Healthful eating doesn't require giving up your favorite flavors or recipes. Rather, take a look at your favorites, standbys and go-to recipes and see if there are ways you can improve the nutrition without sacrificing the flavor you love. To give you an example, here is a example of a recipe re-work:
Original recipe:
Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Muffins
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup whole milk
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup milk chocolate chips
Directions: Cream butter and sugar, beat in egg. Combine dry ingredients and add alternately with applesauce to creamed mixture. Mix in oats and chocolate chips. Fill 12 muffin papers 3/4 full. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes.
Re-worked recipe (green indicates changes made):
Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Muffins
1/4 cup canola oil, margarine or butter
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg (can substitute 2 egg whites)
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 Tbsp. ground flaxseed
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup unsweetened applesauce (can use skim milk)
1 cup rolled oats
2/3 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips or bittersweet chocolate chips
Directions: Cream butter and sugar, beat in egg. Combine dry
ingredients and add alternately with applesauce to creamed mixture. Mix
in oats and chocolate chips. Fill 12 muffin papers 3/4 full. Bake at
350 degrees F for 25 minutes.
The reworked recipe is lower in fat, calories and sugar yet higher in fiber. Swapping unsweetened applesauce for whole milk reduces the fat and makes for a wonderfully moist muffin. If you don't care for a moister texture, stick with skim milk. I also added a little cinnamon because I love how the flavor approximates an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie.
Keep an eye out for ways to add fiber, fruits, veggies and whole grains to your recipes while keeping fat and sugar content in check and you'll soon be a whiz at recipe modification.
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