There are some ways to put meals on the table and enjoy treats while cutting serious calories. I'm sharing a few that I have found helpful and you might like to make life easier and food healthier.
Unsweetened applesauce. It is a good choice instead of sugar in many recipes. Use a 1:1 ration of unsweetened applesauce for sugar and reduce your liquid by 1/4 cup.
Unsweetened applesauce: It also comes to the rescue when trying to reduce the amount of fat in sweet breads and muffins. Reduce the oil by 1/2 adding an equivalent amount of applesauce.
If you bake keeping unsweetened applesauce on hand, it is a must. I read it works well when cooking from a mix.
Avocado puree: You might need to experiment with this, but start with 1:1 ratio of puree for butter.
Banana: Try substituting a 1:1 ratio of mashed bananas for butter. I freeze banana slices quite often slicing them into Ziploc bags before spoiling. This would be a great time to use them.
Spaghetti Squash: I love this and have it quite often. Layer on your choice of vegetables and a healthy sauce. It is a little trouble, but worth the time.
Lettuce leaves: Whenever you might "wrap", think lettuce for virtually calorie free.
Egg Whites: Instead of whole eggs, I use egg whites for my omelets in the evening. Substitute 2 egg whites for 1 whole egg in many recipes.
Kale Chips: I hope you have two ovens because you will love these instead of chips!
Greek Yogurt: We never buy sour cream, but I ALWAYS have Greek yogurt on hand. I also substitute Greek yogurt for mayo.
Zucchini: My grocery store cuts squash into ribbons providing another substitution for pasta.
Spinach: While iceberg lettuce is virtually calorie free, it is mostly water. I like spinach and kale for salads as well as cooking for more nutrition.
I am sure some of you have your favorites. I would love to hear from you so please feel free to share!
Resources: For more ideas check out greatest.com 83 Healthy Substitutions by Kate Morin
IDEA FOOD AND NUTRITION TIPS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015
