Baking Substitutes
whitswilson
Posts: 17 Member
a) what are people's favourite baking substitutes?
b) what's the best online conversion reference for this kind of thing? it's always a crap shoot trying to figure out how much maple syrup to use instead of refined sugar, or how much coconut oil to use instead of butter for example.
b) what's the best online conversion reference for this kind of thing? it's always a crap shoot trying to figure out how much maple syrup to use instead of refined sugar, or how much coconut oil to use instead of butter for example.
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Replies
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When substituting you usually go volume for volume when dealing with wet and dry ingredients. For things like changing the sugar around, it is a bit of a crapshoot as not all sugars taste equally sweet (and remember since you're changing a solid white-sugar to a liquid maple syrup that will be changing how much wet ingredients you have). Baking tends to be more a science than cooking.0
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I don't see much difference (other than taste, which depends on the item) between sugar and maple syrup personally. However, here's a site that has recipes for baking in a "paleo" way, which means various flour, sugar, dairy substitutes. It might be helpful, and many look quite tasty: https://elanaspantry.com/category/desserts/0
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What is the goal? What type of substitutions are you interested in?0
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Coconut and butter can be substituted 1 to 1 fairly easily. For the maple syrup, it depends on what you are baking. For cookies or muffins it might not matter much. For cakes and bread, the substitutions can matter.
If you are using maple syrup in place of sugar, you might need to add a little more liquid/water.
http://www.tablespoon.com/posts/how-to-sweeten-with-maple-syrup/6dfa0e81-4197-4bdf-8d78-bbfc562577010 -
I gave up the baked goods (if we're talking cakes, biscuits etc) because they're typically calorie dense and are eaten between meals as snacks, regardless of the substitutions.0
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What makes coconut oil a desirable substitute for butter (when not vegan)?0
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Need2Exerc1se wrote: »What makes coconut oil a desirable substitute for butter (when not vegan)?
Taste preference I would guess?0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »What makes coconut oil a desirable substitute for butter (when not vegan)?
Taste preference I would guess?
Yes! The combination of coconut oil and chocolate is heavenly! I sometimes make some no bake cookies that have peanut butter, coconut oil, chocolate, honey and rice krispies .0 -
What is the goal? What type of substitutions are you interested in?
The goal here is to get ideas and see if there are some creative BUT HEALTHY substitutions I haven't thought of yet. More just hoping to brainstorm and get inspired by whatever you guys have to offer
Some of my favourites, obviously with discretion because some substitutions just don't work for every recipe:
-greek yogurt instead of cheese, sour cream, milk/cream
-maple syrup instead of refined sugars or sweeteners
-mashed bananas instead of eggs (and sugar, in some cases)
-finely ground flax, chia and oat bran in place of portions of flour
-egg whites instead of eggs (not for baking though, because the yolk is necessary for binding, sometimes)
-lactose free milk instead of milk and cream, any time
-pureed fruit and chia instead of jam
-dark cocoa and maple syrup instead of chocolate chips
-oat bran instead of flour
-frozen greek yogurt with instant pudding mix instead of ice cream
-parmesan cheese instead of salt garnish
I hope that helps clarify what I'm asking for. I usually use ingredients that both add to the nutritional value AND reduce calories.0 -
I gave up the baked goods (if we're talking cakes, biscuits etc) because they're typically calorie dense and are eaten between meals as snacks, regardless of the substitutions.
Lifestyle changes for me......
I won't be giving up baked goods for the rest of my life. So I eat them in moderation now. Measuring portions and logging cookies will help for maintenance. I need to know what realistic portions look like.
As far as substitutions. I use a few tweaks, but again it's a lifestyle thing. I don't see baking w/o chocolate chips, or giving up ice cream as lifetime things.
Greek yogurt, applesauce, and pumpkin puree can be used instead of oil in cake and brownie mixes. Egg yolks have so many nutrients, but I will sometimes cut back on the number of yolks (add additional whites). I like grinding oats for oat flour. This gives a slightly nutty flavor to cookies.
Reduced fat cookies......I look for recipes DESIGNED to be lower fat (macaroons). Taking the butter out and adding applesauce or mashed banana to most cookies gives them a whole different (cake like) texture.
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I gave up the baked goods (if we're talking cakes, biscuits etc) because they're typically calorie dense and are eaten between meals as snacks, regardless of the substitutions.
Lifestyle changes for me......
I won't be giving up baked goods for the rest of my life. So I eat them in moderation now. Measuring portions and logging cookies will help for maintenance. I need to know what realistic portions look like.
As far as substitutions. I use a few tweaks, but again it's a lifestyle thing. I don't see baking w/o chocolate chips, or giving up ice cream as lifetime things.
Greek yogurt, applesauce, and pumpkin puree can be used instead of oil in cake and brownie mixes. Egg yolks have so many nutrients, but I will sometimes cut back on the number of yolks (add additional whites). I like grinding oats for oat flour. This gives a slightly nutty flavor to cookies.
Reduced fat cookies......I look for recipes DESIGNED to be lower fat (macaroons). Taking the butter out and adding applesauce or mashed banana to most cookies gives them a whole different (cake like) texture.
Great suggestions- I was afraid I wouldn't be able to give up all my baked goods and sweets (like ice cream etc.) too, but I've actually gotten REALLY good at making a few things that have totally replaced my need for the guilty pleasures I used to indulge in, on occasion... making my "cheats" indulgent BUT TOTALLY healthy.
I'll consider posting a few recipes soon but, in the meantime, seriously, the following has really helped me:
-3 ingredient mashed banana + whole oats + dark chocolate unsweetened chocolate chip cookies
-frozen 2 ingredient greek yogurt and low/cal instant pudding mix (replace the milk and water it calls for, with greek yogurt, and freeze it in a coconut-oiled pie plate)
-mashed banana +oat bran + ground flax seed pancakes
-greek yogurt + egg white + oat bran baked wraps (as a bread alternative)
-dates stuffed with walnut halves
-unsweetened coconut macaroons (yes, I love these too
-dark, dark, dark chocolate, a small piece at a time... with tea
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whitswilson wrote: »I gave up the baked goods (if we're talking cakes, biscuits etc) because they're typically calorie dense and are eaten between meals as snacks, regardless of the substitutions.
Lifestyle changes for me......
I won't be giving up baked goods for the rest of my life. So I eat them in moderation now. Measuring portions and logging cookies will help for maintenance. I need to know what realistic portions look like.
As far as substitutions. I use a few tweaks, but again it's a lifestyle thing. I don't see baking w/o chocolate chips, or giving up ice cream as lifetime things.
Greek yogurt, applesauce, and pumpkin puree can be used instead of oil in cake and brownie mixes. Egg yolks have so many nutrients, but I will sometimes cut back on the number of yolks (add additional whites). I like grinding oats for oat flour. This gives a slightly nutty flavor to cookies.
Reduced fat cookies......I look for recipes DESIGNED to be lower fat (macaroons). Taking the butter out and adding applesauce or mashed banana to most cookies gives them a whole different (cake like) texture.
Great suggestions- I was afraid I wouldn't be able to give up all my baked goods and sweets (like ice cream etc.) too, but I've actually gotten REALLY good at making a few things that have totally replaced my need for the guilty pleasures I used to indulge in, on occasion... making my "cheats" indulgent BUT TOTALLY healthy.
I'll consider posting a few recipes soon but, in the meantime, seriously, the following has really helped me:
-3 ingredient mashed banana + whole oats + dark chocolate unsweetened chocolate chip cookies
-frozen 2 ingredient greek yogurt and low/cal instant pudding mix (replace the milk and water it calls for, with greek yogurt, and freeze it in a coconut-oiled pie plate)
-mashed banana +oat bran + ground flax seed pancakes
-greek yogurt + egg white + oat bran baked wraps (as a bread alternative)
-dates stuffed with walnut halves
-unsweetened coconut macaroons (yes, I love these too
-dark, dark, dark chocolate, a small piece at a time... with tea
Don't get me wrong, I could give those things up while losing weight. No problem. But maintenance is FOREVER. If you think you can give up bread forever then good for you. But you don't have to eat clean or extremely healthy (whatever your definition is) for weight loss or for maintenance.
My goal is to make better decisions.....not perfect ones.0 -
whitswilson wrote: »I gave up the baked goods (if we're talking cakes, biscuits etc) because they're typically calorie dense and are eaten between meals as snacks, regardless of the substitutions.
Lifestyle changes for me......
I won't be giving up baked goods for the rest of my life. So I eat them in moderation now. Measuring portions and logging cookies will help for maintenance. I need to know what realistic portions look like.
As far as substitutions. I use a few tweaks, but again it's a lifestyle thing. I don't see baking w/o chocolate chips, or giving up ice cream as lifetime things.
Greek yogurt, applesauce, and pumpkin puree can be used instead of oil in cake and brownie mixes. Egg yolks have so many nutrients, but I will sometimes cut back on the number of yolks (add additional whites). I like grinding oats for oat flour. This gives a slightly nutty flavor to cookies.
Reduced fat cookies......I look for recipes DESIGNED to be lower fat (macaroons). Taking the butter out and adding applesauce or mashed banana to most cookies gives them a whole different (cake like) texture.
Great suggestions- I was afraid I wouldn't be able to give up all my baked goods and sweets (like ice cream etc.) too, but I've actually gotten REALLY good at making a few things that have totally replaced my need for the guilty pleasures I used to indulge in, on occasion... making my "cheats" indulgent BUT TOTALLY healthy.
I'll consider posting a few recipes soon but, in the meantime, seriously, the following has really helped me:
-3 ingredient mashed banana + whole oats + dark chocolate unsweetened chocolate chip cookies
-frozen 2 ingredient greek yogurt and low/cal instant pudding mix (replace the milk and water it calls for, with greek yogurt, and freeze it in a coconut-oiled pie plate)
-mashed banana +oat bran + ground flax seed pancakes
-greek yogurt + egg white + oat bran baked wraps (as a bread alternative)
-dates stuffed with walnut halves
-unsweetened coconut macaroons (yes, I love these too
-dark, dark, dark chocolate, a small piece at a time... with tea
Don't get me wrong, I could give those things up while losing weight. No problem. But maintenance is FOREVER. If you think you can give up bread forever then good for you. But you don't have to eat clean or extremely healthy (whatever your definition is) for weight loss or for maintenance.
My goal is to make better decisions.....not perfect ones.
haha TRUST ME, I'm not perfect... but subbing wherever I can has actually changed my tastebuds quite a bit, and I've been able to completely steer clear of some of the things I used to eat in abundance. And I don't even miss them. LIKE bread and cookies and pancakes, super sweet ice cream, chocolate bars, waffles etc.
And, truthfully, the reason I started eating this way was for inflammatory health reasons, not to lose weight, so it's definitely been a lifestyle change. The weight loss has been an incredible bonus.
I'm more about the health implications versus the calories, so every little bit counts
I absolutely agree with "making better decisions... not perfect ones."0
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