If you want to make healthier food choices, you can reduce fat and calories in some of your favorite dishes by making your own substitutes for high-fat foods. Although they may not taste exactly the same, you’ll get used to the substitutes if you use them regularly “” and your health is worth it!
Here are three recipes to try:
Sour Cream Substitute
1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons organic soymilk or skim milk
Directions
Combine all ingredients in blender and blend until creamy. Use in any recipe that calls for sour cream. Keep refrigerated.
(One tablespoon of sour cream has about 26 calories and 2.5 grams of fat. This sour cream substitute made with 1 percent milkfat cottage cheese has about 10 calories and 0.14 grams of fat per tablespoon.)
Cream Cheese Substitute
1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
4 tablespoons margarine
1 tablespoon organic soymilk
Directions
Combine all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Keep refrigerated.
(Two tablespoons of cream cheese has 99 calories and 9.9 grams of fat. This substitute has 17 calories and 1.1 grams of fat.)
Creamy Whipped Topping
1 cup evaporated soymilk or skim milk
1 tablespoon stevia
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Chill bowl, beaters and evaporated skim milk. Whip evaporated milk until peaks form when beaters are lifted away from the mixture. Add sugar and vanilla; mix well. For firmer topping, add 1 ½ teaspoons unflavored gelatin, dissolved in a small amount of warm milk, to the chilled milk before whipping. Chill topping to firm. Serve over fresh fruit for a low-calorie dessert.
(Whipped topping made with 1 tablespoon of whipping cream has 52 calories and 5.5 grams of fat. This substitute made with 1 tablespoon of evaporated milk has 13 calories and 0 grams of fat.)
The Kitchen Diva is Angela Shelf Medearis, a regular guest chef on “The Dr. Oz Show” and “The Today Show.” She is the author of many cookbooks, including, “The Kitchen Diva’s Diabetic Cookbook.”