Welcome to Friday Night in Carol’s Corner. It was a pretty nice day in Central New York. My picture today was taken by a friend in the Lobby Of Perkins Restaurant. Hubby messed them up today , so had to get one to come out good. Thank God it did. The other ones were pretty awful. Calling this outfit ” Wildflower Fields”.

I tried to incorporate all the subtle colors in the blouse, by using the red shade in the Cami Shaper I wore underneath it and by the jewelry and FitBit Combo I wore.

So let’s get started on Part 2 of ” How to make your recipes more healthy. Today is about putting it all together.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER TO CREATE HEALTHY RECIPES

Before plunging ahead with a recipe, look it over and think about what you can change to make it more healthy. Make notes of any alterations so you can refer to them the next time you prepare the recipe. You may have to make the recipe a few times before you are satisfied with the results. But finding the right combination of ingredients-for the desired taste, consistency, and nutrients-is well worth the trouble.

TAKE MORNING GLORY MUFFINS FROM UNHEALTHY TO HEALTHY

This muffin recipe shows a before-and-after ingredient list. As you can see, making a few small changes can make a big difference in the amount of fat, calories and salt in a serving . By making the following changes to the recipe you save 125 calories, 10 grams of fat, 31 milligrams of cholesterol , 67 milligrams of sodium and 13 grams of table sugar in each muffin.

RECIPE MAKEOVER: MORNING GLORY MUFFINS

I will give the original list of ingredients first.

2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

3 large eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup coconut

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups peeled and chopped apple

1/2 cups raisins

1/2 cup grated carrots

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Now I will list the healthier options and comments about the substitutions.

1 cup all purpose flour and one cup whole wheat flour.

Comment: To increase fiber substitute half the flour for whole wheat flour.

3/4 cup sugar

Comment: To reduce calories cut the sugar in half.

2 tsp. baking soda

Comment: Don’t reduce the baking soda, a leavening agent, or the muffins may be too dense or flat.

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Comment: To enhance the perception of sweetness double the cinnamon.

Omit salt

Comment: Salt isn’t needed here. Baking soda contains sodium and provides leavening.

3/4 cup egg substitute

Comment: To reduce saturated fat and cholesterol, replace each egg with 1/4 cup egg substitute.

1/2 cup vegetable oil and 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

Comment: To reduce fat, cut the oil in half and and replace the rest with unsweetened applesauce , which also helps to retain moisture.

Omit coconut

Comment: To reduce saturated fat and calories leave out the coconut.

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Comment: To enhance the perception of sweetness double the vanilla.

2 cups apples (unpeeled)

Comment: To increase fiber leave the skin on the apple.

1/2 cup raisins

Comment: Don’t increase the amount of raisins. Raisins are calorie dense, meaning they have a lot of calories in a small portion.

3/4 cup grated carrots

Comment: To increase nutrients such as vitamin A and fiber add another 1/4 cup of grated carrots. The extra helps compensate for the omitted coconut.

2 Tbs. chopped pecans

Comment:To reduce fat and calories cut back on the pecans.

So that is a pretty good guide on how to change baking ingredients in a recipe to make it healthier. Now just apply some of what we learned to other types of cooking.

Below, you will, find some great links to other information on making your recipes healthier.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/healthy-recipes/art-20047195 Healthy recipes: a guide to ingredient substitutions

http://www.eatingwell.com/healthy_cooking/healthy_cooking_101_basics_techniques/healthy_cooking_basics/10_secrets_to_cooking_healthier 10 secrets to cooking healthier

http://www.eatingwell.com/healthy_cooking/healthy_cooking_101_basics_techniques/10_cooking_tips_to_make_your_favorite_foods_healthier 10 cooking tips to make your favorite foods healthier

http://www.intelihealth.com/article/10-ways-to-make-your-recipes-healthier?hd=Food 10 ways to make your recipes healthier

http://www.safefood.eu/Healthy-Eating/Food-Diet/Eating-In/Top-10-ways-to-make-your-dishes-healthier.aspx. Top 10 ways to make your dishes healthier

http://www.foodmatters.tv/content/10-ways-to-make-your-dinner-healthier. 10 ways to make your dinner healthier ( don’t miss this one)

http://greatist.com/health/52-healthy-meals-12-minutes-or-less. 52 healthy meals in 12 minutes or less.

Think that’s enough to keep you busy for awhile. Enjoy and be armed with information that you can use on a daily basis, because as I have said many times before, knowledge is power. Stay focused, stay motivated, and be ready for bathing suit season. Till next time, God bless.