Substitute These Things to Make it Lighter
There are many ways to continue enjoying the same dishes we have always liked, by substituting a few ingredients. Most of the time, no one will be the wiser – but everyone will be healthier. Try these substitutions in your recipes:
1 whole egg | 2 egg whites |
1 egg yolk | 1 egg white |
1 egg for thickening | 2 Tbs. flour |
1 oz. baking chocolate | 3 TBS cocoa powder + I Tbs. canola oil |
Fudge sauce | Chocolate syrup (lite) |
Nuts | Use half. Toast them for more flavor |
Coconut | Dried fruit |
Frosting | Meringue, fat-free whipped topping, confectioner’s sugar or cocoa powder, jam |
High fat choice & prime meat | Low-fat “select” cuts |
Ground meat | Use 90% lean or higher variety |
Lunch meat | Turkey, chicken or lean ham best, but best to eliminate altogether (nitrites are bad for your health) |
Sausage | Veggie sausage |
Bacon | Canadian bacon or lean ham |
Salad dressing | Use olive oil, water and vinegar or lemon of commercial fat-free dressing |
Creamed soups | Broth w/o fat or skim milk |
Whole milk | Skim, or 1% |
Cream | Evaporated fat-free milk or fat-free half & half |
Whipped cream | Whipped chilled evaporated skim milk or low/fat-free whipped topping. |
Sour cream | Fat-free sour cream. Use fat-free yogurt in dip. |
Mayonnaise | Low-fat or fat-free mayo. Use fat-free yogurt in dip. |
Cream cheese | Reduced fat or fat-free (Don’t bake with fat-free) |
Ricotta cheese | 1% cottage cheese, low or non-fat ricotta |
All cheeses | Skim mozzarella or reduced fat-cheeses |
Butter, lard, shortening | Use canola or margarine with no trans-fats. |
Stick margarine | Soft, tub, squeeze or whipped, reduced fat and fat free. Check labels for suitability in baking or frying. |
Oil (in baking) | Use equal amount of applesauce or twice the amount of plain, low-fat yogurt. |
Source: Government of Virginia