How to Make Your Holiday Recipes Healthier
Nutrition Diva’s tips on how to make (somewhat) healthier holiday treats.
Monica Reinagel, MS, LD/N, CNS
A reporter called me this week to ask for tips on how to make holiday recipes healthier. “Can I suggest substitutions for unhealthy ingredients?” she wants to know. I think I know what she’s after: substituting applesauce or pureed prunes for butter, using whole wheat flour instead of white flour, olive oil pie crusts, and that sort of thing …
Pureed fruits, vegetables, and beans can sometimes be successfully used to replace some of the fat in baked goods. And whole grain flour can sometimes be incorporated into recipes with good results. But disappointing results are also possible—even probable, if you don’t know what you’re doing.
See also: Better Results with Whole Grain Baking
When using healthy substitutes, you need to use some common sense. Using whole wheat flour instead of white flour may work well in a dense, spicy cookie like Hermits but I wouldn’t suggest attempting whole wheat angel food cake, for example. Likewise, substituting fruit or beans for fat might work well in brownies or a cakier cookie but it is probably not a good idea for a thin crisp cookie that relies on butter to produce its texture. And while you can sometimes reduce the amount of sugar called for in a recipe, I have never had good results baking with sugar-free substitutes—no matter WHAT the advertisements promise.
See also: Gimme Some Sugar
Unless you have enough extra time and ingredients to do a lot of experimenting, I think it’s wise to stick to recipes from reliable sources that have been developed and tested for success. Here are some terrific recipes from Epicurious.com (one of my favorite online recipe curators) featuring whole grains and other healthy tricks that have been designed to bring out the best in wholesome ingredients:
A Fruit Cake To Love (4 out of 4 forks; 100% would make it again): Full of dried fruits, nuts, and even oil-cured olives, this cake is high in fiber and flavor.
Deep Dark Chocolate Cookies (4 out of 4 forks, 93% would make it again): No butter or flour, plenty of heart healthy isoflavones.
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip (and Bean!) Cookies (3 out of 4 forks, 75% would make it again): Three-quarters of the butter has been replaced by beans, for a low-fat, high fiber treat
Chocolate Marble Cheesecake (3 out of 4 forks, 80% would make it again): Low-fat dairy products produce a light and creamy filling in a crushed almond crust.
Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls (3 out of 4 forks, 71% would make it again): Soft, pillowy dinner rolls made with 100% whole wheat.
Whole Grain Cranberry Apple Scones (3 out of 4 forks, 92% would make it again): Mostly whole grain flour, buttermilk, and apple juice make them moist and sweet without excess butter and sugar.
If you or someone you love is gluten free, check out my interview with Danielle Walker for more great tips on gluten free baking.
About the Author
Monica Reinagel is a board-certified licensed nutritionist, author, and the creator of one of iTunes’ most highly ranked health and fitness podcasts. Her advice is regularly featured on the TODAY show, Dr. Oz, NPR, and in the nation’s leading newspapers, magazines, and websites. Do you have a nutrition question? Call the Nutrition Diva listener line at 443-961-6206. Your question could be featured on the show.