Substitutions with healthy ingredients can still taste great!
Preparing meals can be a fun experience! For many people, creating mouthwatering dishes is a relaxing and satisfying way to end the day.
When you make the decision to eat healthier you’re choosing to create a better lifestyle for you and your family. However when you think of healthy foods things like tasteless rice cakes and cardboard like snacks come to mind, in reality, nothing could be further from the truth.
It is a simple matter of substitution; switching ingredients that you use to prepare your meals; salt and sugar substitutes top the list. Salt substitutes taste just like salt however they do not have the negative effects. There are also excellent sugar substitutes on the market today.
Pasta is perhaps the most popular food in the world to eat; there are hundreds of different shapes and thousands of different ways to prepare it. However, pasta is not a low carb food.
- *One way that you can eat healthy pasta is to choose a whole grain or whole wheat pasta. Take a look at the nutrition; there are a few pastas on the market that have a good amount of fiber and protein.
- *There is also a pasta like product that is made with a soy base; it comes in a bag with liquid. It is so low in carbs and has a pasta like look and texture. Make sure to rinse out the liquid from the bag very well and then just heat up and put your favorite healthy sauce on it.
- *For a real treat, substitute pasta with spaghetti squash.
Those other pasta options do not appeal to everyone; so they choose regular pasta. Or, you can create a healthier meal then you would ordinarily when using the regular pasta by using these tips!
- *Use less pasta and add vegetables; this reduces the amount of carbs you consume
- *Cook your pasta just till al dente (and make a small portion, as a side dish)
- *When you add a sauce don’t use a rich sauce or butter sauce.
- *If you would like a tomato sauce on your pasta, make sure it is low in sugar, sodium and fat. Many on the market aren’t very healthy.
When it comes to snacks, and everybody loves to snack, giving up the greasy chips and unhealthy treats can be the most difficult thing to do. Snacks are meant to be comforting, filling and give you energy between meals, when you eat unhealthy foods, it bogs down your system slows you down and makes you feel sleepy. Choosing healthy snacks like nuts, vegetables and fruits like pears, apples and berries or, snacks like all natural low glycemic energy bars is an excellent substitution and can make you feel rejuvenated.