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Healthy Cooking

Recipe Modification: Getting Started
Making a few easy substitutions and using healthful cooking techniques can help you rejuvenate your favorite family recipes. There is no single way to change a recipe, but making small changes here and there can make big differences nutritionally.

Essential: Just as important as having the right ingredients is having the correct utensils for cooking healthier. Get a good quality set of nonstick skillets, baking pans, and saucepans so you can sauté and bake without having to add extra fat.

You may have to use less of an ingredient, substitute one ingredient for another, take an ingredient out completely, or add a new ingredient. The result of each change may be just a little bit different, but that is all right. Substituting ingredients and making over a recipe may take some trial and error, but the result will make the effort worth it.

Use these steps to help you modify recipes:

1. Start by taking a look at the ingredients in the recipe and deciding which can be changed or modified to fit your nutritional goal, such as low fat, low sodium, or low sugar. Some ingredients have functional properties within the recipe, so be careful what you change.
2. For easy substitutions, you can try substituting modified foods such as egg substitutes, reduced-fat cheese, reduced-fat sour cream, and sodium-reduced broth or soups.
3. Think about the ingredient you are going to replace. If it is salt, that is what may give flavor to the dish, so be sure to replace it with some herbs and spices. To add a little more fiber and cut some fat, you can substitute whole-wheat noodles for egg noodles.
4. Decide which ingredients you can eliminate altogether without altering the flavor or appearance of the dish.
5. Decide what ingredients you can add to the recipe to add nutritional value, such as adding wheat germ to casseroles or shredded carrots to lasagna. Both will go unnoticed, but will add extra nutrition to the dish.
6. Make changes to your recipe gradually. Just make one or two ingredient changes the first time you modify it to see what the results are. If those few changes work well, try a few more the next time.
7. Modifying the method in which you prepare the dish can make big changes. Simple changes such as skimming the fat that collects on stew, rinsing ground meat after browning it, skipping the salt and oil in cooking water, or oven-baking chicken instead of frying it can all make big changes to fat and sodium content.

ALERT! Be careful when cutting back on the amount of sugar and fat in recipes, if you are not substituting some other ingredient. Reducing sugar will often affect the texture or the volume of the food. Reducing fat can make baked goods tough or dry, or they may not rise properly. Fat also carries flavor and helps lubricate foods so they don't stick to the pan.

Recipe Makeover Tips
Once you have looked over your recipe and decided which ingredients can be modified, use some of the following suggestions for possible modification techniques:

• Replace cooking oil with vegetable spray or 1 to 2 tablespoons of defatted broth, water, or juice when sautéing.
• Fat-free cheese may not melt as smoothly as its full-fat counterparts. One option is to use finely shredded cheese. Low-fat cheese usually melts well, and it still cuts some fat from your recipe.
• For sauces and soups, try tossing cheese with a small amount of flour or cornstarch before melting it.
• For sour cream, substitute low-fat or nonfat sour cream, low-fat yogurt, or blend 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese with 1 tablespoon skim milk and 2 tablespoons lemon juice.
• For mayonnaise, substitute reduced-fat or fat-free versions, or use low-fat or fat-free plain yogurt.
• Because reduced-fat margarines are diluted with water, they should not be substituted for their full-fat counterparts one-to-one. To compensate for the extra water, substitute three-quarters as much of the light product for the full-fat margarine.
• Replace ricotta cheese with a lower-fat version or with 1 percent cottage cheese.
• Trim all visible fat and skin from meat before cooking.
• Replace a quarter to a half of the ground meat in casseroles or sauces with cooked brown rice, bulgur, couscous, dried beans, or tofu to decrease fat and increase fiber.
• Use pureed cooked vegetables instead of cream, egg yolks, or roux to thicken sauces and soups.

Not only can you modify your main meal dishes, but modifying your baked goods can also lead to enjoying healthier treats.

Fact: If sugar is the primary sweetener in your recipe that is not baked, scale down by 25 percent. For example, instead of 1 cup of sugar, use ¾ cup. Try adding a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, or allspice to increase the sweetness without adding extra calories.

Holiday Baking Tips
The holidays are the season for all kinds of goodies. Whether it's pumpkin pie, chocolate cake, or chocolate chip cookies, there are always plenty of sweet treats to choose from. Regardless of whether you are a baker, you may take to the kitchen at this time of year. The most popular holiday treats are usually quite high in fat, sugar, and calories. But you don't have to give up your favorite sweet treats if you modify your recipes to healthier versions. Here are just a few ideas:

• Substitute graham-cracker crusts for the traditional flour crusts on pies.
• Consider making apple, peach, or berry cobblers instead of a traditional pie; the dough used to make the cobbler is much lower in fat!
• For fat in baked goods such as pumpkin bread, banana bread, or brownies, use an equivalent amount of applesauce as a substitute for most (or even all!) of the oil.
• Use nonfat condensed milk when a recipe calls for condensed milk, or use skim milk in place of whole milk.
• For filled cookies, use chopped dates or 100 percent fruit spread rather than jelly.
• If the recipe calls for nuts or coconut, reduce the amount and try toasting to enhance the flavor.
• To cut down on saturated fat content, use vegetable oils instead of margarine, butter, or lard in your recipes.
• Substitute half of the fat in a chocolate cake recipe with an equal amount of pureed prunes or low-fat mayonnaise.
• Increase fiber in baked goods by using whole-wheat flour for at least half of the all-purpose white flour.
• Use equal portions of evaporated milk as a substitute for heavy cream.
• Instead of spreading frosting on brownies or cakes, sprinkle powdered sugar on top, or use a low-fat or fat-free whipped topping as frosting.
• If you decide to cook with artificial sweeteners, use a saccharin-based product. Aspartame breaks down and loses much of its sweetness when heated.
• If the recipe calls for baking chocolate, try cocoa instead. Replace one ounce of baking chocolate with 3 tablespoons cocoa powder plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil.
• Since egg yolks, not egg whites, contain fat and cholesterol, use two egg whites or ¼ cup egg substitute for one whole egg.

Cooking Methods
The way you prepare your meal can make a big difference in the total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol content. With simple changes to your cooking methods, you can cook leaner and still have great-tasting dishes. When deciding on a healthier cooking method, it is essential to understand key cooking methods and what they mean.

Most lower-fat cooking methods include braising, broiling, grilling, pan-broiling, poaching, roasting, simmering, steaming, stewing, and stir-frying.

Cooking Methods

Cooking Method	Definition
Braise	to simmer in a covered pot over low heat in a small amount of liquid such as water, broth, or fruit juice.
Broil	to cook with direct heat, usually under a heating element in the oven.
Fry	to cook food directly in hot oil.
Grill	to cook with direct heat over hot coals.
Pan-broil	to cook uncovered in a preheated, nonstick skillet without added oil or water.
Poach	to cook gently in liquid, just below the boiling point when the liquid is just beginning to show movement.
Roast	to cook with dry heat in the oven.
Sauté	to cook quickly in a small amount of fat, stirring often so the food browns evenly.
Simmer	to cook slowly in liquid, just below boiling; usually done after reducing heat from a boil.
Steam	to cook with steam heat over (not in) boiling water.
Stew	to cook in enough liquid to cover food, such as water, broth, or stock, for a long period of time in a tightly covered pot over low heat.
Stir-fry	to cook small pieces of meat, poultry, fish, tofu, and/or vegetables in a very small amount of oil over very high heat, stirring often as it cooks.

Time-Saving Cooking Guidelines
Preparing a week's or more worth of meals at one time can help you eat healthy while saving time. Bulk cooking may make for a pretty busy weekend, but the payoff is a week or more of super easy and healthy dinners and more time for you during the week. A bulk cooking system is designed chiefly for main dishes, the most time-consuming part of a meal. Of course, they should be combined with vegetables, salad, and other healthy side dishes. Once you cook meals ahead, simply place them in freezer bags or airtight containers and freeze them. When you need a meal, it is as simple as taking it out of the freezer. Many foods freeze perfectly, especially soups, stews, spaghetti sauces, and chili. Let the food cool before you place it in the freezer, and be sure your freezer temperature is properly regulated (0 degrees or lower). Be careful not to stuff the freezer to the brim so air has room to circulate.

Fact: Try cooking rice, couscous, and other grains with herbs, fat-free broth, or juice instead of adding fat. Don't rinse rice when it is done cooking because you will wash away some of the vitamins, especially B vitamins.

Label your containers with contents and a date so you know what to use first and which dishes will keep for how long. As a rule of thumb, stews and casseroles will generally keep well for up to three months, while sauces will keep even longer. If you store frozen foods longer than what is recommended, they will generally still be safe to eat, but the taste and texture may be compromised.

If you don't have the time to make so many meals at one time, try cooking a double batch of whatever meal you are making and freeze it for another meal the following week. Another time-saving tip is to use cooking methods that make cooking and clean-up much easier—such as grilling.

Healthy Grilling
Grilling is a great way to get outside and do your cooking at the same time. It's quick and it's a great way to cook low-fat, because you don't need to add any fat. Grilling does have a downside. Recent research has indicated that potential carcinogens (or substances that can cause cancer) are present in grilled foods. Fat that drips from the food onto the flames tends to create smoke that contains polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. These chemicals in the smoke can be potential carcinogens. The blackened parts of meat may also contain carcinogens. Just because grilled foods may contain some carcinogens does not mean that people who eat grilled food are going to develop cancer or that you should stop grilling. It is a smart idea nonetheless to reduce your exposure to carcinogens as much as possible. If you love to grill, follow these tips to help reduce your risk of exposure to possible carcinogens:

• To reduce grilling time, microwave or cook foods first that take a long time to cook on a grill. For example, cook ribs on low heat in the slow cooker or oven until cooked and then just put on the grill to baste with your favorite sauce.
• Use low or medium heat on the grill to avoid flames that shoot up and char the meat.
• Use leaner cuts of meat and marinades with little fat to avoid fat dripping on to the coals and causing flare-ups, smoke, and charring.
• Add glazes, sauces, or marinades only during the last few minutes on the grill; the sugar in the sauce causes flare-ups and increased smoke.
• Avoid eating the blackened parts of meat or other grilled foods.

Using Herbs and Spices
You need to keep some basic herbs and spices on hand to be prepared for any recipe. Using herbs and spices in your recipes offers a flavor advantage as you attempt to trim fat and sodium from your diet. Spices come from the bark, buds, fruit, roots, seeds, or stems of plants and trees. They are usually dried. Herbs, on the other hand, are the fragrant leaves of plants. Some plants supply both spices and herbs.

Fact: It is best to store dry herbs and spices in tightly covered containers and keep them in a cool, dry, dark place. Avoid storing them in the refrigerator, near a window, or above the stove. The atmosphere in some of these areas can destroy the flavor.

Herbs and spices lose their potency over time. As a rule of thumb, most whole herbs and spices retain their flavor for about one year. Dried and ground versions are best when used within six months. Before adding dried herbs to your recipe or dish, crush them between the palms of your hands to release their flavor. As a general rule for most herbs, 1 teaspoon of dried herb can be substituted for 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh herb. This is only a general guideline, so you should make sure to take your own tastes into consideration when selecting pantry basics.

Whether you are using fresh or dry seasonings, be sure to use them carefully—a little can go a long way. You can experiment with all types of combinations of herbs and spices to make up your own blends. Flavors will become more concentrated, the longer the seasoning mixture is on the meat. In recipes that require a long cooking time, such as soups, stews, and sauces, add herbs and spices toward the end of cooking so their flavor won't cook out.

Herbs such as basil, bay leaf, oregano, or rosemary add distinctive flavors and color to meat, vegetables, and salads. Spices such as cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg enhance the sweet taste of foods. Seasoning blends such as chili powder and curry powder provide complex flavors. If you are just starting to use herbs and spices, go slowly. Try one new spice at a time, and soon you'll love the new flavors.

Some basic herbs and spices for stocking your pantry include the following:

Allspice, ground and whole	Fennel seeds	Peppercorns, dried black
Arrowroot starch	Five-spice powder	Poppy seeds
Basil	Garlic powder	Rosemary, dried
Bay leaves	Ginger, ground	Sage, dried
Chili powder	Marjoram, dried	Salt, table and Kosher
Cinnamon, ground and sticks	Mint, dried	Sesame seeds
Cloves, ground and whole	Mustard, dried ground	Tarragon, dried
Coriander, ground	Nutmeg	Thyme, ground and dried
Cream of tartar	Onion powder	Turmeric
Cumin, ground	Oregano, dried	Vanilla extract
Curry powder	Paprika, Hungarian sweet
Dill weed	Pepper, cayenne, dried red flakes

A rub is a mixture of herbs and/or spices that is pressed onto the surface of meat before cooking. Rubs are commonly used on lean meats, poultry, and fish. Rubs can add lots of flavor to your meal without having to add fat or other higher-sodium marinades. Try some of these rub combinations for starters:

• Citrus rub: grated lemon, orange, or lime peel with minced garlic and black pepper.
• Pork rub: brown sugar, garlic powder, chili powder, black pepper, oregano, salt.
• Italian rub: oregano, basil, rosemary, minced Italian parsley, and garlic.

Herbs have recently received much attention for their possible medicinal benefits. Herbs and plants have a chemical structure and, like any chemical, can have some effect in the body. It is still uncertain how and which herbs may provide medical benefits as well as in what quantities. Begin to use herbs in cooking to help enhance flavor, and you can possibly provide a health benefit, as well.

Finding a Good Cookbook
The following books and Web sites can help get your library started:

• The All New Good Housekeeping Cookbook, edited by Susan Westmoreland (Hearst Books)
• American Heart Association Cookbook (Random House, Inc.)
• American Heart Association Meats in Minutes Cookbook (Clarkson Potter Publishers)
• Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook (Meredith Books, Inc.)
• Vegetarian Times Complete Cookbook, by Lucy Moll and Vegetarian Times editors (Hungry Minds, Inc.)