Post by Tammy Lynn on Jun 26, 2006 22:56:15 GMT -5
Almost any recipe can be made healthier. Whether you are watching carbs, fats, sugar, and/or sodium, you can adapt most recipes. To do this, first read through all ingredients carefully. What ingredient or ingredients can you substitute something else for? For example, to cut down on the fat content, substitute a no-fat or reduced-fat ingredient. Sugar-free applesauce can be used to replace oil or shortening in sweet breads. The bread will be just as moist. In 99 out of 100 recipes, the end result will taste the same and unless you tell anyone, they will have no clue that the particular dish is healthier for them.
Below is a handy little guide of healthier ingredients you can use:
REDUCED FAT CHEESES: Ricotta, Cream Cheese, Shredded Cheddar, Shredded Mozzarella, Shredded Mexican, Sour Cream, Cottage Cheese, and Yogurt (low sugar as well); Sliced American, Sliced Cheddar, Sliced Swiss, Sliced Monterey Jack, Brick Cheeses such as Cheddar, Swiss, American, and Gouda; Lite Velveeta.
EGGS: Use Egg Substitutes if you are watching your cholesterol; otherwise whole eggs are okay.
LOW FAT/SUGAR Ice Cream and Sherbet and Lite Cool Whip.
SUGAR SUBSTITUTES: Splenda or other sweetener.
SALTS: substitute herbs and seasonings like garlic and onion powder instead of the salts.
REDUCED FAT BAKERY PRODUCTS: Low Carb Whole Wheat items such as Crackers, Bread, Pita Bread, Tortillas, English Muffins, and Bagels.
LOW CARB WHOLE WHEAT Breadcrumbs (make your own and store in a jar with tight cover – you can use whole wheat bread or crackers).
WHOLE WHEAT PASTAS: Lasagna, Macaroni, Penne Pasta, Rigatoni, Spaghetti and Noodles.
RICE, BEANS AND NUTS: Regular and Instant Brown Rice, Regular and Instant Wild Rice, Variety of Dried Beans, Dried Seeds for Sprouting, Raw Nuts (not processed in oil).
WHOLE WHEAT FLOURS: Regular, Bread and Pastry; Reduced Fat Bisquick.
OILS AND FATS: Extra Virgin Olive, Canola or Sunflower; Cooking Spray, Margarine.
CANNED GOODS: 98% Fat-Free Cream of Mushroom, Broccoli, Chicken and Celery Soups; Low Fat Chicken, Beef and Vegetable Broths; Water-packed Tuna; Chicken or Turkey packed in broth; Tomato products such as tomatoes, tomato juice, tomato sauce, and tomato paste; various vegetables.
MEATS: Reduced Fat or Turkey Bacon, Luncheon Meats, Reduced fat or Turkey Hot Dogs, Breakfast Sausages; Boneless and Skinless Chicken Breasts, Ground Turkey, Lean Ground Beef, Lean Cuts of Beef or Pork, Roasts that you have trimmed off excess fat, Turkey Breasts.
FISH: Here is a list of fish and where they fall in terms of fats:
LOW-FAT (LESS THAN 5%): Catfish, Monkfish, Black Sea Bass, Cod, Orange Roughy, Flounder, Pollock, Grouper, Red Snapper, Haddock, Rockfish, Sole, Sea Trout, Striped Bass, Whiting, Swordfish, Tilapia, and Halibut.
MODERATELY FAT (5% TO 10%): Bluefish, Butterfish, Trout, Tuna, and Whitefish.
HIGHER FAT (MORE THAN 10%): Herring, Mackerel, Pompano, Salmon and Sardines.
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES: Fresh Fruits and Berries, Frozen Fruits and Berries with No Sugar Added, Canned Fruits or Berries packed in own syrup, Fresh Vegetables, Frozen Vegetables with No Sauces, Canned Vegetables, Dried Fruits with No Sugar Added.
MISCELLANEOUS: Non-Stick Cooking Spray, Low Fat Coffee Creamer, Low Carb/Sugar Cereals, Powdered Milk, Reduced-fat canned milk, Low Sodium Soy Sauce, Sugar-Free Pancake Syrup, Sugar-Free Jell-O and Pudding Mixes, Unsweetened Cocoa Powder, Light Corn Syrup, Reduced Fat Mayonnaise, Reduced Fat Salad Dressings, Low or No Sugar Applesauce, Reduced Sugar Jams/Jellies/Preserves, Low Sugar Peanut Butter, Sugar Free Hard Candies, Low Fat Buttermilk, Reduced Fat Granola Bars, Reduced Fat Popcorn, Fat Free Fig Bars, Unsweetened Fruit Juices, Unsweetened Juice Mixes, Fresh or Dried Herbs, Fine Sea Salt, Spices and Spice Blends, and Splenda.