Do you prepare meals at home?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the US. Every year, 720,000 American’s have a heart attack. Every year, about 600,000 people in the US die due to heart disease.
Alarming and hits close to home, right? Speaking for myself, I know many individuals who live with heart disease, have had a heart attack, and/or died due to heart disease. I believe it’s safe to say that rings true for most of us.
So then, why do our behaviors and habits not support healthier choices?
I have had three instances in the past week that have brought the issue of preparing home cooked meals front and center.
One was a good article I read in Time. Another was a comment from my aunt. They had an office potluck and out of all the dishes only two were homemade. The rest: store bought.
I don’t consider myself to be a great cook, but I do cook. Everyday.
Do you?
Heart Health – How to lower fat when cooking?
Let’s say you are trying to lower high cholesterol, but resistant to giving up the treats you love. I want to give you some simple tips for modifying recipes and baked goods to make them more heart healthy without sacrificing the taste.
Here is a short table with basic substitutions to reduce fat and calories in some of your favorite foods while maintaining the flavor you enjoy.
Instead of . . Substitute. . .
Whole milk 1% or fat free milk
Whole egg 2 egg whites or egg substitute
Vegetable oil Non-stick vegetable oil or canola/olive oil
Butter/Margarine Applesauce or fruit puree or vegetable oil
Cream Evaporated Skim Milk
If you’re modifying an old family recipe it will take some trial and error before you find the right balance between healthier substitutions and a quality product. It may work best when baking to replace half the ingredients with a healthier alternative. For example, if a recipe calls for 2 cups all-purpose flour instead use 1 cup all-purpose flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour. Also, reduce the amount of fat added to a product. For example, instead of 1 cup of oil try ¾ cups of oil. You may not notice a difference. Experiment with different options until you get a product you enjoy.
Fruit Purees
Never baked with fruit purees? Well, here’s a quick lesson on how to use them to make moist baked goods without the artery clogging fat.
The reason fat makes products taste good is because it adds moisture, flavor, and a tender texture to baked goods. Substitution of fruit purees or nonfat dairy products can provide some of the same fat-like characteristics without the actual fat. The type of fruit puree you choose to use will affect the final product. For example, a prune puree provides rich flavor with a moist, tender texture. A prune puree works best in recipes containing chocolate, cinnamon, and orange seasoning. For some recipes it may be best to just replace half the fat. For example, replace 1 cup butter with ½ cup pureed prunes/bananas/applesauce and ½ cup butter instead.
To receive free heart health and weight loss tips from dietitian Lisa Nelson, subscribe to The Heart of Health and grab your special report “Stop Wasting Money – Take Control of Your Health” today!
