Healthy Eating

I pay close attention to the food I buy and prepare.  I watch the ingredients and like to make as much from scratch as I can.  This helps me monitor what I'm eating and allows for substitutions of various ingredients to cut calories if possible and boost the health factor.  However, you will notice on this blog that I don't always cut everything that is considered "unhealthy."  When making special treats, I still use butter and real sugar if a recipe calls for it.

Some substitutions I use are:

• Plain yogurt in place of buttermilk or sour cream.  (I personally like the Stonyfield Organic yogurt.)  Any time a recipe calls for buttermilk or sour cream, I replace it with plain yogurt.  When substituting yogurt for buttermilk, try to get some of the whey (the liquid that collects on the top of your yogurt) mixed in with the yogurt.  This will give it more of a buttermilk consistency.  I also use regular or Greek yogurt in place of sour cream on things like baked potatoes or Mexican dishes.  It's just as tasty, but so much healthier!
• Sugar with a little water in place of corn syrup.  I've heard both sides of the debate on corn syrup.  Some say to stay away, others (like the makers of corn syrup) say it's fine in moderation.  I'd rather not take the chance.  When a recipe calls for corn syrup, I always use the same amount of sugar and add a little water.  For example, a recipe may call for 1 tablespoon of corn syrup.  Instead, I will measure 1 tablespoon of sugar.  In the same measuring spoon, I will add a drop or two of water.  The sugar absorbs the water and turns somewhat syrupy.
• Whole wheat flour in place of all-purpose flour.  I don't do this with everything I bake.  Of course some things, like cakes and cookies, just taste better with all-purpose flour!  Instead, I try to use whole wheat flour when baking muffins and breads.
• Fruit in place of no fruit.  This title may sound odd, but I like to sneak in fruits or veggies whenever possible.  The fruit in my one muffin may not be enough to meet the recommended 5 daily servings of fruits and veggies,  but I like adding any extra fiber, vitamins, and nutrients whenever possible.  A little here and a little there adds up by the end of the day.  If I find a muffin or baked french toast recipe, for example, I typically add in an apple, a peach, some blueberries, etc. for that extra punch of healthy goodness!  Give it a try sometime, you might even like the recipe better with the added flavor from the fruit!
• Butter in place of margarine or butter substitutes.  I'm sure in my grandparents' day, this would have seemed like a ridiculous thing to post.  Those good old fashion recipes all called for butter.  Of course, this was before the days of low-cal and heart healthy.  Don't get me wrong, I'm all for low-cal and heart healthy whenever possible, but I can't help but notice the long list of ingredients in any type of butter substitute, many of which contain trans-fats.  When compared to the ingredient list on butter (sweet cream or sweet cream and salt), I think I'll just stick with the more natural, less processed butter.  Not to mention, it tastes better, too.
• Whole wheat bread crumbs in place of store bought bread crumbs.  This is used in some, but not all, recipes that call for bread crumbs.  Most store bought bread crumbs contain hydrogenated oils and preservatives - two things I'd rather stay away from whenever possible.  When making dishes such as baked chicken cutlets, I'll throw some slices of whole wheat bread in the food processor until they turn to crumbs.  Not only is this a healthier alternative, but it's a great way to use up the heals of your bread that would otherwise get tossed.