Amy's Nutrition Picks: Healthy Baking SubstitutionsBaked goods have gotten a bad-rap with the low-carb craze, but there are ways to make them healthier than ever by using good quality ingredients! Many of the substitutions I have recommended come from the bulk bins at Smith's on 12th and Harrison or Good Earth on Riverdale Road. Buying in bulk allows you to experiment with a small amount of the product, rather than investing in a large amount that you won't ever use. And although navigating these healthier items can be confusing and overwhelming, it is a learning process and it should be fun to experiment with them. Jot down any changes you make to recipes, so you can replicate it in the future, or make additional changes based on your individual tastes. Flour: Whole-wheat pastry flour or spelt flour are 100% whole-grain flours that can be used in place of white flour when making things like muffins, pancakes, cookies, biscuits, pie crusts, etc. While you may be hesitant about using whole-grain flour, these flours have less gluten that regular whole wheat flour, therefore decreasing the likelihood that your finished product will turn out like a "brick". Fat/Oils: To make quick breads heart-healthier, butter or oil can be replaced in a 1:1 ratio with natural peanut butter or applesauce. When making cookies, I subtract 2 tablespoons of butter (without replacing it) from the recipe right off the bat. This seems to work particularly well for our high-elevation. Using applesauce in cookies seems to make them a little too "muffin-like", but it works great for other baked goods. Sweeteners: At the very least I like to use unrefined cane juice, under the brand names Sucanat or Florida Crystals. These sweeteners are basically identical to white sugar, but are unrefined so they retain minerals and other nutrients. It is assumed that they have a similar effect as white sugar on blood sugar levels, but I have noticed that they don't give me as much of a feeling of "sugar intoxication". They can replace white or brown sugar in a 1:1 ratio. For the real purists, brown rice syrup is the sweetener of choice! It is 37% complex carbohydrates, so is assumed to be absorbed much more slowly into the blood stream. It can replace white or brown sugar in a 1:1 ratio, but since it is a liquid, you must add about 4-5 tablespoons of extra flour for every cup of syrup you use. More on non-caloric sweeteners to come. Healthy Additions: Add a few tablespoons of chopped nuts, chopped dried fruit, raw millet, wheat germ, oat bran, or ground flax seeds. Nuts can also be ground in a spice grinder and added. I also like to make extra oatmeal at breakfast and add 1/3 cup to my recipes for a very moist and hearty texture. Any questions, ask me! Recipes to follow. Amy Cain, dietitian |