What food substitutes have you tried

sschauer513
sschauer513 Posts: 313 Member
edited November 25 in Recipes
I've found a few good substitutes that make some recipes low carb/cal that don't ruin the taste or texture. I like https://amyshealthybaking.com blog most of her recipes are great and as is not too bad calories wise but I would like to get some lower.

I have tried replacing regular flour with almond flour and increasing the baking powder to be effective dislike the cost of almond flour but good trade off I guess. My best trade is using Walden farms maple Syrup in place of honey or other sweeteners generally have to cut down the amount of walden farms because it does have an aftertaste I don't taste that but my wife does.

Replies

  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    If I want to use almond flour, I'll use an appropriate recipe. If I want to make something with flour, I'll use that. They have different textures, react differently, and result in completely different end products.
    (almond flour probably has more calories...carbs aren't the enemy!)

    As someone who loves baking, and eating the end products, I find "substitutes" generally sad and inferior. I'd rather a small amount of the real thing
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,449 Member
    As far as the syrup...real maple syrup is really expensive! I love the stuff, but only when I'm looking for a maple flavor, like on pancakes. Otherwise I just use sugar sparingly.

    I think my best subs are Greek yogurt for sour cream and for cheese. Avocado instead of mayo. Fruit instead of dessert. I cut way back on breads and don't do much baking at all. I gave up cold cereal, because I'll eat half of the box if I get started.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    edited February 2018
    I don't substitute while baking really. I think you need to find recipes designed with the particular flour in mind or your end product could be sad.
    I thought almond flour was actually higher calorie? If you want to reduce calories it may be a poor choice.
    http://www.livinghealthymom.com/low-calorie-diet-baking-flour-calorie-table/

    According to that kamut flour is lowest calorie.
    https://www.kingarthurflour.com/guides/baking-with-ancient-grains/kamut-flour/
    King Arthur Flour suggests replacing a portion of the regular flour in standard recipes with the kamut flour. So maybe try a mixture instead of replacing all of an ingredient in your standard baking recipes.

  • Jermanator
    Jermanator Posts: 18 Member
    edited February 2018
    As far as baked goods go, I have never really found anything as satisfying as the real thing so I do not bother anymore. If I want a brownie or chocolate chip cookie, I eat one if I earned it by eating smart that day or exercising.

    My biggest things were bread and pasta. To get type 2 diabetes under control, I ended out substituting chicken or eggplant parm for spaghetti or lasagna. Zucchini or butternut squash zoodles are good pasta substitutes as well. For bread, my savior has been low carb tortillas. Ole Xtreme Wellness tortillas specifically-- those are only 50 calories each and 5 net carbs.

    With the tortillas, I can load up the lean meat, lettuce, veggies, salsa, and a modest amount of cheese and have a very filling taco/fajita. 2 are an extremely filling meal for under 700 calories. If I crave pizza, I will take ham, pepperoni, cheese, mushrooms, peppers, and onions with one of those tortillas and dip it in a side of pizza sauce. A can of tuna in water, a tablespoon of light mayo, a tablespoon of dill relish, a slice of swiss, some onions and lettuce in one of those tortillas is only 274 calories, 10 net carbs, and 32 grams of protein. Substituting a lettuce wrap for the tortilla will cut the carbs in half while shaving off another 50 calories.
  • alyssa_rest
    alyssa_rest Posts: 276 Member
    I don't really sub out much... but I have a new love for cauliflower & potato mashed potatoes. I like that it tastes similar and I'm usually getting an extra helping of veggies.
  • BlowPopKisses
    BlowPopKisses Posts: 1,482 Member
    I always use zucchini/squash noodles (zoodles) in place of spaghetti noodles or any pasta really.
    Turkey sausage in place of regular sausage.
    Lettuce in place of bread or wraps.
    Flavored water in place of soda.
    I know I have more, but that's all I can think of off the top of my head.
  • hklu22
    hklu22 Posts: 4 Member
    I have a serious addiction to mayo! Lately I've been doing half mayo and half 0% Greek yogurt. Tastes better than light mayo. Sometimes I add some Chipotle in adobo and lime and can use even less mayo.
  • Phaewryn
    Phaewryn Posts: 142 Member
    edited March 2018
    I've found I can happily substitute a whole can of canned green beans for the pasta in many pasta dishes that use a cream sauce. I also substitue leaf lettuce for tortillas for tacos
  • rhtexasgal
    rhtexasgal Posts: 572 Member
    plain greek yogurt is a good sub for sour cream, especially when making dips.
  • Evamutt
    Evamutt Posts: 2,793 Member
    I do a few: peanut butter powder, fat free half & half, turkey sausage & turkey hot dogs, fat free cheddar cheese, egg beaters, 1/3 less fat cream cheese, sugar free syrup & coffee creamer, lite salami, lite mayo, unsweetened apple sauce- these ones are good, some things are just not good . I use real butter & raw honey, but not a lot.As far as baked goods, I like more salty things but the husband loves sweets, so I make cookies with a small amount of brown sugar. I make fresh blueberry pie with a small amount of sugar. I look for recipes on places like Skinnytaste. Their chocolate cheesecake cups are SO good. For my chocolate craving(when I have one), I mix lite hot coco mix in with my non fat greek plain yogurt with some cool whip, tastes like a chocolate mousse. I rarely have pasta. Bread I have one slice of a low cal one (40 cal) & I do eat chocolate rice cakes instead of bread for my powdered p butter
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