Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Slim Down Your Recipes



One of the easiest substitutions to make is changing from full fat versions of mayo, milk, or sour cream to the low fat or fat free varieties. When a recipe calls for cheese try using aged cheese. The stronger the flavor, the less you need. For example, when a recipe calls for a mild cheese such as Mozzarella or Monterey Jack, try substituting with Aged Cheddar, Asiago, Imported Parmesan, or any aged or smoked cheese. If a cheese sauce calls for 2 cups of mild cheddar try 1 cup of sharp cheddar. This will save 450 calories and 37 grams of fat.

You can replace whole eggs with egg substitute. Another option to replace eggs is ground flax seed. One tablespoon ground flax seed plus three tablespoons of water can replace one egg. Ground flax seed can also be used as a fat substitute. Generally 3 tablespoons of ground flax seed can replace 1 tablespoon of oil. Flax seed is a great source of omega 3 fatty acids and fiber.

In sweet baked goods you can substitute applesauce or fruit puree for oils, butter, or margarine. As a general rule, you can use a cup of applesauce or fruit puree for every cup of butter or oil. For each cup replaced, there is a savings of 1500 calories and 185 grams of fat!

When sautéing make the change from oil to olive oil or better yet, try two tablespoons of water or low fat chicken broth in a nonstick pan. Replace ground beef with ground turkey or extra-lean ground beef. Trim all visible fat from chicken, pork or beef before cooking.

To add more fiber and increase the vitamins and minerals in your recipes try these options.

Replace half of all- purpose flour with whole wheat flour
Dry bread crumbs can be replaced with rolled oats or crushed bran cereal
Try brown rice, wild rice, bulgur or pearl barley rather than white rice
Iceberg lettuce, which has no fiber at all, can be substituted with arugula, kale, spinach, or watercress
Try whole-wheat pasta rather than enriched pasta


As you look over your recipe, decide what to change and how to change it. When starting to make substitutions to your recipes, especially when replacing the fatty ingredients, start slowly. Replace a portion of the products at first to determine if the flavor and consistency remain intact. Make notes of any alterations you made and how it turned out so you know next time you try the recipe. You might have to make the recipe several times, adjusting your substitutions, before you get it right, but it is well worth your trouble.
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Healthy Eating

Healthy Eating

How it all began

When I was a child my grandfather always had the most amazing garden. His whole back yard was the garden and it was wonderful. I loved every vegetable that he grew - he even grew his own summer savory which apparently isn't that easy to do. Anyway, Grampy helped me put in my first garden and gave me all the tips. I couldn't believe how much work it was. It takes a lot of dedication and love. Sadly, he is gone now but I remember all the love that went into the garden and how even when I was a bit older and I would visit, he would fill the trunk of my car with veggies and I would have to go around my apartment building and share with others as there was no way I could eat all of it before it went bad.

I think my interest in health was part Grampy and part my father. My dad was a health nut when no one else was (that I knew of anyway) I am talking back in the 1970's. I don't think a lot of people knew about some of the stuff that my dad would talk about. He referred to white sugar as "poison"..ok, a little extreme but you get the point. Dad would eat a teaspoon of honey and a teaspoon of bran every day. I think this is important because my father was given six months to live when he was 19 years old and he managed to live until he was 44 with many health complications. I cannot say for sure but paying attention to what he put into his body as far as his food went, may have bought him some very valuable time.

Then comes my mom who was so devoted to my father and continues to be even though he passed away in 1981. I witnessed her nurse him back to health many times and she was the rock that held everything together. She is an amazing woman and I know he would be very proud of her for how she handled everything when he had to leave. My mom had to experiment with recipes to make them adaptable for dad's diet. He was on dialysis and could not consume any salt. If you have never had regular food without any salt - take it from me, it can be pretty bland. She was very creative and she did it with lots of love....

So for Grampy, Dad and for my mom who helped create that passion in me.............

Me with my mom in the garden 40+ years ago

Getting Started


This blogspot is titled "Fiber Fanatic" because after a lot of reading and research (there is so much out there) I think our lifestyles need to focus more on our fiber intake. Eating foods that are high in fiber are the ones that are better for you anyway. Also, you need to keep in mind that 1 gram of carbohydrates = 4 calories, 1 gram of protein= 4 calories, 1 gram of fat = 9 calories, 1 gram of alcohol = 7 calories and 1 gram of fiber = 0 calories. We don't often hear this...seems like everyone is counting calories and fat grams. Don't get me wrong, you still need to have a reasonable intake of calories divided into carbs, proteins, fat, etc but you can be full for much longer if you eat fiber rich foods. Fiber is the part of food that cannot be digested...that is why it has no calories. It is a type of complex carbohydrate. Fiber can be found in vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts, legumes and grains.It is well known that Canadians eat too little fiber (on average 12 grams per day) and we should be eating 35 grams a day. It is possible to go as high as 60 but I don't ever get close to that...35 is fine but shoot for 35 each and every day. To begin...increase a bit each day and drink lots of water and if you like, herbal teas. If you increase too quickly, you may experience gas and bloating. I would suggest switching from white pasta to whole wheat pasta, white bread to 100% whole grain or 100% whole wheat bread and switch from white rice to brown. Making small changes will make a big difference and it may be easier to change gradually instead of all at once.