| e probably got hundreds of recipes in your collection | | | | contain salt, sugar or fat. Read the labels and |
| but maybe not all of them are as healthy as you'd like | | | | substitute as necessary. But don't just blindly add a low |
| them to be. Which is likely a shame as there's a good | | | | fat option without checking that the manufacturer |
| chance that some of those recipes are amongst your | | | | hasn't simply substituted sugar for fat. |
| favorites. | | | | 2. Make Healthy Substitutions |
| How do you go about changing your favorite recipes | | | | As well as examining labels, look for ways to increase |
| into ones that are healthy for you? Even those old | | | | the nutrition in the food you eat. Whole wheat pasta, |
| family favorites that have been passed down through | | | | brown rice, whole grain cereals. All of these are easy |
| the generations. | | | | substitutes and will likely enhance the taste of the dish |
| 1. Reduce the amount of fat, sugar and salt in your | | | | you are cooking - they have less of the original |
| recipes. | | | | product removed in the manufacturing process, which |
| You'll be pleasantly surprised just how much you can | | | | leaves more taste available for you. |
| reduce the level of fat, sugar and salt in your recipes | | | | 3. If possible, delete an unhealthy ingredient |
| without affecting the taste. If you've cut back too | | | | Many recipes react well to variations (you may even |
| much, it's always possible to add a little bit more salt at | | | | find alternatives listed at the end of the recipe). |
| the table. You can reduce the amount of fat by using | | | | Substitute frosted ingredients for un-frosted ones to |
| a non stick pan and an oil spray rather than slurping oil | | | | cut down on sugar, for instance. Be careful with adding |
| into the pan. You can also use a slotted spoon to skim | | | | nuts to a dish as they are high in fat (although the fat is |
| off any excess fat as the recipe cooks. Cutting down | | | | usually considered "good" fat, so don't cut them out |
| on sugar will depend on what you're cooking, but it's | | | | entirely). Let your family and guests add their own |
| generally safe to try initially cutting sugar down by a | | | | toppings such a mayonnaise and sauces. Consider |
| quarter - I doubt you'll notice the difference. | | | | substituting lower salt, fat and sugar versions of these |
| Salt is necessary in recipes for bread as otherwise the | | | | sauces. And don't squeeze that maple syrup quite as |
| yeast won't be able to do it's job. In other recipes, such | | | | hard the next time you eat a stack of pancakes! |
| as crock pots and stews, you should easily be able to | | | | Once you start converting your recipes, you'll become |
| reduce the salt you use by half with very little effect | | | | more imaginative and will have a good idea on what is |
| on the final taste. You may even find that with an | | | | working and what isn't Keep a notebook handy so that |
| imaginative use of sauces, you can eliminate salt from | | | | you can remember the successes and adjust the |
| some of your recipes entirely. | | | | times when the changes you made weren't as |
| Remember that some of the ingredients you use may | | | | successful as you'd have liked. |