Ingredient Substitutions: Make the Switch for Healthier Recipes

from www.mayoclinic.com
When I bake or cook I’m always trying to find ways to make my foods healthier by using substitutes.  My old standard is to replace butter or oil with applesauce, and I can rarely tell the difference.  I love to replace regular flour with whole wheat flour and wheat germ, and I also love to add ground flaxseed to my breads, muffins, and cookies (extra omega 3’s baby!).  So far my 1 1/2 year old has no idea that white bread exists and I’m very happy for that.
I found this great list on the Mayo Clinic website for even more healthier substitutions that I wanted to share:
If your recipe calls for this,
Try substituting this instead!
All-purpose (plain) flour
Whole-wheat flour for half of the called-for all-purpose flour in baked goods
Note: Whole-wheat pastry flour is less dense and works well in softer products like cakes and muffins.
Bacon
Canadian bacon, turkey bacon, smoked turkey or lean prosciutto (Italian ham)
Butter, shortening or oil in baked goods
Applesauce or prune puree for half of the called-for butter, shortening or oil. Note: To avoid dense, soggy or flat baked goods, don't substitute oil for butter or shortening.
Butter, margarine, shortening or oil to prevent sticking
Cooking spray or nonstick pans
Creamed soups
Fat-free milk-based soups, mashed potato flakes, or pureed carrots, potatoes or tofu for thickening agents
Dry bread crumbs
Rolled oats or crushed bran cereal
Eggs
Two egg whites or 1/4 cup egg substitute for each whole egg
Enriched pasta
Whole-wheat pasta
Evaporated milk
Evaporated skim milk
Fruit canned in heavy syrup
Fruit canned in its own juices or in water, or fresh fruit
Fruit-flavored yogurt
Plain yogurt with fresh fruit slices
Full-fat cream cheese
Fat-free or low-fat cream cheese, Neufchatel or low-fat cottage cheese pureed until smooth
Full-fat sour cream
Fat-free or low-fat sour cream, plain fat-free or low-fat yogurt
Ground beef
Extra-lean or lean ground beef, chicken or turkey breast (make sure no poultry skin has been added to the product)
Iceberg lettuce
Arugula, chicory, collard greens, dandelion greens, kale, mustard greens, spinach or watercress
Margarine in baked goods
Trans fat-free butter spreads or shortenings that are specially formulated for baking
Note: If ingredient lists include the term "partially hydrogenated," it may have up to 0.5 grams of trans fat in one serving. To avoid dense, soggy or flat baked goods, don't substitute diet, whipped or tub-style margarine for regular margarine.
Mayonnaise
Reduced-calorie mayonnaise-type salad dressing or reduced-calorie, reduced-fat mayonnaise
Meat as the main ingredient
Three times as many vegetables as the meat on pizzas or in casseroles, soups and stews
Oil-based marinades
Wine, balsamic vinegar, fruit juice or fat-free broth
Salad dressing
Fat-free or reduced-calorie dressing or flavored vinegars
Seasoning salt, such as garlic salt, celery salt or onion salt
Herb-only seasonings, such as garlic powder, celery seed or onion flakes, or use finely chopped herbs or garlic, celery or onions
Soups, sauces, dressings, crackers, or canned meat, fish or vegetables
Low-sodium or reduced-sodium versions
Soy sauce
Sweet-and-sour sauce, hot mustard sauce or low-sodium soy sauce
Syrup
Pureed fruit, such as applesauce, or low-calorie, sugar-free syrup
Table salt
Herbs, spices, fruit juices or salt-free seasoning mixes or herb blends
White bread
Whole-wheat bread
White rice
Brown rice, wild rice, bulgur or pearl barley
Whole milk
Reduced-fat or fat-free milk