K. version, which falls in March, when it’s my job to remember my own mother, and the U.S. one, which is this Sunday, when my two excited children scurry about semi-furtively, planning some culinary masterpiece befitting their ages. And you know, uncooked oatmeal topped with a generous amount of chocolate milk isn’t as bad as you might expect. It’s certainly more palatable than burnt toast, or some of that multi-colored cereal that’s actually meant to be served cold.

Anyway, if it’s your turn to treat mom this year, I have 10 terrific low-fat recipes that should fit the bill, ranging from delicious breakfast or brunch options to dinner and dessert.

_{Crepes Photo © Fiona Haynes, licensed to About.com, Inc.}

Made in a mini muffin tin, these cute little frittatas make a perfect portion-controlled buffet or party food. Because these little frittatas are low fat, you can even have two or three without feeling too guilty. Make these for a family gathering on Mother's Day, and serve with low-fat muffins and fresh fruit.

More Low Fat Egg Dishes

• Herbed Egg White and Spinach Omelet
• Huevos Rancheros Wraps
• Asparagus Frittata
• Spinach and Mushroom Frittata

_{Bite-Size Frittatas © 2008 Fiona Haynes, licensed to About.com, Inc.}

My sixth-grader reminds me that Cinco de Mayo is not the same as Mexican Independence Day—a common misconception. Instead, Cinco de Mayo celebrates the Mexican army’s victory over a much-larger French army at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. Although it's not a holiday in the United States, many Americans celebrate it in much the same way they celebrate St. Patrick's Day, another adopted holiday, with food, drink, and much revelry. So here’s a recipe in honor of Cinco de Mayo: a low-fat tamale pie, which makes a great potluck dish. Extra-lean ground beef, and reduced fat cheese keep the fat calories in check.

More Cinco de Mayo Recipes

• Beef Enchiladas
• Pinto Bean and Sweet Corn Chili
• Beef and Black Bean Chili
• Southwestern-Style Lasagna
• Chicken Enchiladas

_{Tamale Pie Photo © Fiona Haynes, licensed to About.com, Inc.}

I don’t need an excuse to dip into some taste-bud-tingling salsa, but if you need one, Cinco de Mayo is just around the corner. Bake some low-fat tortilla chips and enjoy one of these naturally low-fat salsas:

• Fresh Salsa
• Mango-Black Bean Salsa
• Mango-Tomato Salsa
• Avocado, Bean and Corn Salsa
• Peach Salsa
• Salsa Verde

Or take your pick of these authentic salsas from Chelsie Kenyon, About's Guide to Mexican Cuisine. Once you’ve made your own, you won’t be satisfied with bottled salsas again.

_{Mango-Tomato Salsa Photo © Fiona Haynes, licensed to About.com, Inc.}

Spaghetti and Meatballs is a favorite in our house, but it's not exactly a low-fat, low-calorie meal. I shave fat calories by substituting lean ground turkey for ground beef, and using a little less meat overall. To boost the nutritional value of the meal, I serve the meatballs with a low-sodium tomato sauce and whole-wheat spaghetti. Since meatballs are pretty much a weekly staple, I like to keep them interesting by messing with the flavorings a little. These slightly spicy turkey meatballs have a distinctive southwestern flavor. You can ramp up the heat by adding some hot sauce to the mix.

_{Spicy Turkey Meatballs © 2008 Fiona Haynes, licensed to About.com, Inc.}