Your favorite recipes call for certain ingredients, some of which make or break the taste of the recipe. While having a spectacular, flavorful recipe is sure to win a cooking contest, sometimes this comes at the cost of a lot of calories, and not in a good way.
What if I told you there was a way to make those same favorite dishes but by switching a few ingredients?
It must be said though, I am not at ALL saying that this won’t slightly change the taste of the dish. We aren’t trying to win contests with these switches, Karen. I’m also not saying carbs are bad. These are options that can help you be able to enjoy your favorite recipes at a more frequent rate because they are healthier and/or can help you hit your calorie intake or macros.
Let’s take a look at some of these swap options.
1. Instead of Rice- Use Cauliflower
Looking to cook without all of the starch and/or don’t want to load up on starchy complex carbs? OR have recently decided to take out grainier items? Cauliflower provides a good substitute and looks and tastes oddly similar to rice. AND I have a killer keto jambalaya recipe if you’re interested.
2.Instead of Sour Cream- Use Greek Yogurt
A lot of dips call for sour cream to create a creamier texture however, greek yogurt can provide more protein and potassium. Just make sure if you’re planning to use greek yogurt as a replacement for a veggie dip of some sort, or a salad dressing, be sure to use PLAIN and not vanilla.
3.Instead of Pasta- Use Spaghetti Squash OR Chickpea Noodles
Spiraled spaghetti squash takes a special tool and some practice, but I thought it belonged here because it is a popular alternative. You can eat more of it in comparison to most pasta serving sizes.
4. Instead of Brown Sugar- Use Cinnamon
Obviously it depends on what recipe you’re trying and how the brown sugar is being used however, cinnamon can be a good alternative when making sweet-potato fries, or any type of potatoes really, cooked apple slices, as well as many crockpot recipes to add a sweet flavor.
5. Instead of Using Sauces – Use Spices and Rubs
Again, there is a time and place to slather on a sauce or serve with a dipping sauce however, most of those serving sizes are as little as 2 Tbsp. If you’re marinating meat, that is one thing (as obviously not all the sauces is consume therefore you’re not consuming a ton of extra calories).
However, according to Beaumont Health, it is recommended that you consider homemade marinades to avoid the extra ingredients.
In all, if you use the proper amount of seasoning, you can definitely bring out the taste of the meat/poultry without adding a ton of nonsense or for that matter, too much salt. Harvard even suggests you try searing your food first before adding salt. Needless to say there are a lot of options but let’s hold off on the extra stuff as it absolutely does add up.
Feel like I’m missing something on this list? Drop a comment and let me know what else you’ve switched out!
Note: if you are struggling with making specific food decisions or want to know more about proper intake, I do recommend reaching out to a registered dietician who can help answer specific questions related to your health.
