Do you have a favourite recipe that you would like to make healthier? Perhaps it is a recipe that has been passed down from family or shared by friends. With just a few changes, many older recipes can be updated to make them healthier. Here are some tips for renovating your recipes.
Use fruit purees in place of some of the fat called for in baking recipes. Just replace part of the oil, margarine or butter with an equal amount of applesauce, banana puree or prune puree. You get less fat and calories while adding more fruit to your diet.
Reduce sugar in baking by up to one third. You will hardly notice the difference in taste or appearance.
Replace the whole milk or cream called for in creamy dishes, like bread pudding or custard, with evaporated low-fat milk.
Try plain yogurt, low fat or fat-free sour cream in recipes that call for sour cream.
Use rolled oats or whole-grain bread crumbs for filler in meatloaf, meat coatings or stuffing. This will provide an extra boost of fibre.
Make cream soups by pureeing a portion of the vegetables already in the recipe. The puree will act as a thickener in place of cream. You can also use pureed or mashed potatoes instead of cream. Soups will still have the creamy texture, but less fat and fewer calories.
Use beans and lentils in pasta sauces to replace part or all of the meat. For added flavour and texture, try adding kidney beans or chickpeas to spaghetti sauce.
Substitute reduced sodium, lean ham for bacon. The dish will still have a cured flavour but less fat and salt.
Increase flavour in recipes by experimenting with herbs. Use them to replace butter and salt. Add dill to cooked vegetables like broccoli and carrots. Add garlic and onions to casseroles, soups and roasts to bring out the flavour.
Make sure your recipes are food safe. Do not use recipes that call for raw eggs, such as some Caesar salad dressing and homemade ice cream recipes. If using a meat marinade, do not reuse the marinade that has had raw meat in it. Set aside some of the marinade when preparing it and use it later for basting or as a sauce. For more information on food safety contact your local public health inspector, public health nutritionist or visit www.canfightbac.org
Making everyday recipes more nutritious and safer may improve your health without sacrificing the flavour, texture and appearance of the original recipe. For more information on "renovating" your recipes contact your local public health nutritionist or check out Dietitians of Canada new website www.dietitians.ca.
- Written by the Public Health Nutritionists of Saskatchewan and supported by the Prince Albert Parkland Health Region. For more information, contact Victoria Jurgens, Public Health Nutritionist at 1521-6th Avenue West, Prince Albert, SK S6V 5K1, or call 765-6604.
