Healthy Cooking Tips
from LEWAC's Hello Neighbor Community Cookbook
Call 716-881-6111 ext 205 for a copy
Recipe Makeovers
Food Substitutions
Low-Fat Cooking Tips
Recipe Makeovers
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Most of your favorite recipes can be easily changed to lower the fat,salt and sugar, and increase fiber. The following tips will show you how to change your own favorite recipes so they are healthier for you and your family.
TIP #1: Lower the amount of added fat. 
Ask yourself: "Can I reduce or replace oil? Can I use low-fat milk instead of cream?" To reduce fat, try the following ideas:
Fats like oil, butter, or margarine can usually be cut by 1/3 to 1/2 in recipes.
Try a small cut-back at first, then increasingly cut back little by little.
To replace some moisture and flavor loss when fat is reduced, make up
the difference with broth, skim milk, fruit juice, and extra herbs, spices
and vegetables.
For a moist baked product when fat is reduced, add dried fruits, applesauce or mashed banana.
Remember to use measuring spoons and cups to avoid pouring or guessing the amount of oil to use. One extra teaspoon of oil adds 45 calories and 5 grams of fat.
Use only small amounts of fatty foods like avocados, coconut, cheese and nuts.
TIP #2: Cut back on fatty meats.
Replace your usual meat with a leaner, lower-fat meat. For example, if a recipe calls for ground beef, use extra lean ground beef, ground round or ground turkey.
Make the portion size smaller. Remember: no more than 4 oz. cooked meat per serving.
TIP #3: Increase fiber.
Use whole grains like oats, brown rice or barley for all or part of the recipe.
When possible, leave skins on fruits or vegetables.
Add beans to soups and salads.
TIP #4: Lower the amount of salt.
Cut salt down by 1/2 or more in all recipes (except those calling for yeast) and substitute herbs and spices instead. Here are some natural spice partners:
Meat, Fish, Poultry: Allspice, basil, sage, bay leaf, chives, dry mustard, lemon, garlic, onion and dill.
Vegetables: Sesame seed, basil, oregano, allspice, ginger, tarragon, vinegar and lemon.
Fruit: Cinnamon, cloves, vanilla, ginger, mint and nutmeg.
TIP #5: Lower the amount of sugar.
Cut the amount of sugar called for by 1/2; reduce the amount of liquid by 1/4.
When fruit juice is called for, use apple juice and reduce the amount by 1/4.
Add a touch of vanilla flavoring or extract, or dash of cinnamon, to a recipe calling for fruit to increase the sweet taste of the fruit.
Heat up any low sugar dessert prior to serving, when possible, to increase the sweet taste without adding sugar.
Food Substitutions
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The key to cooking healthy meals is to use healthy substitutes that do not sacrifice taste.
Use |
Instead of |
| Lean meats such as round, sirloin, loin, lean and extra lean ground beef, poultry with skin removed, fish, bean, and grain dishes | High-fat meat or regular ground beef |
| Lean ham or smoked turkey neck | Ham hocks, fatback, or pork neck bone |
Small amount of vegetable oil or soft "tub" margarine made with liquid vegetable oil |
Lard, butter, bacon grease, or other fats that harden at room temperature |
Turkey bacon, lean ham, Canadian bacon (omit if low sodium diet) |
Pork bacon |
Ground turkey (at least 93% lean) |
Ground beef or pork, pork sausage |
Low fat (1%) or nonfat/skim milk |
Whole milk |
Low fat or part skim cheeses |
Whole milk cheeses |
| Evaporated skim milk | Cream or evaporated whole milk |
| Low fat mayonnaise or mustard | Regular mayonnaise on sandwiches |
| Nonfat or low fat dressing, yogurt or low fat mayonnaise | Regular mayonnaise in salads |
| Colorful fruits & vegetables | Avocado, olives, croutons as salad garnishes |
| Low sodium bouillons and broths | Regular bouillons, broths |
2 egg whites or ¼ cup of egg substitute |
1 whole egg |
| 3 ripe, very well-mashed bananas | ½ cup butter or oil when making quick breads or muffins |
| 3 tablespoons unsweetened baking cocoa | 1 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate. If fat is needed, add 1 tablespoon or less of vegetable oil |
Low-Fat Cooking Tips
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| Instead of frying or cooking in fatty sauces and gravies | Try broiling, steaming, roasting/baking, micro waving, grilling or stir frying with 1 teaspoon of oil per serving. |
| Try braising/stewing, boiling, simmering (then chill and skim off the fat). | |
| When sautéing onion for flavoring soups and sauces |
Use nonstick spray, water or stock. |
| When making a salad dressing | Use fruit juice to replace half the oil in your usual salad dressing recipe. For extra flavor add mustard and herbs. |
| When making cakes and soft-drop cookies | Use no more than 2 tablespoons of fat for each cup of flour. |
| When making muffins or quick breads | Use no more than 1-2 tablespoons of fat for each cup of flour. |
| To de-fat homemade broths, soups and stews | Prepare the food ahead and chill it. Before reheating the food, lift off the hardened fat formed at the surface and throw it away. |
| When cooking brown rice | Use low-sodium bouillon or broths to add flavor. |