White Chili Soup

This is one of my and my husband's favorite, super easy and nutritious meals. I love it! Give it a try! You'll love it too! I made it for a neighbor who had a baby and they both loved it!!

P.S. I top it with some grated cheddar cheese, fat free sour cream and sliced avocado.

Sorry I was too lazy to type it in! But feel free to right click on the picture and save it to your desktop for future use.

Mrs. Field's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Mrs. Fields Blue Ribbon Chocolate Chip Cookies

2.5 Cups All-Purpose Flour

.5 Teaspoon Baking Soda

.25 Teaspoon Salt

1 Cup Dark Brown Sugar (packed) .5 Cup Granulated Sugar

2 Sticks (1 cup) Salted Butter (softened)

2 Large Eggs

2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract

12 Ounces Semisweet Chocolate Chips (about 2 cups)

Yield: About 3.5 dozen

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

In medium bowl, combine flour, soda, and salt. Mix well with a wire wisk. In large bowl with electric mixer, blend sugars at medium speed. Add butter and mix to form a grainy paste, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add eggs and vanilla extract, and mix at medium speed until just blended. Do not over mix. Add the flour mixture and chocolate chips, and blend on low speed just until just barely mixed. Do not over mix. Drop the dough by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes until golden brown. Immediately transfer cookies with a spatula to a cool, flat surface.

Secrets From Mrs. Fields Kitchens

1. Use the best products available. All Mrs. Fields cookies—and the new Cookies ‘n’ Cream Chiller— start with the best, finest ingredients. At Mrs. Fields we use a special blend of vanilla extracts from vanilla beans grown in places such as Madagascar and the islands of Indonesia. This special blend of vanilla extracts was designed personally by Debbi Fields nearly 30 years ago.

2. Don’t use too much flour or you won’t have a round cookie.

3. Use partially melted butter to keep your cookies from looking dark and greasy.

4. Use frozen or cold dough balls. Just put your dough in the freezer or refrigerator when you’re done mixing. This will prevent cookies from browning too quickly and will help them not to spread too far.

5. Use parchment paper not cooking spray. This will prevent cookies from sticking and help you to easily transfer them off the hot tray and stop the baking process when they come out of the oven.

6. Make sure your oven is clean. If there is carbon buildup in the oven it will cause cookies to brown too quickly.

7. Try baking cookies at a lower temperature for a longer period of time. This will give you chewier cookie.

8. And once you’re cookies are done, remove them from the hot tray immediately. This stops the baking process.

Cinnamon Rolls

This recipe is a friend of mine. These are seriously one of the BEST cinnamon rolls I have EVER had!



(not actual rolls)

Makes 2-3 dozen rolls

5c. water (very warm)
1T. yeast
5c. flour + 5-8 more
1T.salt
1/2c.brown sugar
----------------------------
Cinnamon
oil
brown sugar

Add yeast to water. After yeast dissolves add 5c flour and salt. While mixing those add brown sugar. Add flour until not sticky and knead about 5-10 min. Put dough in greased bowl and let rise 1 1/2- 2 hr (I have let it go 3-4 or more hours before when I couldn't get to it) After it rises, punch down and roll out to rectangle. Sprinkle well with cinnamon then brown sugar. Drizzle with about 1-2c oil over top (I just drizzle it back and forth across it, it isn't going to be compleately covered with oil). Roll up and cut into rolls. Let rise 20-30min. Cook at 375 for 35-40min.

Carlie's Oven-Roasted Turkey

This is the only way I will make my turkey. I comes out so juicy and tasty. I can't wait for Thanksgiving!

In a pan with a lid (whole breast), remove innards, rinse off in water, pat dry, rub on olive oil.

Mix Together:
1/2 c soy sauce
2 heaping tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp Montreal Chicken Season from McCormick


Rub or drip on turkey. Baste occasionally. Add a little water if needed
Cook at 325 degrees- See instructions for time (6 lbs=3-4 hours, with a lid it cooks faster.)
Check temperature with a meat thermometer.

SCALLOPED CHIPOTLE SWEET POTATOES

This is my moms Recipe. it is our families FAVORITE way to have sweet potatoes. MMM



2 cups heavy cream
1 heaping tablespoon chipotle pepper puree (this is a canned chipotle pepper in a red tomato sauce, you can buy it in the Mexican food section. I have tried chipotle salsa's, and it's not the same. You only need a little. Just take this can and put it in the blender, and use 1 Tablespoon, for medium to mild heat. Adjust a little if you want it hotter)
3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced 1/8-inch thick Salt and freshly ground black pepper (try to get sweet potatoes that are the same diameter so they cook evenly, and try slicing them the same thickness)
I also added shredded Parmesan or a combination of Parmesan/Reggiano cheese, about 2 cups or so.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Whisk together cream and chipotle puree until smooth.
In a 9 by 9-inch casserole dish, arrange the potatoes in even layers. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons of the cream mixture and season with salt and pepper. Add shredded cheese,
Repeat with the remaining potatoes, cream, shredded cheese and salt and pepper to form several layers. (the last time I made it, I also grated a little fresh nutmeg on top, that's optional)
Cover and bake for 30 minutes, remove cover and continue baking for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the cream has been absorbed and the potatoes are cooked through and the top is browned.
Leftovers (but there probably won't be any!)
1. Put all the leftovers in the blender, and add your leftover cream, milk, or chicken stock to get a good consistency. Since this dilutes the original sauce quite a bit, add a little more of the pureed chipotle sauce to give it a kick. This makes an amazing soup. Serve it with croutons (use you leftoever french bread or rolls, cut them into cubes, brush with olive oil, and bake until browned)
2. Pasta. Puree the leftover soup. Add milk, cream, or chicken stock (or a combination of all three)and leave it kind of thick, like a tomato pasta sauce consistency. You will need to add a little more of the pureed Chipotle sauce to heat it up a bit since it will be diluted from the additional liquid.
Serve over ravioli (make it easy on yourself and buy the frozen ones) or serve with bowtie or penna pasta. Add additional Parmesan/Reggiano cheese on top to serve. Leftover chicken or asparagus? Throw that in too. It's awesome. Do I sound like Robin Miller?
One meal morphs into the next! Remember to adjust the heat carefully. It's nice to have a good zing, but don't make it so hot the kids won't eat it. OK, the kids won't eat it anyway because it looks weird.

Best Ever Jalapeno Poppers

Jalapeno Poppers

12 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 (8oz) package shredded cheddar cheese
1 tbsp bacon bits
12 ounces jalapeno peppers, seeded and halved
1 cup milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup dry bread crumbs
2 quarts oil for frying

In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese, cheddar cheese and bacon bits. Spoon this mixture into the jalapeno pepper halves.

Put the milk and flour into two separate small bowls. Dip the stuffed jalapenos first into the milk then into the flour, making sure they are well coated with each. Allow the coated jalapenos to dry for about 10 minutes.

Dip the jalapenos in milk again and roll them through the bread crumbs. Allow them to dry, then repeat to ensure the entire surface of the jalapeno is coated.

In a medium skillet, heat the oil to 365 degrees F. Deep fry the coated jalapenos 2-3 minutes each, until golden brown. Remove and let drain on paper towel.

Cookie Dough Truffles

Cookie Dough Truffles

adapted from Taste of Home

½ cup butter, softened
¾ cup packed brown sugar
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
½ cup chopped walnuts (optional, I did not add them)
1 ½ pounds semisweet chocolate candy coating, chopped

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the flour, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla; mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts, if using.

Shape into 1-inch balls; place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Loosely cover and freeze for 1-2 hours or until firm. (The dough softens quickly at room temperature so it works best if they are frozen, not just chilled in the refrigerator.)

In a microwave safe bowl, melt candy coating, stirring often until smooth. Dip balls in coating; place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes. If desired, melt remaining candy coating and drizzle over candies. Store in refrigerator. Yield: 5 ½ dozen.

(I couldn't find the candy coating, so I added 1 1/2 tbsp of shortening to one bag of chocolate chips and melted them together.)

Chocolate Lava Cake

I first wanted to say hi to you all as I'm new :-) I have been trying to accept the invitation for days, but blogspot was having issues. Gah. My dad's birthday was the other day, and he LOVES chocolate. I always saw people make the chocolate lava cakes on cooking shows, so I decided to try to make it, myself, for his birthday. They turned out SO yummy that I had to share the recipe!


Chocolate Lava Cake

* 1 cup unsalted butter or unsalted margarine*
* 8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, or bars, cut into bite-size chunks
* 5 large eggs
* 1/2 cup sugar
* Pinch of salt
* 4 teaspoons flour (or matzo meal, ground in a blender to a fine powder)
* 8 extra-large paper muffin cups (or use regular paper muffin cups, which will make 12 cakes)
*
* Garnish:
* 1 (6 ounce) container raspberries, barely moistened and rolled in about
* 1/2 cup sugar right before serving


DIRECTIONS

1. Melt butter and chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water; remove from heat. Beat eggs, sugar and salt with a hand mixer in a medium bowl until sugar dissolves. Beat egg mixture into chocolate until smooth. Beat in flour or matzo meal until just combined. (Batter can be made a day ahead; return to room temperature an hour or so before baking.)
2. Before serving dinner, adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 450 degrees. Line a standard-size muffin tin (1/2 cup capacity) with 8 extra-large muffin papers (papers should extend above cups to facilitate removal). Spray muffin papers with vegetable cooking spray. Divide batter among muffin cups.
3. Bake until batter puffs but center is not set, 8 to 10 minutes. Carefully lift cakes from tin and set on a work surface. Pull papers away from cakes and transfer cakes to dessert plates.
4. Top each with sugared raspberries and serve immediately.



I don't know if you guys have seen the muffin tins shaped like mini bread loaves, but that is what I used. I would suggest sticking closer to the 8 minutes rather than the 10. I thought that it didn't look "done enough" on the top so I left it in, and there wasn't as much "lava" as I would have wanted. Not bad for a first try, though!

Enjoy!

Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup

This recipe is really yummy and pretty close to the real thing! It is so good!

1 lb ground Italian sausage

1½ tsp crushed red peppers

1 large diced white onion

4 Tbsp bacon pieces

2 tsp garlic puree

10 cups water  (I used 4 cans of Chicken Broth in place of the water and bouillon)

5 cubes of chicken bouillon

1 cup heavy cream (I used half and half)

1 lb sliced Russet potatoes, or about 3 large potatoes

¼ of a bunch of kale

Sautee Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in pot. Drain excess fat, refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients.

In the same pan, sautee bacon, onions and garlic for approxiamtly 15 mins. or until the onions are soft.

Mix together the chicken bouillon and water, then add it to the onions, bacon and garlic. Cook until boiling.

Add potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour.

Add heavy cream and cook until thoughouly heated.

Stir in the sausage.

Add kale just before serving. Delicious!

Tortilla Soup with Chicken and Lime

I can't even begin to tell you how much I LOVE this soup. Enjoy!!

tortilla soup with chicken and lime

Unless you like a lot of leftovers, you might want to half this recipe. We like leftovers, and LOVE this soup. So we make a whole big pot of it.

12 cups water
6-8 chicken bouillon cubes
1 can (14.5oz) mexican style stewed tomatoes with juices (or whatever kind of stewed or diced tomatoes you have on hand.)
1 med. onion, thinly sliced
1 med. green pepper, thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 med. carrot, sliced
1 clove of garlic
2 bay leaf leaves
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper (optional)
12 ounces shredded cooked chicken
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (or abt. 1 1/2 T dried)
3-4T lime juice
shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream (I use the light or low fat kind)
tortilla chips


Combine water and bouillon in a large sauce pan and bring to a boil. Add sliced veggies, bay leaf, garlic, cumin and red pepper return to a boil. Reduce heat simmer 15 minutes or until carrots are done. Add tomatoes, shredded chicken, cilantro and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle soup into bowls and top with sour cream, cheese, and tortilla chips.

And Voiole, you’ve got an aesthetically pleasing configuration of soup, that humans go NUTS over.

Did I mention I love this soup. Really though, it is sooooooooo good. And it is low in fat, as long as you don’t go over board with the chips, cheese and sour cream. Really your supposed to fry tortilla strips in olive oil, but who has the time. :)

Frozen Watermelon Virgin Margaritas

This one is for you Kamie. :)

4 cups watermelon chunks, seeds removed
6 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons sugar
4 cups ice cubes
1/8 teaspoon table salt
1/2 limes, cut into wedges for garnish

Combine all ingredients, except lime wedges, in a blender; puree until smooth. Divide among 4 glasses. Garnish with lime wedges.

Serves 4. 1 point per serving.

Creamy Corn and Vegetable Soup

Creamy Corn and Vegetable Soup

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 6 servings, 1 1/2 cups per serving

4 cups fresh corn kernels or 2 (10-ounce) packages frozen, thawed
2 cups nonfat milk
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, diced (about 2 cups)
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced (about 1 cup)
1 medium zucchini, (about 1/2 pound) diced
2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
3/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into ribbons

Put 2 cups of the corn and the milk into a blender or food processor, until smooth. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large soup pot over a medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and zucchini and cook, stirring until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining 2 cups of corn and the broth and bring to a boil. Add the pureed corn and tomatoes and cook until warmed through, but not boiling. Add the salt and season with pepper. Serve garnished with the basil ribbons.


Nutrition Information
Nutritional Analysis per Serving
Calories 180
Total fat 4g
Saturated fat 1g
Monunsaturated fat 2g
Polunsaturated fat 1g
Protein 8.5g
Carbohydrates 33g
Fiber 4g
Cholesterol 2mg
Sodium 365mg

Source: Ellie Krieger, Food Network

Blueberry-Peach Galettes

Blueberry-Peach Galettes

The recipe makes two galettes, so guests can have a piece for dessert and one to take home. If you use fresh peaches, a lot of juice will ooze out, but it won't ruin your crust.


1 (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie dough (such as Pillsbury)
6 cups fresh or frozen peeled and sliced peaches, thawed
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, thawed
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons apricot preserves, melted and divided
1 tablespoon turbinado or granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Roll 1 dough portion into a 12-inch circle; place on foil. Combine peaches, blueberries, and 1/4 cup sugar. Arrange half of peach mixture in center of dough, leaving a 3-inch border. Fold edges of dough toward center, pressing gently to seal (dough will only partially cover peach mixture). Brush half of melted preserves over peach mixture and edges of dough.

Bake at 425 for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees (do not remove galette from oven); bake an additional 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Repeat procedure with remaining dough, peach mixture, and preserves. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature. Cut each galette into 8 wedges.

Yield: 2 galettes, 16 servings (serving size: 1 wedge)

CALORIES 232 (29% from fat); FAT 7.6g (sat 1.9g,mono 3.3g,poly 2g); IRON 1mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 6mg; CARBOHYDRATE 40.6g; SODIUM 124mg; PROTEIN 2.1g; FIBER 2.8g

Source: Cooking Light

Measurements

Dear Healthy Cooking Participant,

Have you ever needed to know how many cups are to a pint or how many teaspoons are in a single cup? Many of us have had to use conversions in order to make our favorite recipes. To make life easier here is a chart that does the math for you.

Cooking Measurement Equivalents

1 tablespoon (tbsp) = 3 teaspoons (tsp)
1/16 cup = 1 tablespoon
1/8 cup = 2 tablespoons
1/6 cup = 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons
1/4 cup = 4 tablespoons
1/3 cup = 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon
3/8 cup = 6 tablespoons
1/2 cup = 8 tablespoons
2/3 cup = 10 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons
3/4 cup = 12 tablespoons

1 cup = 48 teaspoons
1 cup = 16 tablespoons
8 fluid ounces (fl oz) = 1 cup
1 pint (pt) = 2 cups
1 quart (qt) = 2 pints
4 cups = 1 quart
1 gallon (gal) = 4 quarts
16 ounces (oz) = 1 pound (lb)
1 milliliter (ml) = 1 cubic centimeter (cc)
1 inch (in) = 2.54 centimeters (cm)

We hope this chart helps you in your cooking adventures!

The Healthy Utah Team


Jicama Slaw
Makes 4 servings, 3/4 cup each

Ingredients
1 pound jicama, peeled and shredded
1 large carrot, peeled and shredded
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions
Combine jicama, carrot, lime juice, mayonnaise, cilantro, cumin and hot sauce in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Tips
Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Nutrition Information
Per serving: 68 calories; 1 g fat (0 g sat, 0 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 14 g carbohydrate; 1 g protein; 6 g fiber; 160 mg sodium; 243 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (62% daily value), Vitamin C (46% daily value).

Source: EatingWell

Couscous

Mediterranean Couscous

Quick-cooking couscous is now even better since it's available in a whole wheat version. Fresh sage gives this side dish an earthy taste and aroma. You can use other fresh herbs such as basil, cilantro, or mint instead. To make this an entree, add a little feta cheese, water-packed tuna, or shredded cooked chicken.

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup whole wheat couscous
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup chopped seeded peeled cucumber
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon rind
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Bring broth to a boil in a medium saucepan; gradually stir in couscous. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Combine couscous, tomatoes, and remaining ingredients in a large bowl.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

CALORIES 150 (32% from fat); FAT 5.4g (sat 0.7g,mono 3.7g,poly 0.5g); PROTEIN 4.8g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 25mg; SODIUM 467mg; FIBER 4.4g; IRON 1.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 22.1g

Source: Cooking Light

Shrimp Scampi

Shrimp Scampi

2 teaspoons olive oil
28 large shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 1 1/2 pounds)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup Sauvignon Blanc or other dry white wine
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp; saute for 1 minute. Add garlic; saute for 1 minute. Stir in wine, salt, and pepper; bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook 30 seconds. Add parsley and juice; toss well to coat. Cook 1 minute or until shrimp are done.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 7 shrimp)

CALORIES 220 (21% from fat); FAT 5.2g (sat 0.9g,mono 2.1g,poly 1.3g); PROTEIN 34.9g; CHOLESTEROL 259mg; CALCIUM 100mg; SODIUM 546mg; FIBER 0.2g; IRON 4.5mg; CARBOHYDRATE 3.1g

Source: Cooking Light

Grilled Vegetable Salad

Grilled Vegetable Salad

A basic balsamic vinegar and olive oil combination does triple duty here, seasoning grilled vegetables, wilting baby spinach leaves and dressing this colorful warm-weather salad. Feel free to replace the asparagus with zucchini or yellow squash (just slice them in half before grilling) or to add a bell pepper or two to the mix. On the off chance that you have leftovers, they taste great in a veggie sandwich or tofu scramble the next day.

Ingredient List
Serves 4
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
6 Tbs. olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 Tbs.)
1 lb. asparagus, trimmed
2 medium-size portobello mushrooms, stems removed
1 large red onion, cut into 1/2-inch rings (about 2 cups)
6 cups baby spinach leaves, rinsed and dried

Directions
1. Whisk together vinegar, olive oil, parsley, basil and garlic in small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss sauce with asparagus, mushrooms and onion in shallow baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
2. Coat grill or grill pan with oil or nonstick cooking spray. Preheat to medium-high heat.
3. Place spinach in large serving bowl; set aside.
4. Drain asparagus mixture, reserving marinade. Grill vegetables 6 to 8 minutes, turning occasionally, or until tender and lightly charred. Transfer to cutting board. Cool 2 minutes, and cut into bite-size pieces.
5. Add grilled vegetables to spinach. Transfer reserved marinade to small saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Pour over salad mixture. Toss salad with hot marinade, using tongs. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Information
Per SERVING: Calories: 285, Protein: 5g, Total fat: 15g, Carbs: 21g, Cholesterol: mg, Sodium: 203mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugars: 8g

Source: Vegetarian Times

Ingredient substitutions: Make the switch for healthier recipes
You stock healthy foods in your pantry, but what do you do with them? And how do you modify favorite family recipes so that they're more in line with your healthy-eating plan? It's not as hard as you may think. The key is to incorporate healthier alternatives into your daily eating routine.

Fat and cholesterol
To reduce the amount of fat and cholesterol

If your recipe calls for: Try substituting:
Bacon Canadian bacon, turkey bacon,

. smoked turkey or lean  

. prosciutto (Italian ham)

Butter, margarine, Applesauce or prune puree for

shortening or oil half of the called-for  

in baked goods. butter, shortening or oil
. Note: To avoid dense, soggy or 

. flat baked goods, don't  

. substitute oil for butter or 

. shortening, and don't  

. substitute diet, whipped or  

. tub-style margarine for  

. regular margarine.

Butter, margarine,   Cooking spray or nonstick pans
shortening or oil to

 prevent sticking.

Creamed soups Fat-free milk-based soups, mashed 

potato flakes, or pureed carrots, 

potatoes or tofu for thickening agents

Eggs Two egg whites or 1/4 cup egg 

substitute for each whole egg

Evaporated milk Evaporated skim milk

Full-fat cream cheese Fat-free or low-fat cream cheese, 

Neufchatel or low-fat cottage cheese 

pureed until smooth

Full-fat sour cream Fat-free plain yogurt, or fat-free 

or low-fat sour cream

Ground beef Extra-lean or lean ground beef, 

chicken or turkey

Mayonnaise Reduced-calorie mayonnaise-type 

salad dressing or reduced-calorie, 

reduced-fat mayonnaise

Oil-based marinades Wine, balsamic vinegar, fruit juice 

or fat-free broth

Salad dressing Fat-free or reduced-calorie dressing 

or flavored vinegars

Whole milk Reduced-fat or fat-free milk





Sodium
To reduce the amount of sodium

If your recipe calls for: Try substituting:

Seasoning salt, such as Herb-only seasonings, such as 

garlic salt, celery salt, or garlic powder, celery seed or 

onion salt onion flakes, or use finely chopped 

garlic, celery or onions

Soups, sauces, dressings, Low-sodium or reduced-sodium

crackers, or canned meat, versions

fish or vegetables 

Soy sauce Sweet-and-sour sauce, hot mustard 

sauce or low-sodium soy sauce

Table salt Herbs, spices, fruit juices or salt-free 

seasoning mixes or herb blends

Sugar
To reduce the amount of sugar

If your recipe calls for: Try substituting:
Fruit canned in heavy syrup Fruit canned in its own juices 

or in water, or fresh fruit

Fruit-flavored yogurt Plain yogurt with fresh fruit slices

Syrup Pureed fruit, such as applesauce, 

or low-calorie, sugar-free syrup

Other nutrients
To increase the amount of nutrients, including vitamins, minerals and fiber

If your recipe calls for: Try substituting:
All-purpose (plain) flour Whole-wheat flour for half of the 

called-for all-purpose flour

Dry bread crumbs Rolled oats or crushed bran cereal

Enriched pasta Whole-wheat pasta

Iceberg lettuce Arugula, chicory, collard greens, 

dandelion greens, kale, mustard greens,

spinach or watercress

Meat as the main ingredient Three times as many vegetables as 

the meat on pizzas or in casseroles, 

soups and stews

White bread Whole-wheat bread

White rice Brown rice, wild rice, bulgur or 

pearl barley

Source: Mayo Clinic

Healthy Shortcake

Shortcakes with Fresh Berries

Make the shortcakes up to two days ahead, and store in an airtight container. Use a serrated knife to cut in half before serving. Prepare the berry filling up to 12 hours ahead, and refrigerate until serving. Use any combination of fresh berries available.

2 cups all-purpose flour (about 9 ounces)
3 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
2/3 cup reduced-fat buttermilk
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
Cooking spray
3 1/2 teaspoons turbinado sugar, divided
1/2 cup apple jelly
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 cups strawberries, quartered (about 12 ounces)
2 1/2 cups blackberries (about 12 ounces)
1 cup fat-free whipped topping

Preheat oven to 425.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or two knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

Combine buttermilk, oil, vanilla, and egg in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist (dough will be sticky).

Turn dough out onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Pat dough into an 8-inch circle. Cut dough into 8 wedges, cutting into, but not through, dough. Sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons turbinado sugar over dough. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes or until golden. Cool for 15 minutes.

Combine jelly, juice, and remaining 1 tablespoon granulated sugar in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave at high 1 minute. Stir mixture with a whisk until smooth. Combine jelly mixture, strawberries, and blackberries in a large bowl; toss to coat berries. Cover and chill.

Cut shortcake into 8 wedges. Cut each wedge in half horizontally; spoon 1/2 cup berry mixture over bottom half of each shortcake. Replace top half of shortcake. Top each serving with 2 tablespoons whipped topping; sprinkle each evenly with remaining 2 teaspoons turbinado sugar.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 filled shortcake)

CALORIES 306 (22% from fat); FAT 7.5g (sat 3.2g,mono 2.4g,poly 1.1g); IRON 2.1mg; CHOLESTEROL 39mg; CALCIUM 117mg; CARBOHYDRATE 53.5g; SODIUM 264mg; PROTEIN 5.7g; FIBER 3.9g

Source: Cooking Light

Healthy Thursday

Grilled Asparagus with Balsamic Vinegar

1 pound thin asparagus spears
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Prepare grill.
Snap off tough ends of asparagus; place in a bowl or shallow dish. Drizzle asparagus with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper, tossing well to coat. Place asparagus on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 2 minutes on each side or until crisp-tender. Place asparagus in a bowl; drizzle with vinegar. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings

CALORIES 25 (43% from fat); FAT 1.2g (sat 0.2g,mono 0.8g,poly 0.2g); PROTEIN 1.3g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 16mg; SODIUM 120mg; FIBER 0.0g; IRON 1.3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 3g

Source: Cooking Light