Modify recipes
We’ve modified all recipes in some way before, either to increase the number of servings the recipe makes or to find a suitable alternative to an ingredient you don’t have in your pantry. You may not have considered that you could also modify the nutritional profile of a recipe.
There are many “healthier recipes,” but sometimes by having some general principles on how to modify your favorite recipes, you may be able to produce even more appetizing recipes, because you know them well and have probably mastered them.
Fat, sugar, salt, and fiber are the key ingredients that tend to focus on when modifying recipes. Here are some tips for modifying lunch recipes with these nutrients in mind:
Reduce fat:
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Choose a lower-fat cut of meat that has almost the same cooking properties as the recipe. Or buy fine / ground meats low in fat. Knowing which cuts of meat require what type of cooking will help.
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Trim the fat from your meat before cooking, this will help ensure that when the meat is cooked it has less fat that ends up on the meat of the meat.
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Remove the skin from the chicken before cooking.
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Try low-fat dairy products both in your kitchen and for general consumption, for example. Low-fat yogurt with your fruit
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Low-fat plain yogurt can be substituted for sour cream and cream, while low-fat evaporated milk with a drop of coconut essence can be substituted for coconut milk.
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Low-fat cheeses, such as ricotta and cottage cheese, with a small amount of a stronger cheese, such as Parmesan, can be substituted for various cheeses when cooking.
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Low-fat cooking methods such as broiling, steaming, microwave cooking, grilling with parchment paper, and using nonstick cookware help
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When baking, you can sometimes decrease the fat in the recipe by ΒΌ-1/3 of the recommended amount.
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Use filo pastry with egg white, fruit juice, or low-fat milk between layers.
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Use tuna stored in water, rather than oil.
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Make your own baked vegetable chips. (Vegetable sticks baked in the oven until crisp)
Reduce sugar:
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When baking, consider using fruit or fruit juice for sweetening
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It is best to add alternative sweeteners after cooking as they can sometimes be bitter after cooking.
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Using spices can help reduce the need for sugar when baking, try cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla.
Reducing salt:
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Try to buy reduced salt products where you can
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Avoid putting salt on food at the table.
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Use herbs and spices to flavor foods. Sea salt, rock salt, garlic salt, chicken salt, etc. are not substitutes for salt.
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Use lemon juice, onion, garlic, shallots, vinegar, or wine for seasoning.
Increased fiber:
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Use whole wheat flour in your kitchen; You can substitute up to half of the all-purpose flour in a recipe. Choosing higher fiber bread and wrappers also helps.
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Add lots of greens to your dishes, even when the recipe traditionally doesn’t include greens.
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Do not peel the vegetables that do not need to be, for example carrots, just wash them and include them on the plate.
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Add beans, peas, and lentils to increase your fiber intake and potentially reduce the need for additional fat from large amounts of meat.
Although these are the most common nutrients that are modified, keep in mind that you can modify other nutrients, such as calcium. To increase your calcium intake, you can include dairy products in your dishes or leave the salmon bones in a salmon dish to add calcium.
Or you may want to increase your body’s use of iron from the meat you eat. To do this, simply increase the vitamin C you eat at the same time as meat, increasing the amount and variety of vegetables you eat at the same meal.
In general, modifying recipes is pretty easy, you just need to have a few tips like the ones above plus a little creativity and you might be surprised by the great tasting results you get.