How To Modify Recipes For Healthy Results

Craving the creamy, dreamy taste of mashed potatoes but can’t indulge because you are on a diet? Or are you more of a sweet tooth type, thinking of the decadent sweetness of a brownie but can’t indulge?

Well, with a few quick and easy substitutions, you can still relish your favorite foods without totally falling off the diet wagon.

Let’s look at some tips on how to modify recipes for healthier results

How To Modify Recipes For Healthy Results

Substituting Fats

When it comes to making things taste good, fat does a really good job. Let’s take a look at some substitutes you can use when trying to reduce the impact of fat in your weight loss journey.

Plain Greek yogurt:

Many people don’t yet realize the versatility of this particular dairy product. Thick, creamy, and high in protein, nonfat or low-fat plain Greek yogurt is an excellent substitute for sour cream on your baked potato or in your mashed potatoes. In casseroles, replacing the Cream of Chicken soup with Greek yogurt really knocks down the calorie count without sacrificing the creamy texture or taste.

Applesauce:
This humble food is a terrific substitute for fat when making baked goods like brownies. Most brownie and other bake mixes call for at least a 1/3 cup of oil in the recipe. That’s over 330 calories just in the oil itself – not to mention the whopping 34 grams of fat.

When replacing oil with applesauce, measure 1/4 cup of applesauce for every 1/3 cup of oil. The best part of this substitution is that your baked goods – either cakes or brownies – won’t have any flavor of the applesauce whatsoever. I have done half oil and half applesauce too and it works well!

Low-fat and non-fat cheese:
Who doesn’t love a little cheese? But that cheesy goodness comes with a price – high fat and calories.

Thankfully, the dairy industry has risen to the call of the dieters and has come up with tasty, lower-fat versions of its usual fat-filled fare. Substitutions are easy: use the low-fat cheese exactly the same as you would normal cheese in your casseroles, eggs, and other foods.

One word of caution: nonfat cheese doesn’t melt nearly as well as low-fat cheese and is best used for sprinkling in salads and on top of soups and stews.

Substituting Sweets

There are several substitutes on the market when it comes to replacing sugar with something a little more low-calorie.

The artificial sweetener Saccharin is good for drinks and sprinkling on top of fruits, yogurts, and hot cereals but it does not do well in baking. Each individual serving packet has less than four calories but contains the sweetness of two teaspoons of sugar.

Sucralose, another artificial sweetener, has the same sweetness as saccharin but can be used in baking. Since it is not metabolized by the body, it has no calories.

Aspartame has the same sweetness level as saccharin and sucralose and can be used in recipes, but they must be custom-made for aspartame use. However, this product is not good for our bodies, so I would skip this one!

Monk Fruit
This is a safer option as a sweetener for people with Diabetes or someone who wants to watch their blood sugar. This natural sweetener does not elevate your sugars and is therefore a better choice.

Stevia
This natural-based sweetener is available for baking and drinks, but it does come with some issues. Stevia can actually upset your stomach and cause some allergic reactions in some people. It can impact blood pressure and cause bloating, plus raise heart attack and stroke risks. Even though this is a plant-based sweetener, it is often mixed with erythritol, which has been found to increase these health risks.

Cutting Portion Sizes

Another way to modify your recipes for healthier results is by changing or cutting the portion size. I remember Dolly Parton saying that she eats whatever she wants to, just limits her portions, and only enjoys a few tastes of decadent foods.

How simple and smart is that? Well, it sounds simple, but it can be tough in practice! Dedication for sure!

Weighing foods will help too. A good food scale is not that expensive and can help you with serving sizes.

Lots of Ideas

I hope this gave you some ideas on how to modify foods for your eating plans and healthy results! Comment below with some choices and changes you have made!

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