Substitutions

Substitues are a great way to make food healthy. They can add nutrients, slash the fat amout, and you can not even tell the recipe has changed! Here are some great baking substitues by Picklee.

Banana Oatmeal Squares

Banana Oatmeal Squares

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups oatmeal (instant or rolled oats both work well)
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 large ripe banana, mashed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
Serves 6-8

PREPARATION

Pre-heat the oven to 350ºF. Grease an 8-inch x 8-inch cake pan.

Dump all of the ingredients into a large bowl and stir until well combined. Pour the mixture into a prepared cake pan and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before cutting into squares. The squares can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Makes 6-8 squares.

Mustard and Herb Baked Salmon

Mustard and Herb Baked Salmon

Olive oil spray
10 fresh tarragon leaves, chopped
3 fresh chives, chopped
3 large fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley leaves, chopped
1 fillet (4-ounces) boneless, skinless salmon
2 teaspoons spicy brown or Dijon mustard

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly mist a small nonstick baking sheet with oil spray.

In a small bowl, combine the tarragon, chives, basil, and parsley. Place the salmon on the pan. Brush or rub the mustard over the salmon. Sprinkle evenly with the herb mixture then press into the mustard. Lightly mist with oil spray.

Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, or until or until the salmon is opaque and the fish flakes with a fork. Serve hot or chilled.

Makes 2 servings
Per Serving: 215 calories, 23 g protein, less than 1 g carbohydrates, 13 g fat, 2 g saturated, 67 mg cholesterol, trace fiber, 200 mg sodium

Water

Sodas and juices have tons of calories and sugars in them. Try grabbing a water next time you need a drink instead of a soda. Water is so good for you and has zero calories and zero sugars. The Mayo Clinic recommends drinking 9 to 13 cups of water per day. A way I have found that makes it easy for me to drink enough water each day is to always have a water bottle with me. It makes drinking water easy and helps you know how much you have had.

Veggie Lasagna

Veggie Lasagna

2 large zucchini (about 1 pound), ends trimmed, thinly sliced lengthwise
3 links (about 4 ounces each) lean turkey Italian sausage
1 red bell pepper or roasted red bell pepper, diced
1 cup diced yellow onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup low-fat marinara sauce
2 egg whites
1 (15-ounce) container fat-free ricotta cheese
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2/3 cup shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly coat an 8" x 8" baking pan with olive oil cooking spray. Set aside.

Lightly spray a baking sheet with olive oil cooking spray. Arrange the zucchini slices in a single layer on the baking sheet. Spray them lightly with cooking spray. Broil (or grill) the zucchini for about 8 minutes, or until tender and very lightly browned. Set aside to cool.

To prepare the meat sauce, cook the sausage in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon to break up any clumps. Add the bell pepper, onion and garlic, and cook for about 4 minutes longer, until the meat is no longer pink. The juices should be cooked dry. Stir in the marinara sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. The sauce will be very thick.

Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine the egg whites, ricotta, Italian seasoning and black pepper until well combined.

To assemble the lasagna, spread half of the meat sauce in the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Layer on half of the zucchini slices, followed by half of the ricotta mixture and half of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat with the remaining meat sauce, zucchini slices, ricotta mixture and mozzarella. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until bubbly and lightly browned. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Makes 8 servings
Per Serving: 210 calories, 18 g protein, 17 g carbohydrates, 7 g fat, 2 g saturated, 45 mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber, 340 mg sodium

Peach Milkshake

Not eating lots of sweets is defiantly the hardest part of being healthy for me. I have been looking for some good, healthy desserts and I just found a great recipe! I am so excited! It is from the Pure Mamas blog. Enjoy! 

Portion Control

Eating healthy food does you no good if you so much that your calorie intake is as much as if you had eaten a super sized fast food meal. Portion sizes are very important to a healthy lifestyle. choosemyplate.gov is a great resource for finding the correct portion sizes. As you can see from the picture, fruits and vegetables should take up half of your plate and the other half is shared by protein and grains. This is very different than a traditional american meal of a steak and potatoes that take up the entire plate. Eating correct portion sizes can be difficult at first, but after you do it for a while, it becomes habit.

Pimiento Cheese Spread

Pimiento Cheese Spread

Ingredients: 

1 1/2 cups shredded reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
1 4-ounce jar sliced pimientos, drained and chopped
2 tablespoons minced scallions
Hot sauce to taste (optional)

Combine cheese, mayonnaise, pimientos, scallions and hot sauce in a medium bowl. Use as a topping on crackers or a spread on toast. Refrigerate for up to three days.



Per 2-tablespoon serving: 49 calories; 3 g fat; 9 mg cholesterol; 2 g carbohydrates; 3 g protein; 0 g fiber; 156 mg sodium; 18 mg potassium.

No-Bake Almond Cookies

Everyone needs a treat now and then. Why have an unhealthy one? These almond no-bake cookies are a quick solution and easy to make. Plus you can eat them without feeling the guilt after!

No-Bake Almond Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup raw or unsalted roasted almonds
1 cup (about 10) medjool dates, pitted and chopped
1/2 cup almond butter
1.5 Tablespoon cacaos nibs (optional)
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:
1. Place the almonds in a food processor or mini chopper and pulse until it resembles a coarse meal.
2. Add the dates, almond butter, vanilla, and salt.
3. Pulse for a couple minutes until it forms a dough.
4. Stir in cacao nibs, if using. You can use your hands to knead in the cacao nibs as the dough is thick.
5. Shape about one tablespoon of dough into a round cookie shape and place on parchment paper.
6. Enjoy right away or place the cookies into the fridge for storage.

Thin and Crispy Hula Pizza

Start off the New Year the right way! This entire tasty pizza has less than half the fat of one normal slice of pizza. And it tastes great too!

Thin and Crispy Hula Pizza

1 (about 8") low-fat, whole wheat flour tortilla
2 tablespoons traditional barbecue sauce
3/4 ounce (about 3 tablespoons) goat cheese crumbles
3 tablespoons drained canned diced pineapple in juice, or drained pineapple rings in juice chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 and 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped cilantro, or more to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 °F.
Place the tortilla on a medium nonstick baking sheet. Bake for 2 to 4 minutes per side, or until crisp. If air bubbles form while baking, poke them with a fork, then use a spatula or oven mitt to carefully press the air out.

Remove from the oven and top evenly with the sauce, then the cheese, pineapple, and cilantro. Bake the pizza for 2 to 4 minutes longer, or until the cheese is completely melted. Slice into 8 wedges and serve.

Makes 1 serving
Per Serving: 217 calories, 7 g protein, 35 g carbohydrates, 7 g fat, 3 g saturated, 10 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 484 mg sodium