Fitness Talk Friday | Healthy Baking Substitutes

Fitness Talk Friday | Healthy Baking Substitutes

Baking season is upon us but that doesn't mean it has to be unhealthy!

Here are several things you can substitute in your recipe to made it a little bit healthier!

FLOUR SUBSTITUTES:

1) White or Black Beans (healthier substitution)

1 cup of white or black beans drained, rinsed, and pureed for 1 cup all-purpose flour

How it works? If your recipe calls for a cup of flour, try swapping it with a cup of black bean puree! Beans add fiber and protein and make baked goods more moist without changing their flavor.

Works best with: Brownies, cupcakes and cookies.

2) Nut Flour (healthier substitution)
1 cup nut flour + 1 tsp. baking powder or baking soda for 1 cup all-purpose flour

How it works? Nut flour adds protein and omega-3s to baked goods, but will make your final product more dense.

Works best with: Cakes, cookies and sweet breads.

3) Whole Wheat Flour (healthier substitution)
1 cup whole wheat flour for 1 cup all-purpose flour

How it works? Whole wheat flour has five times the fiber of refined flour. Dietary fiber promotes healthy digestion and may prevent cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Works best with: Any baking recipe!

BONUS TIP: It's best to substitute all purpose flour based on its weight rather than its volume. If 1 cup of all-purpose flour weighs 125 g, you should try substituting it with 125 g of alternate flour.

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SUGAR SUBSTITUTES:

1) Unsweetened Apple Sauce (healthier substitution & cuts calories)

1 cup applesauce for 1 cup of sugar

How it works? For this substitution, you will need to reduce the recipe’s main liquid by about 1/4 for every cup of apple sauce added, this will make the final product less sweet and more dense than the original recipe.

Works best with: Cakes, bakes, cookies, muffins and fruit dishes.

2) Dates or Prunes (healthier substitution)

6 dates or prunes soaked in hot water for 45 minutes, drained, and pureed for 1 cup of sugar

How it works? For this substitution you will need to reduce the main liquid in the recipe by 1/4 cup. Dates and prunes are naturally sweet and add subtle flavor.

Works best with: Cookies and sweet breads

3) Raw Honey (healthier substitution & cuts calories)

1/2 cup raw honey for 1 cup of sugar

How it works? For this substitution you will need to reduce the main liquid in the recipe by 1/4 cup. Honey is sweeter than sugar, so you can use less.

Works best with: Cookies, cakes and sweet breads

4) Pure Maple Syrup (healthier substitution)

3/4 cup pure maple syrup for 1 cup sugar

How it works? For this substitution you will need to reduce the main liquid in the recipe by 3 Tbsp. and reduce the over temperature by 25 degrees Fahrenheit. Maple syrup is loaded with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants and has fewer calories and a lower glycemic index than sugar.

Works best with: Any baked goods that will be tasty with maple flavor.

5) Vanilla Extract (healthier substitution & cuts calories)
1 tsp. vanilla extract for 1 cup sugar

How it works? For most baked goods, you can cut the sugar in half and add a teaspoon of vanilla as a replacement. This will add just as much flavor without all the added calories! Assuming a recipe originally calls for one cup of sugar, that’s a reduction of almost 400 calories!

Works best with: Cakes, muffins, cookies and breads.

6) Stevia (healthier substitution & cuts calories)
About 1 1/2 packets of Stevia for 1 Tbsp. of sugar
For example, if a recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar, you should replace that with approx. 20-24 packets of Stevia, this will eliminate almost 800 calories!

How it works? Stevia is an all-natural plant based sweetener with zero calories! Stevia is usually sold in packets under different brands (Truvia etc.) in a granulated form. This makes it the ultimate, natural sugar replacement. Stevia is 300 times sweeter than sugar, so sample recipes before adding too much!

Works best with: Cookies, cakes, muffins, dessert bars and breads.

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FATS SUBSTITUTES: (Butter, Oil, & Shortening)

Fats are what give baked goods their light and flaky texture so substituting other ingredients will create a more dense result.

1) Avocado (healthier substitution)
1 cup avocado pureed for 1 cup butter

How it works? Avocados are packed with essential vitamins and minerals and are a great source of healthy fats. Swapping avocado for butter will significantly reduce the calories and fat in any recipe. Naturally this will tint your batter or dough green, so keep that in mind when having a lighter than dark batter! Be sure to reduce the oven temperature by 25% and increase your baking time. This will help to prevent your cake from rising up in the middle or, alternatively, caving in. It’ll also prevent the cake from browning too quickly.

Works best with: Chocolate cakes, brownies and cookies.

2) Banana (healthier substitute & cuts calories)
3/4 cup mashed banana for 1 cup butter, oil or shortening

How it works? Replacing butter in a recipe with banana results in a nice rich, dense texture which can be great for all kinds of sweets. Bananas add sweetness, so experiment with using less sugar. You will want to reduce your cooking time by 25% when using banana as a substitute so be sure to keep a close eye on your goods!

Works best with: Dense cakes, muffins, cookies and breads.

3) Unsweetened Applesauce (healthier substitute & cuts calories)
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce + 1/2 cup fat for 1 cup butter, oil or shortening

How it works? Experiment with it. If you like the results from swapping half the fat for applesauce, try swapping more.

Works best in: Muffins and sweet breads (even boxed mixes!)

4) Non-Fat Greek Yogurt (healthier substitute & cuts calories)
1 cup non-fat Greek yogurt for 1 cup butter or oil (especially canola oil!)

How it works? Using Greek yogurt in a recipe in place of oil is one of the best ways to cut the fat right out! The Greek yogurt replacement is barely detectable and makes recipes super moist. Yogurt adds protein and calcium without changing the flavor.

How it works? Chia seeds are packed with protein, fiber and calcium. For best results, only substitute half of the butter the in the recipe with chia seeds.

Works best with: Cakes, breads and muffins.

6) Prunes (healthier substitute & cuts calories)

3/4 cup prunes + 1/4 cup hot water pureed for 1 cup butter or shortening

How it works? If you swap prunes for fat in your recipe, decrease the amount of sugar since prunes will add sweetness. Store unused "prune butter" in fridge for up to a week.

Works best with: Brownies, chocolate or spiced cakes and dark baked goods.

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EGG SUBSTITUES:

1) Egg Whites (cuts calories)
2 egg whites or 1/4 cup egg substitute for 1 whole egg

How it works? Egg yolks are full of B vitamins and other nutrients, but replacing them with egg whites cuts fat and calories.

Work best with: Any recipe calling for whole eggs!

2) Chia Seeds (cuts calories)
1 Tbsp. chia seeds + 1 cup water set aside for 15 minutes for 1 whole egg

How it works? Superfood chia seeds can be swapped for butter or eggs, but not both in the same recipe!

Works best with: Any baking recipe!

3) Flaxseed (cuts calories)
1 Tbsp. ground flaxseeds + 3 Tbsp. water set aside for 5 minutes for 1 whole egg.

How it works? Flax seed with help cut calories and in return, add omega-3s and fiber to your recipe!

Works best with: Muffins, cookies and cakes.

4) Silken Tofu (cuts calories)
1/4 cup silken tofu pureed for 1 whole egg

How it work? Tofu lets you remove the egg without losing the protein. Make sure the tofu puree is completely smooth before adding other ingredients.

Works best with: Brownies and dense cakes.

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CREAM SUBSTITUTES:

1) Evaporated Milk (cuts calories)

1 cup evaporated milk for 1 cup cream

How it works? Replacing heavy creams with evaporated milks is another great way to cut out fat and calories. Use a one for one substitution on most baked dishes.

Works best with: Whipped cream and dessert beverages.

2) Puréed Sweet Potato (healthier substitute & cuts calories)
1 cup pureed sweet potato for 1 cup cream

How it works? Puréed sweet potatoes can create a creamy soup just as well as, well, cream! Your lactose intolerant friends will love this dairy substitution and your weight conscious friends will also appreciate the effort (130 calories for ½ cup compared to 400).

Works best with: Soup.

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CHOCOLATE CHIPS SUBSTITUTE:

1) Cacao Nibs (healthier substitute & cuts calories)

1 cup cocoa nibs for 1 cup chocolate chips

How it works? Cacao is essentially chocolate in the raw. It’s often referred to as a “super food” because of it’s wide array of benefits (unlike it’s processed counterpart). Cacao nibs contain no sugar, and very little fat so they make a fabulous substitution for chocolate chips in just about any recipe! Cacao nibs add intense dark chocolate flavor to the recipe with much fewer additives than chocolate chips.

Works best with: Any recipe where chocolate chips are used; cookies, cakes, breads, muffins, etc.

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RICE KRISPIES SUBSTITUTE:

1) Brown Rice Cereal (healthier substitute)

1 cup brown rice cereal + 2 Tbsp. flax meal for 1 cup Rice Krispies

How it works? Puffed brown rice has the same crunch but twice the fiber.

Works best with: Crisped rice treats.

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COOKIES SUBSTITUTE:

1) All-Natural Whole-Grain Graham Crackers (healthier substitute)

1 cup all-natural whole-grain graham crackers crushed for 1 cup cookies

How it works? Extra sugar can sneak into your pie through the crust. Graham crackers have a lot less sugar and preservatives, but there are a lot of bogus graham crackers out there, so make sure to read the labels so you avoid those that are coated in cinnamon and sugar or are pumped with preservatives.

Works best with: Pie crust.

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PEANUT BUTTER SUBSTITUTE:

1) Peanut Butter Powder (cuts calories)

2 Tbsp. peanut butter powder + 1 Tbsp. water for 2 Tbsp. peanut butter

How it works? Peanut butter powder lets you remove most of the fat but keep the peanut butter flavor. Just be mindful - some powders add a touch of sugar.

Works best with: Anything, including Shakeology!

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BUTTERMILK SUBSTITUTE:

1) Milk and Lemon Mix (healthier substitute & cuts calories)

1 cup of milk + 1 Tbsp. lemon juice in a small bowl, let the mixture stand for 5 minutes, for buttermilk

How it works? Unless you’re a professional baker, you probably don’t fill the fridge with buttermilk. Besides, at 150 calories and 8g of fat a serving, who would want to?! This substitute will not only save you all those extra calories but it will also save you money, too.

Works best with: Any recipe calling for buttermilk!

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MAYONNAISE SUBSITITUTE:

1) Greek Yogurt (healthier substitute & cuts calories)

1 cup Greek yogurt for 1 cup mayonnaise

How it works? Even if you're trying to cut calories with light mayonnaise, that still has over 3 times the calories and 11 times the fat of Greek yogurt.

Works best with: Salads (pasta salad or potato salad).

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BREAD CRUMBS SUBSTITUTE:

1) Rolled Oats (healthier & cuts calories)

3/4 cup rolled oats for 1 cup bread crumbs

How it works? Breadcrumbs may not seem like a huge calorie culprit, but ½ cup of this typical breading has over 200 calories. Cut the calories in half and add some extra fiber by using rolled oats instead. Plus, since oats are bigger than breadcrumbs, you’re sure to use less in a recipe. Bread crumbs have more than 120 times the amount of sodium as rolled oats. Crazy, right?

Works best with: Meatballs, meatloaf, casseroles, etc.

*Stay tuned for next weeks "Fitness Talk Friday" at 7:30pm EST over at Facebook.com/RachelFaulFitness