Healthy Holiday Recipe Swaps
You can transform your favorite dishes to a healthier alternative without sacrificing flavor. In general, you can modify your recipes in 3 different ways:
- Swap ingredients:
| In place of: | Use: | When: | How: | Benefits: |
| Bread crumbs | Rolled oats | Mixed dishes | Season with dried herbs | Higher in fiber |
| Croutons | Nuts or seeds | Salad | Lightly toasted almonds, pecans, pepitas or walnuts | Carb-free, higher in protein, fiber and healthy fats |
| Parmesan cheese | Nutritional yeast | Dish topping or popcorn flavor | 1:1 ratio | Vegan, dairy-free, nutrient rich |
- Healthier “traditional” sides
- Add shredded vegetables or pureed beans to pasta sauce and mashed potatoes à spinach & cauliflower mashed potatoes
- Sauté́ vegetables in vegetable broth, juice, water or oil spray instead of tablespoons of butter or oil à Green beans sautéed with olive oil and tossed almonds instead of creamy mushroom soup, or you can try cashew cream with chopped fresh mushrooms
- Brussels sprouts with bacon à balsamic Brussels sprouts
- Skim fat on stews and gravies. Chill or freeze stock and remove fat before cooking.
- Wild and brown rice, apples, sautéed pecans, onions à adding fresh fruit instead of dried fruit reduces total added sugar
- Quinoa “Stuffing”: spinach, pistachios, cranberries, butternut squash and quinoa
- Baked apples with granola and cinnamon instead of apple pie
- Reduce serving sizes
- Include at least ½ of your plate with green, leafy veggies, ¼ of your plate make it lean-meat and the remaining ¼ plate whole-grains.
- It’s OK to enjoy your favorite food, mindfully. Follow the 3-bite rule “Amazing first taste, satisfying middle one and a lingering third bite”.
- The ideas is to replace and reduce, not restrict.
