Skinny Secrets: How to Healthify Recipes

With spring right around the corner, that means that warmer weather, longer days, baby animals, Easter eggs, fresh flowers, bumble bees, and abundant sunshine isn't too far away. Pretty soon pools will start to open, families will begin to plan trips to the beach, and clothing stores will only sell items that reveal a lot more skin than the standard winter attire. What does all of this mean? Well for me, it means CELEBRATE! Sunshine and warm weather could stay forever and I'd be a happy camper. But what does this also mean? Time to get that body ready for bikini season.

UGH.

Around this time of year, I'm always battling intense sugar cravings that have reached an all time high thanks to the sweets overload from the holidays. I'm also struggling to find the motivation to get to the gym when it's so dark and cold outside. Heck, I consider it an accomplishment when I get to work on time because I managed to only hit snooze twice instead of ten times; obviously finding energy to go to the gym during these months is something that happens rarely never for me. Please tell me I'm not the only one out there.

Luckily, there are things we can do to work towards that perfect bikini body in the comfort of our warm homes in the oldest, softest pjs: we can make healthy, skinny, delicious food. Now I'm no nutritionist and have little educational background on how the body works, but I know how my body works and what tricks have worked for me. So, I thought I'd share a few of these kitchen tips and tricks that might help some of you jump start the process to eating healthier and getting your beautiful body ready for summer.

*When a recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar (brown or granulated)...
reduce the amount of sugar by 1/4 cup. Most of us consume WAY too much sugar each day. Our taste buds have grown accustomed to eating tons of sugar that naturally sweet food, such as fruits, usually taste bland. This is not a good sign. One way to get our taste buds back on track and to reduce those cravings for processed sugars is to cut back on our sugar intake and slowly reduce the amount of sugar we use. Most recipes call for too much sugar anyway. By cutting 1/4 cup of sugar for every 1 cup of sugar called for, you cut about 180 calories. Do this for all of your recipes and you'll begin to see a difference in how things taste and your waistline.

*When a recipe calls for butter or oil...
use mashed ripe bananas, fat free yogurt, unsweetened applesauce, or pumpkin puree instead. This tip is a little tricky and will vary depending on the recipe you are making. My rule of thumb is to search for a recipe I want to make that already calls for one of these healthier ingredients. If I can't find a recipe, then I play mad scientist in the kitchen. Luckily, most of my experiments have turned out well. Here are the substitutions that I normally use:

For mashed bananas, I substitute equal parts of mashed banana for the butter or oil called for. So, if a recipe calls for 1 cup butter, I use 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (which is about 3 medium bananas). Because bananas are naturally sweet, I also reduce the sugar accordingly. This method works well for cakes and some cookies. If butter is a key ingredient in the recipe, I substitute half of the butter with mashed banana. For example, if the recipe calls for 1/2 cup butter, I use 1/4 cup mashed banana and 1/4 cup butter. This method is better for cookies.

For fat free yogurt, I use this helpful Chobani chart:

For unsweetened applesauce, I substitute equal parts of applesauce for the butter or oil called for. So, if a recipe calls for 1 cup butter, I use 1 cup unsweetened applesauce. This method works well for cakes and some cookies and brownies.

For pumpkin puree, I substitute equal parts of pumpkin puree for oil. If the recipe calls for butter, I use half butter and half pumpkin puree. For example, if the recipe calls for 1 cup butter, use 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup pumpkin puree. Note that the pumpkin puree will give baked goods an orange tint. I usually use this method when making recipes that call for cocoa powder, so that the orange tint is masked.

*When a recipe calls for 1 cup of all-purpose flour...
use 1/2 cup whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup all-purpose flour. As I'm sure you've heard, most people don't get enough whole grains. By replacing some all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour, you are increasing the amount of whole grains and fiber you consume. Keep in mind that whole wheat flour creates more dense baked goods. Because of this, I've found that using half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose flour is the perfect balance of achieving baked goods with a light texture, but more fiber. Obviously experiment with this ratio as you see fit.

*When a recipe calls for pasta, rice, or bread...
be sure to use whole grain and whole wheat options that have fiber. As stated above, we all need more whole grains and less processed food. Making this simple change will improve the quality of food and nutrients your body is getting. Plus, the more fiber a food has, the more full you feel. With this logic, if you eat whole grain items, you'll eat less! More fiber+eat less=happy waistline!

*When a recipe calls for cream cheese, peanut butter, cheese, milk, or other full-fat ingredients...
consider using the reduced fat version. Nine times out of ten using the reduced fat version will not affect the taste or texture of the dish. And it's an easy and brainless way to reduce fat and calories!

*When you are craving ice cream or a frozen treat...
make a smoothie or "milkshake" instead. I used to be addicted to ice cream. No, really. I could polish off a half gallon carton in two days. Not my proudest moment. In attempts to kick this addiction for good, I looked for other treats that are similar to ice cream, but much healthier. This is when my ice cream addiction was replaced by my smoothie addiction. (Scroll down to see some of my favorite smoothie, "milkshake", and "ice cream" recipes.) I found that smoothies satisfied my sweet tooth and cravings for something cold and creamy without a ton of fat and calories. The key is to realize what food(s) is your weakness and find a healthy substitute that is both satisfying and delicious.

*When you are baking your favorite batch of cookies...
freeze half of the cookies or share them with friends, coworkers, and neighbors. Having a lot of sweets just sitting around will ultimately leave you thinking about them, craving them, hearing them call out your name late at night, and eventually devouring them. Best to get rid of some/most of them before that happens.

*When you make a trip to the grocery store...
always go with a list and stick to it. Are you eying your favorite bag of chips or those freshly baked donuts? Are they on the list? Nope? Keep movin' on.

*When you find yourself eating one or two large meals a day...
try eating five or six smaller meals throughout the day. There is tons of research that says this method not only helps your metabolism (which means your body is more efficiently using energy aka burning calories), but it also helps you feel full so you don't eat as much. The same goes for skipping breakfast. I've never been a morning eater, so I always bring a yogurt or make oatmeal at work. There is no reason you should force yourself to eat; just pack a small, healthy breakfast to eat on the go or once you are at work. That way you don't find yourself starving at lunch and reaching for any and every piece of food in sight. Moral of the story: eat small but lots. And this leads me to my next tip....

*When you are baking your favorite bread...
make muffins instead of a loaf. Having food already portioned into individual serving sizes helps us control how much we eat. This concept can apply to cookies, other baked goods, and snacks as well. Just put however many food items are in one serving into baggies and store them in an airtight container. That way when you find yourself reaching for a snack, you already have an individual serving portioned out for you.

*When you find yourself forcing down a healthy meal simply for the fact that it's good for you...
STOP! There is no need to sacrifice flavor or force yourself to eat something that you don't enjoy just because it's "good for you". There are so many recipes and ideas out there that you are bound to find something that you enjoy eating. For example, I've never been a fan of vegetables, especially when they are boiled and have little seasoning or pizazz. I'll eat them, but I certainly never enjoyed it. But one day I decided to try roasting some vegetables I had recently bought. And would you believe that I devoured ALL of them in one sitting. Roasting the vegetables in a little olive oil, salt, and pepper was one of the best cooking decisions I've made and it's completely changed my attitude towards vegetables. Try different recipes, cooking methods, and ingredients until you find something that works for you. Ask friends, family members, and co-workers for healthy ideas and recipes that they love. You will find healthy recipes that you enjoy, you just might have to think outside of your normal box. (For some recipe ideas, scroll down!)

*When you find yourself craving salty chips, decadent cake, creamy ice cream, or delicious french fries...
treat yourself...every once in a while. I am a strong believer of the "everything in moderation" concept. You should never completely deprive yourself of anything. If you absolutely love the Eddy's Mint Chocolate Crunch Ice Cream (yes, that is my favorite flavor), then allow yourself to buy a carton whenever it goes on sale. Or once a month. Whatever moderation rule works for you, stick by it. If you allow yourself to indulge every once in a while, you are better prepared to prevent intense cravings and binge eating. Plus, you won't be a cranky person because you are stuck eating nothing but healthy foods. No one likes a Cranky Cathy.

Those are some of my tried and true tips and tricks. Do you have any others? I'd love to hear them! And if you are looking for some delicious, skinny recipes, here are a few of my favorites:


And for your reference, here are a few of my favorite blogs that post lots of delicious and healthy recipes:

SkinnyTaste ~Gina has so many healthy recipes, all of which have nutritional value and WW points provided. This is definitely my number one go-to blog for ideas and inspiration!
Hungry Girl ~Lisa comes up with creative ways to make copycat recipes that taste just like the real thing but with a fraction of the calories.
The Realistic Nutritionist ~Just as the title suggests, Claire is very real when it comes to eating healthy and being nutritious, and her recipes reflect that attitude.
Chocolate Covered Katie ~Katie has some creative and unusual ideas when it comes to making skinny sweets.