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