Here is an idea that I love, and plan on using more in my own home. Sneaking pureed vegetables into a dish instead of some other ingredients. Really, I have no excuse, because I have a Vita-Mix that purees EVERYTHING beautifully. We all know the trick of replacing the oil in our sweet baked goods for applesauce to cut calories and fat, so why not do the same in our savory baked goods, casseroles, or pastas? A study from Penn State University feed a group of people for a week, 3 meals a day. At each meal they substituted pureed vegetables for other ingredients. In the end, they found the people consumed the same amount of food by weight regardless of the amount of added vegetables, but the days with the most vegetables added the participants saved up to 360 calories. They also rated their hunger and fullness ratings the same with or without the vegetables. So basically, you can still enjoy some of your favorite foods while reducing your calories and fat intake and adding fiber and vitamins, naturally!!
Here is a list of sweet substitutes:Applesauce – most cakes, muffins, gingerbread, cookies Mashed bananas – chocolate cakes, spice cakes, muffins, other quick breads Pureed peaches – spice cakes, muffins Pureed pears – coffee cakes, quick breads Pureed prunes – spice cakes, muffins, scones, chocolate cakes, coffee cakes, crumb crusts, brownies, cookies Pureed beets - red food coloring in red velvet cake
Vegetable substitutes/additions: Cooked mashed squashes, such as butternut, pumpkin or sweet potatoes - can replace all or a portion of the fat in most baked goods, and at least 1/2 the fat in cookies. Use 3/4 as much of the vegetable puree as the total amount of fat called for in the recipe (or the same amount if the required fat is oil) and then if the batter looks dry, add a little more of the substitute. White sauce- Puréed white beans or cauliflower Tomato Sauce- Pureed Spinach/greens Hopefully this sparks some ideas! I will be experimenting with this as well, so please share what works and what doesn't!
Here is a list of sweet substitutes: