Creating Healthy Recipes

Turning not-so-healthy recipes into healthy ones

By Catherine Robertson

Let’s face it, we all lead busy lives and eating right sometimes seems a difficult proposition. In today’s rushed lifestyle of meals on-the-go, missed breakfasts and late-night dinners, it is sometimes difficult to remember that our old “stand-by” recipes which we turn to as comfort food don’t necessarily make the cut as healthy choices. Many are high in fat and calories, but they don’t need to be. In fact, it’s often very simple to transform some of your favorite not so healthy recipes into healthy ones, and here’s how:

A balanced plate

First, always try to remember that balance is key to just about everything in life, and food is no exception. It’s essential to get the right mixture of the necessary healthy foods into our diet every day, while nourishing our bodies and keeping meals easy. At the same time we also have to be able to enjoy treats in moderation. So instead of loading up on a heaping portion of your favorite casserole or dessert, opt for a smaller portion of that dish, and have a larger portion of a side vegetable or salad. Serve a special flavored coffee or herbal tea alongside your dessert. You’ll be just as full, but with way fewer calories on your plate.

Leaner options

Ideally, we should all be cutting back on the amount of meat we eat, for both health and environmental reasons. When we do consume meat products, opting for the leanest cuts is the right choice. Lean cuts of beef and chicken and even pork are by far the best choice. Even bacon, which is laden with trans fats, sodium and cholesterol, can be substituted with sodium-reduced, lower-fat varieties including turkey bacon which boasts half the fat of regular pork bacon.

Cook with flavor, not fat

Cooking methods themselves can also be changed in order to replace the bad foods with healthy alternatives. Potatoes for example, are best if roasted, boiled or baked. Avoid fried ones or those cooked with heavy sauces and creams, all of which taste great, but are not health-smart at all. Another idea to add flavour to your potatoes is broth in place of butter. Broth as well as a sprinkling of fresh herbs will work magic in mashed potatoes. 

Homemade healthy

Muffins are comfort food, and many people assume they are healthy. Usually they are full of hidden sugar and fat.  Again, the best option for fixing this dilemma is preparing them at home and controlling what is put into them. A favorite trick of mine is to make my muffins with applesauce as a substitute for butter, and I usually reduce the amount of sugar in muffin recipes as well. Replacing some of the sugar with honey is also a great idea. It adds vitamins, and makes them so much healthier yet it barely changes the taste of most muffins. Whole wheat flour is a healthy alternative to traditional white, and even substituting half whole wheat and half regular will improve the health benefits of your favorite recipes by adding in whole grains. Throw in a handful of wheat germ, flax seeds of other favorite grains or seeds for an extra boost of fiber. These tricks can be done with so many muffin and cake recipes, it’s almost always a safe bet, and worth trying in your favorite recipes.

Balance is truly the key to achieving healthy eating habits, and by modifying many of your favorite recipes, they can easily be made much healthier. Don’t be afraid to experiment, and try new substitutions. You just never know what you might come up with!

Try some of these family favourites with a healthy twist

Cheesy Garlic Whipped Potatoes with Parsley

Awesome Honey Banana Muffins  

Fruity Granola