season) is just around the corner.

For all those who put on a few unwanted pounds during the winter, take heart -- you have eight weeks until May 24, the "official'' start of the swimming season.

Here are a few healthy, low-fat recipes to help you shed those unwanted pounds.

SEASONED PORK CHOPS WITH APPLES 4 pork loin or rib chops, about 1/2 inch thick (about 1 pound) 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon chopped fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves 1 teaspoon paprika 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 1/2 cups fat-free chicken broth 2 cups sliced onions (about 1 large) 2 cups sliced cabbage 2 green apples, peeled and sliced 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley TRIM fat from pork. Mix flour, thyme, paprika and pepper in plastic bag with zipper top. Add pork. Seal bag and shake until pork is well coated.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray overproof Dutch oven with non-stick cooking spray. Heat Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook pork in Dutch oven until brown on both sides. Remove pork from Dutch oven.

Add broth to Dutch oven; scrape bottom with wooden spoon to loosen any brown bits. Heat to boiling. Stir in onions and cabbage. Cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Top with pork and apples.

Cover and bake about 1 hour or until pork is tender. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.

*** ORIENTAL BARBECUED CHICKEN Chicken thighs can be substituted for the breasts here, but they have about 9 milligrammes more cholesterol per serving.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 pound) 1/2 cup hoisin sauce 1 tablespoon sesame oil 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped SET oven control to broil. Spray broiler rack with nonstick cooking spray.

Trim fat from chicken. Place chicken on rack in broiler pan. Mix remaining ingredients; brush on chicken.

Broil with tops about 4 inches from heat 7 to 8 minutes or until brown. Turn; brush with sauce. Broil 4 to 5 minutes longer or until juice of chicken is no loner pink when centres of thickest pieces are cut. Heat remaining sauce to boiling. Serve with chicken.

*** OVEN-POACHED FISH STEAKS Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place 4 lean fish steaks, 1 inch thick (about 1.5lbs), in ungreased rectangular baking dish, 11x7x1 1/2 inches. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Place 1 sprig of dill weed and 1 slice of lemon on each steak. Pour 1/4 cup dry white wine or water over fish. Bake uncovered 20 to 25 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork.

Remove steaks from dish with slotted spatula; drain. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate up to two days for cold dishes.

Recipes from Betty Crocker's Low-Fat, Low-Cholesterol Cookbook.

*** CHINESE EGG AND NOODLE STIR-FRY 225 grammes/8 ounces egg-thread noodles 1 tablespoon sunflower oil 4 spring onions, chopped 1 garlic clove, crushed Knob of root ginger, peeled and finely chopped 50 grammes/2 ounces bamboo shoots 25 grammes/1 ounce water chestnuts, sliced 50 grammes/2 ounces cashew nuts 50 grammes/2 ounces button mushrooms 1 tablespoon dry sherry 100 grammes/3 1/2 ounces fresh bean sprouts 4 medium eggs, lightly beaten Salt SOAK the noodles according to the packet instructions while you cook the stir-fry.

Heat the oil in a wok or non-stick frying pan and stir-fry the spring onions, garlic and ginger for a minute.

Add the bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, cashew nuts, mushrooms and sherry and stir for a minute. Add the bean sprouts, eggs and salt and cook, stirring, until the eggs are scrambled.

Drain the noodles and serve the stir-fry on them.

*** REDUCED-FAT SCONES 175 grammes/6 ounces plain wholemeal flour 50 grammes/2 ounces plain white flour 1 tablespoon baking powder Little salt 50 grammes/2 ounces caster sugar 50 grammes/2 ounces reduced-fat cooking spread 75 millilitres/3 fluid ounces skimmed milk PREHEAT the oven to 200 degrees C/500 degrees F/gas 6 with a non-stick baking sheet in it.

Sift the flours, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl and tip any wholemeal flour left in the sieve into the mixing bowl.

Add the sugar and stir in. Rub the fat into the flour lightly with your fingertips, until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Add the milk to make a dough that comes away cleanly from the sides of the bowl.

Either cut 8 rounds from the rolled-out dough or form it into a 15 cm/6 in round and mark that into 8 triangles. Put on the preheated baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.

*** LEMON AND LIME SORBET 150 grammes/5 1/2 ounces caster sugar 100 millilitres/3 1 fluid ounces fresh lemon juice 100 millilitres/3 1/2 ounces fresh lime juice Whites of 2 eggs DISSOLVE the sugar in 350 ml/ 12 1 oz water over a low heat, stirring. Bring to the boil and boil for 10 minutes. Let cool.

Add the lemon and lime juices, pour the mixture into a plastic dish and freeze until mushy. Turn out into a large mixing bowl and whisk until frothy.

In another bowl beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks and fold them into the juice mixture. Put back in the plastic dish and freeze until firm.

Pop in the fridge for a few minutes before eating, to allow to soften up slightly.

Recipes from Slim and Healthy Vegetarian.