When you are trying to eat healthier, many clever tricks in the kitchen can help, and you can still enjoy your favorite dishes. With simple modifications, even cheesecake can be part of a healthy diet.  These easy substitutions and techniques lower the fat and cholesterol in your recipes, without sacrificing great flavor. For easy reference in cooking healthy, print out the healthy equivalents chart and mount it to the inside of a cabinet door. Don’t forget to check out our Health Conscious recipe section for more healthy recipe ideas.

Meat- Eat more fish! Fish is loaded with protein, low in fats, and full of the beneficial omega 3 fatty acids. When choosing other meats, "loin" cuts are the usually the leanest (for example, pork tenderloin has approximately the same fat percentage as chicken). Replace bacon with turkey bacon, lean ham or Canadian bacon in breakfast dishes, salads, etc. Liquid smoke is also a good alternative to bacon in recipes. Use extra-lean ground beef or substitute ground turkey for ground beef in most recipes. When cooking meatloaf, keep the desired consistency with ground turkey by adding instant oatmeal, chicken stock, and marinara sauce. For low fat cooking, marinate meats in fruit or vegetable juices instead of oils. Removing the skin from poultry also helps to cut the fat, but do so after grilling to help seal in moisture. To brown meat without oil, cover the pot and cook over lower heat. The meat will “brown” in its own juices.

Eggs- Eggs are a prime source of fat and cholesterol in recipes, but also easily adjusted. Substitute two egg whites or 1/4 C. cholesterol-free liquid egg product for one whole egg in recipes. You can even make your own egg substitute by beating together 6 egg whites, ¼ C. nonfat powdered milk, 1 tsp. oil, and 6 drops yellow food coloring. This homemade egg substitute will keep in the refrigerator for a week.

Cheese- Although cheese is a definite fat culprit, you don’t have to cut it out of your diet completely! Instead, use low-fat, skim milk cheese whenever possible. Use fat-free cream cheese, or replace cream cheese in recipes with low-fat ricotta and plain yogurt. In casserole dishes, use 1/2 C. cottage cheese mixed with 1/2 C. reduced fat cheese for every C. of regular cheese.

Creams- Substitute evaporated skim milk for heavy cream in recipes. To remove the fat from cream soups, put the can or container in the freezer for 10 minutes and then scoop off the fat from the top. When preparing creamy soup, use pureed, cooked potato instead of cream.  As a substitute for cream sauce in many recipes, mix together 1 C. low fat butter milk, 1 Tbs. cornstarch, and tomato sauce. In place of sour cream, blend 1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice into 1/2 C. cottage cheese as a substitute, or use drained non-fat yogurt mixed with a little sour cream. On baked potatoes, try salsa or low-fat yogurt instead of the traditional sour cream. Replace whipped cream in a recipe with vanilla non-fat yogurt, or three stiffly beaten egg whites. You can also make your own healthy whipped cream by beating together 1/4 C. fat-free milk powder and 1/4 C. water until thick, and then adding 1/2 tsp. lemon juice, 1/4 tsp. vanilla, and 1/4 C. sugar.

Oil and Butter- Soybean, sesame, and sunflower oils are better for you than saturated fats like palm oil. In baking, you can substitute an equal amount of unsweetened applesauce for oil, or use prunes instead of oil in chocolate products. Prunes keep chocolate baked goods moist and also maintain the color. Use the pureed or baby-food varieties in a 1 to 1 ratio with replaced oil. In using applesauce, also try using an equal volume mixture of 1/2 buttermilk and 1/2 applesauce in place of fat for a moister product. Instead of cooking with butter, olive oil can usually be substituted, or you can use 1/2 to 1 C. of margarine for every C. of butter called for in a recipe. Dipping bread in olive oil is a healthier and delicious alternative to butter with dinner.  The fats in olive oil are better for you than in saturated fats like butter. Mix freshly ground peppercorns or herbs like oregano into the olive oil for an extra touch.

Fruits and Vegetables- The peels of fruits are a great source of nutrients, so leave them on! To cut down on salt intake, choose fresh or frozen vegetables over canned, since canned vegetables tend to be packaged with salt. Instead of sautéing onions and other vegetables in oil, steam them in water with a pinch of rosemary to add flavor without the fat. Also try cooking vegetables in non-fat broth, stock, or even wine. Tomatoes are a wonderfully flavorful and healthy addition to many different recipes. Even canned tomatoes and tomato paste offer the powerful antioxidant lycopene, which may help prevent heart disease and certain kinds of cancer.

Alternative Desserts and Chocolate- Baked fruits, fig bars, ginger snaps, and graham crackers all make healthy alternative desserts.  Instead of ice cream, indulge in the super-healthy; frozen low-fat, flavored soy milk. Instead of frosting cakes, try dusting them with confectioners' sugar or cinnamon and cocoa. To cut the fat in chocolate desserts, substitute 3 Tbs. cocoa powder, plus a little oil or applesauce if desired, for every oz. of chocolate. Carob powder is also a healthy alternative, with the added benefit of having no caffeine (especially good for those with heart conditions). When baking cookies, use half the amount of chocolate chips, and chop them smaller so they evenly disperse through the cookie.

Easy Reference Chart for Healthy Substitutions