Healthy Recipe Substitutions

Many people think eating healthy means that they have to give up all of their favorite foods and "go on a diet." It doesn't have to be that way. Diets are often seen as limiting or restrictive. By this definition a diet is mentally and emotionally challenging. Learning to think of how you eat as a "nutritional plan" instead of a "diet" and making different, healthier choices, is the way to a healthier lifestyle. Instead of telling yourself that you can't eat certain foods, think that you are making better choices.

Making healthy food choices often means knowing your ingredients, knowing how to substitute healthier ones for the ingredients in your favorite recipes. Use the following substitutions below to get started with your new nutritional plan.

Instead of This: Use This

All-purpose flour: Whole wheat flour - you may need to make the change slowly to avoid intestinal
distress

Enriched pasta: Whole grain or whole wheat pasta

White bread: Whole grain bread; remember if the first ingredient is enriched flour, avoid it

Instant oatmeal: Rolled oats are less processed and provide more fiber

White rice: Brown rice, wild rice, bulgur (cracked wheat) or quinoa all provide more fiber, flavor, and nutrition

White potatoes: Sweet potatoes provide more flavor, fiber and nutrients making them a better choice

White mushrooms: Shitake or portobello mushrooms are more nutritious and provide more flavor and texture

Ground meat: Diced vegetables or beans can easily substitute for up to half the ground meat called for in a recipe, adding fiber, flavor and nutrition while reducing the amount of fat

Canned beans: Rehydrated dried beans are full of fiber with none of the added chemicals

Margarine or shortening: Butter - avoid anything with transfats or with the words partially hydrogenated on the label

Mayonnaise: Try substituting mustard for mayonnaise in your recipes for less fat

Butter or oil: Applesauce, pumpkin puree or prune puree can be substituted for up to half the amount called for

One whole egg: 1 heaping T. ground flax seeds + 1 T. watercan be used to substitute for up to two eggs; although it won't provide as much protein you will be adding fiber

Flavored yogurt: Plain yogurt - preferably organic - without the added sugar this is a much better choice

Sour cream: Plain - preferably organic - yogurt provides less fat

Iceberg lettuce: Any of the darker greens, arugula, spinach, kale, swiss chard or dandelion greens will provide more nutrition

Salt: Reduce the amount of salt called for in your recipe and use herbs and spices to add flavor and you won't miss the salt

White sugar: (a) Less processed sugars such as sucant, rapadura, turbinado or demerara. These still provide calories but as they are less processed are a better choice (b) Reduce the amount of sugar called for in your recipe and use spices and flavorings such as cinnamon, cardamom, or vanilla to add flavor

Artificial sweeteners: Stevia - an all natural sweetener from plants that is 400 times sweeter than sugar

Roasted nuts: Raw and unsalted nuts are healthier

Nuts: Cut the amounts called for in the recipe by 1/3 to 1/2; this will cut calories and fat without sacrificing flavor

Dried fruit: If possible substitute fresh fruit otherwise cut the amount of dried fruit for by 1/3 to 1/2

Canned fruit: Fresh or frozen fruit will provide more nutrition, frozen fruit is picked and flash frozen immediately at the peak of nutrition. Frozen fruit also typically does not contain added sugar

Canned vegetables: Fresh or frozen vegetables will provide more nutrition, frozen vegetables are picked and flash frozen immediately and are at their peak of nutrition

It is important to make notes as you substitute ingredients in your favorite recipes, this way you will know what you like and what you don't. It's also important to only substitute one or two ingredients at a time as you modify a recipe. This way you will know if something doesn't work well which ingredient substitution did not work the way you anticipated.

Don't just use the list above to modify recipes you already have. Be on the lookout for recipes that use these healthier ingredients, you may find new favorites that you never knew were out there.