It's the most wonderful time of the year...unless you are watching your waistline! Holiday eating and baking begins right after Halloween and goes straight through to January 1st! And if you grew up like me, New Years day involves eating pork and sauerkraut for good luck!
This holiday season, enjoy your favorite sweet treats without the guilt. With a few simple swaps, your favorites can go from high calorie to healthy (well, healthier, anyway). As you work on baking for Thanksgiving and holiday parties, try a few of these simple swaps to lighten up your favorite recipes:
Instead of 1 cup Butter, use 1 cup Avocado or Banana
Instead of 1 cup Sugar, use 1 cup Applesauce
Instead of 1 cup Oil, use 3/4 cup Greek Yogurt, Applesauce, or any Fruit Puree
Instead of 1 cup Flour, use 1 cup Black Beans
Instead of 1 Egg, use 1/4 cup Applesauce, or 1 Tb Ground Flaxseed dissolved for 5 minutes in 3 Tb water.
Instead of 1 cup Milk, use 1 cup Almond Milk
Instead of 1 cup Flour, use 1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
When you are cooking or making dips, substitute Greek yogurt for Sour Cream to add protein and creaminess to any recipe!
As always, try your best to focus on family, friends, and everything that makes this time of year special. Pick your favorite sweet treats and skip those that aren't that important. Then, see how slowly you can eat it. Slowing down and taking your time can help you really savor your favorite treats and enjoy them the most! You may be satisfied with a small piece of your favorite treat if you are really paying attention to it.