By Erinn Bucklan
Between the countless holiday parties, family get-togethers and try-it-before-you-make-it-for-everyone-else dinners, it's easy to put on a few pounds as the year winds down. But you don't have to deprive yourself (or anyone else sitting at your holiday table) of your favorite recipes, even if you're trying to be more health-conscious this year. By replacing just one ingredient in your go-to high-calorie dishes, you can make your meals healthier without changing what makes them taste so good. In fact, despite the drop in calories, there's a good chance the flavor of the dishes will be nearly identical to the original versions. Yep, these substitutions are really that good.
That said, don't feel bad if you've been serving your favorite meals the old-fashioned way, because you're not alone. “I often need to show clients where they can swap out foods high in fat or sugar for ones with fewer calories, because they don’t realize there are tasty substitutions out there,” says nutrition expert Mitzi Dulan, RD, CSSD and author of The Pinterest Diet.
Read on for the sneakiest alternatives that will fool even the pickiest eaters at your table!
Greek Yogurt Instead Of Sour Cream
Got a creamy Christmas dip you just can’t quit? Switch out the sour cream in the recipe with Greek-style, fat-free plain yogurt. And, yes, it's a one-to-one switch. Studies show that replacing full-fat for low-fat dairy helps keep blood pressure down. Plus, this miracle in the dairy aisle has the same consistency and tang of sour cream, but with zero fat. No one will miss a thing.
Applesauce In Place Of Oil
An apple a day indeed keeps the doctor away -- especially when it replaces high-calorie cooking oil in baked holiday recipes. You can make an equal part, one-to-one swap of vegetable oil for unsweetened applesauce. Not only will you save plenty of calories (to compare: a tablespoon of applesauce has about seven, while a tablespoon of oil has 120), but you’ll also add the fruit’s vitamins and minerals, like vitamin C, folate, magnesium, zinc and potassium to your recipe. The most noticeable difference? The natural sugars in pureed apples will make your quick bread or muffin slightly sweeter and more moist. That's a win-win when it comes to desserts and holiday treats.
Chicken Broth Instead Of Butter
Feeling virtuous because you're serving veggies at your tree-trimming dinner party? Step away from the butter dish before you sauté. Replace that pat of butter with a cup of chicken broth to bring out the flavors of cooked vegetables -- without all the grease, according to Dulan.
You can also consider adding a drop of white cooking wine or fruit juice to amp up the flavor of your healthier side dish. Promise: There’s nothing garden-variety about this.
Ground Turkey Breast In Place Of Ground Beef
A 2012 study found a possible 20 percent higher risk of cancer or heart disease with each additional daily serving of red meat. So replace the ground beef in your chilis or meat sauces with ground turkey, advises nutrition expert Tina Ruggiero, MS, RD, author of The Truly Healthy Family Cookbook. "This is a substitution I do myself," she says. "You can save 14 grams of fat per serving by switching from ground beef to ground turkey. But read the turkey labels closely: Not all are created equal!" For optimum heart health, Ruggerio recommends buying meat labeled "ground turkey breast," not "ground turkey": Ground white turkey breast meat has just 60 mg of artery-clogging cholesterol per serving, while ground turkey -- which is made with the darker, fattier cuts -- has about 80 mg. (That’s almost as much as beef.)
Pureed Potato In Place Of Cream To Thicken Soups
Creamy comfort food just got a little bit healthier, thanks to this easy switcheroo. To thicken soups, skip the heavy cream and add a boiled medium-sized pureed potato to cooked soup instead. You’ll save plenty on the fat and add heart-friendly potassium with this tried-and-true tuber. Using a countertop or wand blender, puree your potato with about a quarter of your chunky soup. Then add your mixture to the rest of the pot. The potato bulks up your dish and your guests will never miss the cream.
Bananas Instead Of Sugar When Baking
Finally, a purpose for those overripe, blackened bananas sitting on your kitchen counter! Replace the granulated sugar in baked desserts with mashed-up bananas. You’ll cut out the empty calories found in table sugar that often lead to obesity and related diseases. Just peel, mash and measure your bananas before you add them to the other wet ingredients. Each banana (with 110 calories) equates to about one-half cup of table sugar (with 385 calories). I can't think of a better reason to buy bananas by the bunch!
