Do you "healthify" recipes?

nickyeatrunread

Last night, I went to a dinner party and volunteered to bring dessert and I found these on Pinterest: http://sweetpeaskitchen.com/2011/02/01/red-velvet-cheesecake-brownies/

I've made them a few times pre-MFP and this time I looked at the calories and saw that the 1/2c butter is 814 calories!!! So, I googled and replaced all the butter with 1/2 unsweetened applesauce and 1/2 greek yogurt. Changed the consistency a bit, but WOW went from 192cals per brownie to 145!

Have you ever done anything similar? If so, do you have any tips/tricks/favorite things to do to make your recipes more healthy?

RoboLikes

This is mostly for baking, but I like taking my favorite recipes and making them a little healthier.

Using dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate.
Apple sauce instead of oil.
Flax seed meal instead of eggs.
Sugar substitute instead of white sugar.
Different, healthier flours instead of AP flour.
Adding in powdered proteins.

Just experiment and have fun with it.

raisingbabyk

I like using skinnytaste.com because they have a lot of "healthified" recipes

Amy_B

I always healthify recipes. I change regular flour to whole wheat (sometimes with a bit of corn starch added or with a little more baking powder to make it less dense). I use whole wheat just about anything. I replace oil in baked products with unsweetened applesauce. I use 2% cheese instead of regular fat. I use lean meats. I baked a lot of stuff instead of frying it. Just about any recipe I make, I make it healthier.

Amy_B

I should add...that's why I don't feel deprived. I just make healthier versions of my old faves.

honu18

I do this ALL the time! Everyone is amazed when I tell them that I usually make recipes WAY healthier and they still think it tastes good..which is exciting to me. One of my favorite things to do is to experiment with baking and see how healthy I can make things that still taste good.

My main things I do:
-Replace butter or oils with unsweetened applesauce, greek yogurt, or pumpkin (usually not all of it, but sometimes)
-Omit egg yolks (sometimes)
-Use baking splenda for some things (that have a stronger taste so you don't get that splenda taste)
-When things call for chocolate chips, you can always get away with a LOT less. Those are a real calorie bomb.
-A lot of times you can use a bit less sugar than the recipe calls for and not taste the difference at all.

SusanCotter21

Bill is a martial artist, personal trainer and nutritionist (I know, how on earth did I end up with him, lol). He also loves to cook, so he does all of our cooking, and yes, he makes everything as healthy as possible. And, despite my doubts, I always like everything he cooks and don't really notice the difference.

Bentley2718

I do "healthify" and veganize recipes all the time--however, as a personal thing, I generally only "healthify" food we eat at home. If it was taking something, particularly desert, to a party, I would take something that would be really really good, because it's a special occasion.

In cooking, my general strategy is to reduce fat by using less oil, not using sugar when making savory foods, and replacing dairy products with other products. For example, coconut milk works well in a lot of Indian, or Indian-esque dishes, in place of regular milk.

I make a lot of my own protein bars and cookies, which are essentially very healthy versions of cookies or bars. I reduce or eliminate added fat, keep sweeteners to a minimum (typically I use a combination of agave and steivia), and replace the flour with either ground oatmeal and protein powder. Applesauce does double duty, making things sweeter and more moist, as do carrots. And of course there are always flax and chia-seed "eggs."

MommyLyssa

I do, quite often. Although, I have also been diagnosed by my loved ones with the inability to follow a recipe. If I am in the kitchen, I CANNOT follow a recipe. I HAVE to change it, even a little. Just because. I am known for my crazy "throw stuff in a bowl and see how it comes out" tactics. And they come out pretty fantastic. Except that one time...

TrainingWithTonya

I should add...that's why I don't feel deprived. I just make healthier versions of my old faves.

Ditto!

I use 96% or 93% lean ground beef depending on which I can find in the store when I go grocery shopping. Whole wheat pasta and breads. Homemade spaghetti sauce (12 roma tomatoes, a clove of garlic, 2 tbsp. olive oil, 1 tbsp. dried oregano, 1 tbsp. dried basil, and a pinch of salt; cover and simmer until tomatoes are soft, then puree in the blender). Fat free cheeses, milk, and sour cream. I do all the traditional favorites and even some modified fast food favorites but much healthier.

Heaven71

Oatmeal, ground flax seed and egg for pizza crust.

I always try to lower the calories in recipes, even if it's already low calorie. I always use ground turkey instead of hamburger as well.

ezramedic

Yes! My husband is in the Navy and he takes a lot of my cooking in for the single sailors to eat (get a break from chow hall food!)

They're always surprised when he tells them my stuff is healthy, contains x serves of vegies (I hide vegies in everything from meatloaf to spaghetti sauce to meatballs!)

My favourites: Egg Beaters instead of Eggs.

Applesauce instead of Butter and Oil.

Greek Yoghurt instead of Sour Cream, Heavy Whipping Cream, Butter (in cooking, not baking!)

Almond Milk instead of Cow's Milk

Stevia instead of Sugar

Baking instead of Frying.

Steaming instead of Boiling.

I love to grate or puree vegies into recipes.

Health-i-fying is my favourite thing to do. I've lost 25lbs in 4 months, and I've not felt deprived for a minute.

tsandersparis

I've done that with the Amish Friendship bread. The recipe calls for a cup of vegetable oil. I can replace it with a cup of applesauce. It does change the consistency a bit, but reduces the calories!!

sadiekate415

Before, when my husband and I would try to eat healthier, we'd just eat a ton of salads, and quickly get bored. Now I'm making our favorite comfort foods, but making them a lot healthier. My old shepherd's pie was made with 73% lean ground beef and topped with superbuttery mashed potatoes. Now I use 93% lean ground beef, cut it with twice the amount of veggies as I used to, and top it with a few diced roasted potatoes. I still get that nice comfort food feeling without packing on the calories and fat. I think this strategy is why we've been so successful this time.