Looking for ways to minimize unnecessary salt, processed foods and unhealthy fat in your cooking repertoire? Here are some creative, healthy food substitutions and recipe ideas that you might like to try:
- Thicken soups, stews and sauces with arrowroot powder, instead of cornstarch or flour. It’s gluten free, easy to use and quickly binds foods without adding flavor
- Stuffing made with chopped vegetables, such as onions, celery, carrots, turnips, parsnips, potatoes or squash can be used in place of bread-based stuffing
- Add a drop of fresh lemon juice to your pasta cooking water instead of salt
- Use wheat germ in place of breadcrumbs to make gratin toppings on your casseroles
- Use unsweetened cocoa powder blended with trans-fat free, lite margarine in place of unsweetened baking chocolate (3 tbsp of cocoa powder plus 1 tbsp healthy oil or margarine in place of 1 ounce of solid chocolate)
- Use tomato paste blended with water in place of canned tomato sauce
- Make your own mustard by mixing dry mustard with water
- Use citrus zest (the part of the peel without the white pith) that holds the true flavor of the fruit to add sparkle to marinades, sauces, salads and vegetables