Loaded with carotenoids, vitamin C, potassium, and fiber, sweet potato is one of the healthiest foods around, and also the most versatile. Mashed sweet potatoes are a great alternative to regular white potatoes, and on top of the extra nutritional value, you don't need to add any butter. Simply place the sweet potatoes in the microwave for 7 to 10 minutes, until they are very soft, and then mash them together and add cinnamon to taste.Dessert Time!For those of us with a sweet tooth, passing up dessert can be a challenge. From cakes to cookies to ice cream, everyone has a favorite sweet treat that finishes off dinner perfectly. However, as we all know desserts are generally high in calories, full of fat and loaded with sugar, and chances are contain no nutritional value whatsoever. However, all this can change by substituting a few small ingredients.TIPS: Butter is not betterButter may taste great, but it is loaded with artery-clogging saturated fats – and trust me you really don’t need or want this in your system. For those of you who love to bake your own desserts, a great trick is to replace half to all the butter or oil with unsweetened applesauce. This will not only make your recipe healthier, less fattening and lower in calories, but also, in my opinion, make it more moist and delicious. I recommend trying out this trick on all baked goods from muffins to cakes.Crème de la crèmeWho doesn’t love cream cheese frosting? From carrot cake to red velvet muffins, this icing is definitely at the top of the most “delicious” list. While this icing is generally better for you than a butter cream frosting, everything can become healthier. So, instead of using full-fat cream cheese try using a fat-free or reduced fat cream cheese. Also, try fat-free cream cheese the next time you make a cheese cake.
Healthy Eating: Recipe makeovers
Substitute a few ingredients in your favorite recipes and watch as those unwanted calories and fat melt away.
Loaded with carotenoids, vitamin C, potassium, and fiber, sweet potato is one of the healthiest foods around, and also the most versatile. Mashed sweet potatoes are a great alternative to regular white potatoes, and on top of the extra nutritional value, you don't need to add any butter. Simply place the sweet potatoes in the microwave for 7 to 10 minutes, until they are very soft, and then mash them together and add cinnamon to taste.Dessert Time!For those of us with a sweet tooth, passing up dessert can be a challenge. From cakes to cookies to ice cream, everyone has a favorite sweet treat that finishes off dinner perfectly. However, as we all know desserts are generally high in calories, full of fat and loaded with sugar, and chances are contain no nutritional value whatsoever. However, all this can change by substituting a few small ingredients.TIPS: Butter is not betterButter may taste great, but it is loaded with artery-clogging saturated fats – and trust me you really don’t need or want this in your system. For those of you who love to bake your own desserts, a great trick is to replace half to all the butter or oil with unsweetened applesauce. This will not only make your recipe healthier, less fattening and lower in calories, but also, in my opinion, make it more moist and delicious. I recommend trying out this trick on all baked goods from muffins to cakes.Crème de la crèmeWho doesn’t love cream cheese frosting? From carrot cake to red velvet muffins, this icing is definitely at the top of the most “delicious” list. While this icing is generally better for you than a butter cream frosting, everything can become healthier. So, instead of using full-fat cream cheese try using a fat-free or reduced fat cream cheese. Also, try fat-free cream cheese the next time you make a cheese cake.