January 22, 2021
Enjoy the taste of healthy eating with these seven essential ingredients.
Diets? That doesn’t sound like an appetizing word. Sometimes people associate healthy eating with a restrictive, boring diet. Though that doesn’t have to be the case. You can still enjoy delicious food you love (including cake) with a few modifications. Plus, there are a variety of apps available to make it easier than ever. Download Substitutions to find alternatives for ingredients you don’t want or have, ipiit to scan items to see if they should be avoided and Edibly to see what your meals are really made of. To give you a head start on healthy eating, here are seven substitutions you can start incorporating now that don’t require sacrificing flavor.
Applesauce Instead of Butter
Butter has a way of making everything taste better, but it can have negative implications on your health in large quantities. It’s high in calories, saturated fat and cholesterol. While butter is a key ingredient for most baked goods, such as cakes, muffins and scones, it can be replaced. Use applesauce to reduce or completely eliminate the need for butter. That way you can make your cake and eat it too.
Zoodles Instead of Noodles
There is no denying that pasta is delicious in all its shapes and forms. But it can also add to your daily carbohydrate intake if you’re an Italian food lover. With the help of a vegetable spiralizer, you can turn veggies like zucchini, sweet potatoes or carrots into a healthier pasta alternative. Just throw your favorite sauce on it and you’ll never know the difference. Not sure what’s in season? Showing up to the grocery store with a recipe in mind only to find out your key ingredient isn’t available can be a letdown. Download Harvest to find out what’s in stock at the grocery store and how to pick the ripest produce.
Greek Yogurt Instead of Sour Cream
Is that sour cream or Greek yogurt on your tacos? If your eyes can’t tell, neither will your taste buds. When you use plain yogurt to replace sour cream on foods like tacos, dips and baked potatoes, you get the creamy goodness without the dissatisfying calorie count.
Oats Instead of Flour
Oats can replace a lot of commonly used ingredients, such as breadcrumbs, cereal and flour. By eating a bowl of oatmeal, you can eliminate a lot of the processed sugar commonly found in most cereals. Oats are also gluten free and can be used in place of breadcrumbs. Overall, a bag of oats in your pantry can go a long way in cutting out carbs.
Cauliflower Instead of Pasta
Enjoy macaroni and cheese without the guilt of carb-loaded pasta. Eat a bowl of gnocchi without overloading on potatoes. Indulge in an entire pizza without the dough. Better yet, eat all your favorite dishes and increase your veggie intake at the same time. How? Cauliflower. This versatile veggie can take on many shapes and forms to recreate comfort food without the carbs. Check out the Food Network for some delicious cauliflower recipes that you and your family will love.
Fruit Instead of Refined Sugar
It’s sweet. It’s delicious. It’s also bad for you in large quantities. Eating a lot of sugar is like loving a rebel. You know it’s not good for you, but it’s hard to picture your life without it. Luckily, you have options. Fruits such as bananas, figs and dates contain a lot of natural sugar that can serve as a healthier ingredient in things like pancakes, scones and smoothies. Use fruit and you can get satisfy your sweet-tooth without all the processed sugar.
Nutritional Yeast Instead of Cheese
This one is for those who are lactose intolerant. It’s hard to give up the deliciousness that is dairy – especially cheese! However, there’s a way to still get your dairy fix without suffering the consequences. Let nutritional yeast be your savior. Nutritional yeast recipes include broccoli cheddar soup, cheesy casseroles and nachos. It tastes and looks like real cheese, but it’s better for you and your sensitive stomach.
Need help incorporating these seven new ingredients? Smart assistants, like Alexa, can easily guide you through a new recipe. Simply ask Alexa to look it up and she’ll give you the step-by-step instructions as you whip up a meal for you and your family. With Cox Homelife you can easily set up your smart devices via a wireless network and get cooking. Being healthy has never been so easy.
