similar to sour cream but offers higher
levels of protein.
Butter in cooking: Cooking smart means
choosing healthier fats and using them in
moderation. Instead of butter, try olive oil.
While 1 tablespoon of butter has about 7
grams of saturated fat, olive oil only has 2
grams of saturated fat.
Butter in baking: Oil can cause baked
goods to get soggy, so a better butter
alternative is applesauce or pumpkin puree
for half of the called-for amount. The ad-
dition of applesauce or pumpkin puree re-
duces the fat content while keeping baked
goods moist and delicious.
Bacon: Bacon adds flavor to any dish,
but a ton of fat. To get the flavor-boost
of bacon without the excess fat, try using
Canadian bacon, lean prosciutto or turkey
bacon. Whether beside scrambled eggs
for breakfast or crumbled into a casserole,
these tasty alternatives will satisfy.
Salt: Use less salt and add herbs to reci-
pes to get succulent flavor. Whether fresh
or dried, herbs satisfy the palate and add
beauty of any dish. Have fun mixing and
matching herbs to customize a recipe per-
fectly to your taste.
Sugar: All those amazing glazes and des-
serts require sugar, but you need not rely
solely on refined white sugar. For baked
goods, lessen sugar and add vanilla or cin-
namon to intensify sweetness. For glazes,
Food & Dining
2016 December/January
Pg 9 - The Sunshine Express
10 ways to make baking and cooking
healthier; Healthy cooking ingredient
substitutions and smart food swaps
(BPT) Creamy sauces, cookies, casseroles and
cakes - as temperatures drop, it¡¯s natural to
crave favorite comfort foods. However, it¡¯s easy
to overindulge on rich dishes and decadent des-
serts, especially if you¡¯re hosting a gathering of
friends and family. How can you enjoy amazing
foods while bumping up the health quotient?
¡°Remember, when you¡¯re cooking or baking,
you¡¯re in control. With a few smart ingredient
substitutions and food swaps, you and your
guests can enjoy favorite dishes and get more
vitamins and nutrients,¡± says Lyssie Lakatos.
Lyssie Lakatos and Tammy Lakatos Shames,
both registered dietitians, are known as the
¡°The Nutrition Twins.¡± Together, they share their
favorite strategies for cooking healthier, includ-
ing clever ingredient swaps you won¡¯t even
detect in the finished dish.
Eggs: When baking, eggs are a common ingre-
dient, but not all eggs are created equal. Opt for
Eggland¡¯s Best eggs, locally-sourced eggs that
come from hens fed an all-vegetarian diet con-
sisting of healthy grains, canola oil and supple-
ments like alfalfa and vitamin E. As a result,
they have 10 times more vitamin E, five times
more vitamin D, three times more vitamin B12,
two times more omega-3s, 38 percent more lu-
tein and 25 percent less saturated fat compared
to ordinary eggs.
Sour cream: Swap full-fat sour cream for plain
Greek yogurt in recipes, dips, sauces and gar-
nishes. Plain Greek yogurt tastes surprisingly
skillet over medium heat, place two strips of
turkey bacon. Cook until bacon begins to brown
and crisp up.
Place a napkin on top of a small plate. When ba-
con is finished, place onto napkin to let grease
soak out.
Rinse the skillet and place back on the burner
over medium heat.
Place eggs in skillet and cook on medium-low
for just a few minutes; ~3 minutes. Be sure not
to overcook these eggs as they will continue
cooking after removed from heat, and will be
placed into the oven later on.
Break eggs into four equal parts. Place each into
the hollow parts of the sweet potatoes. Sprinkle
each with salt and pepper.
Break bacon apart with your hands into small
pieces. Sprinkle over the eggs.
Sprinkle cheese over top. Set your oven to broil
on high. Place potatoes in the oven and broil for
three minutes or until cheese is melted.
¡°When you rise in the
morning, give thanks for
the light, for your life, for
your strength. Give thanks
for your food and for the
joy of living. If you see no
reason to give thanks, the
fault lies in yourself.¡±
- Tecumseh
You Are In Control
Place in the
oven and
roast for 45
minutes.
When sweet
potatoes
are finished,
slice them in
half length-
wise and let
them cool.
Scoop a bit
of ¡®meat¡¯
out from
the sweet
potatoes to
make room
for the fill-
ing.
In a small
nonstick
try alternatives like maple syrup or fruit purees.
Breading: Classic comfort foods often require
breading. For a healthy alternative to tradi-
tional white bread crumbs, try whole-grain bread
crumbs, rolled oats or crushed bran cereal (or a
mixture of them all.)
Flour: Rather than using entirely all-purpose
refined white flour for recipes, try swapping half of
the amount with whole-wheat flour. You¡¯ll still get
the desired consistency out of baked goods, but
you¡¯ll be eating more whole grains.
Lettuce: Iceberg lettuce is a popular option for
salads and recipes, but to get more important
vitamins (and more flavor), use arugula, col-
lard greens, spinach, kale or watercress instead.
Insider tip: try buying a bag of mixed greens to
enjoy a variety of nutrient-dense alternatives.
Want to start your day out with an indulgent,
satisfying breakfast that features some of these
smart cooking ideas? This recipe serves as a great
breakfast and has vitamin-packed Eggland¡¯s Best
Eggs, sweet potatoes and turkey bacon. For more
recipes visit www.egglandsbest.com.
Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients:
2 Eggland¡¯s Best eggs (large)
2 sweet potatoes
2 strips turkey bacon
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Directions: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
Wash and scrub your sweet potatoes. Place on a
baking sheet, pierce each potato a few times with
a fork, and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.