Cooking healthier doesn’t have to mean giving up on flavor. Here’s a heart-healthy list of substitutions from the American Heart Association and Mayo Clinic that will make your favorite recipes a little healthier without sacrificing great taste. (Remember, you can always opt for the fat-free or low-fat versions of ingredients in most any recipe.)
If the recipe calls for: Whole milk (1 cup)
Substitute: 1 cup fat-free or low-fat milk, plus one tablespoon liquid vegetable oil
If the recipe calls for: Heavy cream (1 cup)
Substitute: 1 cup evaporated milk or 1/2 cup low-fat yogurt and 1/2 cup plain low-fat unsalted cottage cheese, well blended
If the recipe calls for: Sour cream
Substitute: Low-fat unsalted cottage cheese plus low fat or fat-free yogurt, blended until smooth
If the recipe calls for: Cream cheese
Substitute: 4 tablespoons soft margarine with 1 cup unsalted low-fat cottage cheese, blended until smooth. A small amount of fat-free milk can be added if needed
If the recipe calls for: Butter (1 tablespoon)
Substitute: 1 tablespoon soft margarine or 3/4 tablespoon liquid vegetable oil
If the recipe calls for: Egg (whole)
Substitute: 2 egg whites or a cholesterol-free egg substitute (1/4 cup)
If the recipe calls for: Butter, margarine, shortening or oil (1 cup for baked goods)
Substitute: 1 cup apple sauce or prune puree for half of the butter
If the recipe calls for: Butter, margarine, shortening, or oil (to prevent food sticking)Substitute: Cooking spray
If the recipe calls for: Bacon
Substitute: Canadian bacon, turkey bacon, smoked turkey or lean prosciutto
If the recipe calls for: Ground beef
Substitute: Ground chicken or turkey
If the recipe calls for: Dry bread crumbs
Substitute: Rolled oats or crushed bran cereal
If the recipe calls for: Sugar (baked goods)
Substitute: Reduce the amount to half, add vanilla, nutmeg or cinnamon to increase sweetness
