Here we are back for another night. Starting to gear up for the weekend already. Have a busy one coming up. Saturday, gonna get a double dose of dancing, so should get lots of steps in. Calling today's outfit, ” Fun and Flirty”. Love the swingy skirt. Lot's of motion in this outfit with the skirt and my necklace.

Mixing the orange tones with the hot pink. Love when I can wear this ring.

Ok, I guess what I am going to attempt to cover for this edition is how to make your recipes more healthy. This will probably have to include some links to look over on your own,but we'll just get started and see where this takes us. That's kind of the way I approach this every time, because when I start most nights, I pick a topic and then see what I can find. So let's begin with information from the Mayo Clinic website in their Healthy Lifestyle Section on nutrition and healthy eating. The article is titled ” Recipe Makeovers: 5 Ways To Create Healthy Recipes”.

TRY THESE TIPS TO REDUCE THE FAT, CALORIES, AND SALT IN YOUR FAVORITE RECIPES.

Would your beloved grandmother's much loved bread pudding recipe come under the heading of healthy recipes? Probably not,since it contains 4 cups of whole milk, one stick of butter, and four eggs. But you don't have to remove it from your recipe box. Just modify the recipe with a few simple change-ups, and you've got another healthy recipe for your collection-not a fat and calorie disaster.

In fact, your ingredient substitution talents can help transform many unhealthy recipes into healthy ones-without diminishing the taste and texture of the foods you enjoy.

Here are five techniques that you can use to create healthy recipes. Remember, these are just examples. Use your imigination and experiment to find other ways to create healthy recipes– and along the way you might just make your grandmother proud.

1. REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF FAT, SUGAR, AND SALT.

You can often reduce the amount of fat, sugar, and salt without sacrificing flavor In healthy recipes. Use these general guidelines:

FAT: For baked goods use half the butter, shortening or oil and replace the other half with unsweetened applesauce, mashed banana, or prune purée. You can also use commercially prepared fruit-based fat replacers found in the baking aisles of most grocery stores.

SUGAR: Reduce the amount of sugar by one-third to one-half. Instead add spices such as cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg, or flavorings such as vanilla extract, or almond flavoring to boost sweetness.

SALT: For most main dishes, salads, soups, and other foods you can reduce the salt by half in baked goods that don't require yeast too. For foods that require yeast, you may need to experiment. Some salt may be necessary for leavening to keep baked goods from being too dense or flat.

2. MAKE A HEALTHY SUBSTITUTION.

Healthy substitutions not only reduce the amounts of fat , calories, and salt in your recipes but can also boost the nutritional content.

PASTA: Use whole-wheat pasta instead of enriched pasta. You'll triple the fiber and reduce the number of calories.

MILK: Prepare a dessert with fat free milk instead of whole milk and save 66 calories and almost 8 grams of fat per cup.

MEAT: When making casseroles, scale back on meat , poultry or fish and increase the amount of vegetables. You'll save on calories and fat, while gaining more vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

3. CUT BACK SOME INGREDIENTS.

In some recipes you can eliminate an ingredient altogether or scale back the amount you use.

TOPPINGS: Eliminate items you generally add on out of habit for appearance, such as frosting, coconut, or whipped toppings, which are all high in fat and calories.

CONDIMENTS: Cut condiments such as pickles, olives, butter , mayonnaise , syrup, jelly and mustard, which can have large amounts of sugar, salt, fat and calories. Use low-sodium soy sauce in a smaller amount than a recipe calls for, to decrease the amount of salt.

CHEESE: If a recipe calls for one cup of shredded cheese, use 1/2 cup instead.

4. CHANGE COOKING AND PREP TECHNIQUES.

Healthy cooking techniques can capture the flavor and nutrients of your foods without adding excessive amounts of fat, oil, or salt. Try these preperation techniques for healthy recipes.

COOKIING METHOD: Healthy cooking techniques include braising, boiling, grilling, poaching , sautéing, and steaming.

BASTING LIQUID: If the directions say to baste the meat or vegetables in oil or drippings, use a small amount of wine,fruit juice, vegetable juice, or fat-free broth instead.

NONSTICK COOKWARE: Using nonstick pans or spraying pans with nonstick spray will reduce the amount of fat and calories added to your meals.

5. DOWNSIZE THE PORTION SIZE.

No matter how much you reduce, switch, or omit ingredients, some recipes may still be high in sugar, fat or salt. You can help your diet by cutting back on the portion size instead.

SLOWDOWN: Eat your meals slowly to give your body a chance to register the fact you're filling up. Put your fork down between bites if necessary. You'll eat less in the long run.

CHECK PORTION SIZES: Many portions today are so large you may not realize what a true portion or serving is. Train yourself by using smaller plates, spoons and cups. And learn to use common visual cues to understand servings–one serving of whole-grain cooked pasta Is about the same size as a hockey puck, for instance.

PLAN AHEAD WHEN EATING OUT: It's easy to go overboard when eating out. Take precautions such as splitting a dish with a companion, skipping the bread basket, or asking for a doggie bag, and packing up half your meal.

I've decided to stop here and continue with the rest of this tomorrow. Going to give you some links to some other good information and suggestions on the topic. Also stay tuned to see an example of a recipe makeover. We'll be showing you how to makeover ” Morning Glory Muffins”. So don't forget to tune in tomorrow night, for Part 2 on how to make your recipes more healthy. Remember, stay focused, stay motivated, and stay moving. Till next time, God Bless.