Simple Ingredient Substitutions for a Healthier Year

Do you need to recover from weeks of overeating during the holiday season? If so, I am sharing some of my favorite ingredient substitutions with you.

Turkey Meatloaf

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground turkey
4 large egg whites or 2 whole eggs
4 oz. uncooked Old Fashioned oats (measure on a scale)
Vegetable soup mix
1 cup chopped onions
8 oz. mild salsa
2 cloves minced garlic

Directions:
Mix turkey meat and egg whites until mixed throughout. Add salsa, onions and garlic. In a separate bowl mix vegetable soup mix with oatmeal. Combine dry ingredients and wet ingredients into a loaf pan and cook for 45 minutes at 375°F, midway through cooking, top with aluminum foil if top of meatloaf is cooked.

Blueberry Muffins
Ingredients:
1 cup 1% or skim milk
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ cup applesauce
1 cup oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (or ½ cup whole wheat flour, ½ cup all purpose flour)
½ cup brown sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 cup frozen blueberries

1/2 cup oatmeal
2 Tbsp. melted light soft spread (butter substitute)
2 Tbsp. brown sugar

Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray muffin pan with non-stick spray or use muffin liners. Mix ¼ cup oatmeal with 1 Tbsp. melted soft spread and 1 Tbsp. brown sugar and set aside (streusel topping). Combine all wet ingredients. Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Blend wet and dry ingredients together until just moistened, do not over mix. Add 1 cup frozen blueberries. Let sit for 5 minutes.Top with streusel topping. Fill muffin cups until 2/3 full and cook for 20 – 30 minutes, until top is golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Creamy Light Mac n Cheese
Recipe modified from: Sidney Fry, RD, Cooking Light September 2011

Ingredients:
3 cups cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 [1-pound] squash)
1 1/4 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups fat-free milk
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 Tbsp. plain fat-free Greek yogurt
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) 50% light Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) grated pecorino Romano cheese
1/4 cup (1 ounce) finely grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
1 pound uncooked cavatappi
Cooking spray
1 tsp olive oil
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°.
Combine squash, broth, milk, and garlic in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer until squash is tender when pierced with a fork, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat.

Place the hot squash mixture in a blender. Add salt, pepper, and Greek yogurt. Remove the center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Place blended squash mixture in a bowl; stir in Cabot Light Cheddar, Pecorino Romano, and 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano. Stir until combined.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain well. Add pasta to squash mixture, and stir until combined. Spread mixture evenly into a 13 x 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano evenly over the hot pasta mixture. Lightly coat topping with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle with parsley, and serve immediately.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Krista Ackerbloom Montgomery, Cooking Light 
September 2007

Ingredients:
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 tsp. black pepper
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 (14-oz.) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 (8-oz.) block 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1 (8-oz.) block fat-free cream cheese, softened
1/2 (10-oz.) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
1 (13.5-oz.) package baked tortilla chips or whole grain crackers (about 16 cups)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, sour cream, 2 tablespoons Parmesan, and next 6 ingredients (through spinach) in a large bowl; stir until well blended. Spoon mixture into a 1 1/2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella and remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Serve with tortilla chips.

Healthy Hash Brown Casserole
Recipe courtesy of Aimee Fortney, Not the Perfect Cook
Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:
Cooking spray
4 Russet potatoes, about 2 pounds total, peeled and cut in half
1 medium white onion, peeled and cut in half
8 ounces light Cheddar or Sharp Extra Light Cheddar, grated (about 2 cups), divided
1 cup 2% Plain Greek-Style Yogurt or Plain Greek-Style Yogurt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat 9-inch square or similar baking dish with cooking spray.
2. In food processor fitted with grater blade, grate potatoes and one onion half; transfer to large bowl.
3. With hand grater, grate remaining onion half directly over bowl, scraping all juice and onion from inside grater into bowl.
4. Add 1 cup of cheese and yogurt, black pepper, red pepper and salt; stir until potatoes are coated. Spread mixture in prepared baking dish and top with remaining cheese.
5. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until golden.