The holiday season is upon
us. It is a time to enjoy delicious food, family, and friendship.
Unfortunately, it is also a time when we tend to overindulge in rich, nutrient-poor
foods. Modifying some of your favorite recipes can help add nutrients and reduce
not-so-healthy ingredients. Here are 7 ways to bake healthier this holiday
season.
1. Replace the Fat.
One
reason holiday baked goods taste so good is that they are full of fat. There
are so many ways to replace the fat in recipes while adding more nutrients and
fiber. One way is to substitute equal amounts of Greek yogurt, but make sure to
also add ½ teaspoon of baking soda per cup of yogurt. Greek yogurt contains
significantly higher amounts of vitamins and minerals, such as B12 and
selenium, while providing much less saturated fat. Avocados are another
excellent alternative for butter or oil. You can substitute ¾ cup to 1 cup of
avocado for 1 cup of butter, but you will need to reduce your baking
temperature by 25%. Avocados are naturally cholesterol-free and provide you
with fiber and omega-3 fatty acids.
2. Add a Vegetable or Fruit
You can add carrots, apples, bananas, or pumpkin – shredded or pureed - to
increase nutrients, fiber, flavor, or moisture. They can also replace some of
the butter or oil in recipes.
3. Try Alternative Flours
Recipes most commonly call for processed, all-purpose flour, but that is not
the healthiest choice for us since it has been stripped of its fiber.
Experiment with recipes that call for whole-wheat flour (or a mixture of
whole-wheat and white), chickpea, or almond flour. These flours provide a wide
array of nutrients and fiber, as well as flavor, to your baked goods.
4. Eliminate the Flour Entirely
Though it might seem counter-intuitive, you can replace the flour in
some recipes with beans. Swap equal parts pureed black beans for white flour in
recipes for brownies, cakes, and cookies. Use a lighter bean such as garbanzos
for lighter-colored treats. Beans can also be used as a substitute for the fat
in many recipes. Beans provide protein and fiber to ramp up the health benefits
of holiday treats.
5. Reduce Sugar.
We’ve
all heard that we should reduce our consumption of refined sugar. There are
many ways to do that in our baking. Substitute figs, dates, bananas, vanilla,
or spices for the sugar in recipes. 8 ounces of dried figs soaked to rehydrate and
pureed with 1/4 to 1/3 cup of water can replace half the fat and all of the
sugar in most recipes. 1 cup of pitted dates pureed with ½ to 1 cup of warm
water can replace half the sugar. Not only do these fruits replace the sugar,
but they add depth to the flavor profile of your dessert.
6. Increase the Spices
You
can also cut the amount of sugar in half in a recipe that calls for a lot of
aromatic spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg by
doubling the amount of each spice and the vanilla extract.
7. Add Aronia berries.
Aronia berries are truly a superfood, packing a powerful punch of vitamins,
minerals, and antioxidants. Adding them to your holiday desserts will not only
add festive color to your muffins, quick breads, and pies, but it will provide
your family and friends with nutrients to promote good health for the new year
ahead.
With some bold
experimentation and a little creativity, you can bake your holiday favorites
and feel good knowing that you are providing healthy treats to the people you
love. We always have a choice in what we eat, and it is easier now than ever
before to choose healthy foods even while indulging. You can enjoy the holidays, even more, knowing that you are eating for your health.
