Cooking Substitutions

Cooking Substitutions

When you think of healthy food, do you imagine eating boring food that tastes like cardboard? Well, eating healthy doesn't mean giving up your favorite meals. You can easily adapt some of your family's favorite recipes. Keep the taste and tradition; cut the fat, cholesterol, and excess calories--with a few sensational substitutions!

Instead of...	Try...
1 Cup cream	1 Cup evaporated milk
Cream to thicken soups	Pureed potatoes or vegetables
Oil-based marinades	Citrus juice or flavored vinegar
Stick margarine	Small amounts of olive oil, canola oil, or broth
2 ounces of mild cheddar cheese	1 ounce reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
White rice	Brown rice, bulgur, kasha, quinoa, whole-wheat couscous
Meat or poultry for stir fry	Tofu (extra firm, cubed) or more vegetables
Ground meat	Ground breast; finely chopped vegetables with less meat; crumbled tofu, tempeh, or soy crumbles; beans