FLOUR
I used to see a recipe, replace the white flour with whole wheat flour, and then wonder why it just didn't taste the same. I've learned that whole wheat pastry flour is a lighter flour to use that works much better for baked goods and recipes, and that it is nice to throw in some ground oatmeal (oat flour) or toasted ground quinoa when you can too!
SNEAKING IN VEGGIES, FRUITS AND BEANS
Other than changing up the flours, I usually try to find a way to add in something good for you, whether it be flaxseed, squash, applesauce, beans, avocado ... here are some of those recipes that were tasty for sure:
Avocado Brownies
Brownies made with white beans
Butternut Squash Doughnuts
Now sometimes I do just make straight up full fat, bad for you recipes, but most of the time, it is for other people! SO what are your tricks? Where do you find your recipes?
GIVEAWAY
Hodgson Mill® is offering one lucky reader a $25 gift certificate to the Hodgson Mill online store. Here you can find flours of all kinds, corn meal, baking mixes, pancake mixes, bread mixes, couscous, pastas... the possibilities are endless! Just leave a comment below telling me one of the following:
a) what are your tricks for healthier baking?
b) what are you looking forward to baking this holiday season?
A winner will be selected at random on Tuesday, November 22nd.
Hodgson Mill is also giving away 50 giftpacks ($85 value) of their products.
I've been mixing whole wheat flour into my all purpose flour so the results aren't completely off. I add chia seeds to everything (increasing the amount of liquid to prevent dryness) and I'm recently learning to incorporate ground flax into my meals. I've been adding it to my oatmeal for now--which is fine, because I just increase the amount of milk I use (more dairy!). I usually reduce the amount of sugar I use, especially if the recipe seems a little overkill. Or I just add fruit!
ReplyDeleteMy tricks are greek yogurt, low fat, no fat and not telling my husband or kids ;)
ReplyDeleteI don't really bake healthy as I am still learning how to bake normally I use whole wheat flour if I can....I can't wait to make CHRISTMAS COOKIES :D
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ReplyDeleteMy healthier baking trick is to add baby food sweet potato to my pumkin muffins. Makes 'em slightly (soo slightly!) healthier and moist too!
Can't wait to "bake" chocolate pie! Yumm!
runner_girl5k at yahoo dot com
I'm looking forward to making some fudge this year! I say I'll make it every year but this time I mean it :)
ReplyDeletesomething frugal at yahoo dot com
1) Replacing some of the fats with apple sauce (especially in vanilla- and other non-chocolate-flavored baked goods) or prunes (in chocolate-flavored things).
ReplyDelete2) Anything that has pumpkin, peanuts, hazelnuts, and marshmallows! Although perhaps not all at once ;)
I'm looking forward to baking a Red Wine Chocolate Cake recipe that I found on Smitten Kitchen, along with some flutternutter cookies for my friend's son's first birthday party!
ReplyDeleteOn my baking list for Thanksgiving and Christmas this year ...Italian Cream Cake, several cheesecakes, an Austrian apple strudel, date nut loaves like my grandma made, as well as dozens and dozens of cookies. :) Fun, fun, fun!
ReplyDeleteI have been on a brussel sprout bender lately - just cut, roasted with a little bit of oil and salt, and eat. I'm not cooking my own Thanksgiving items this year, but it's like I have a delicious, healthy part of the holiday for lunch every day (and sometimes dinner too).
ReplyDeleteI use whole foods and yes that means no fat free. If I'm using fat I'd rather use the real thing.
ReplyDeleteI do have a great pie crust recipes that calls for olive oil/walnut oil instead of butter, it's pretty good. I do use organic, especially when it comes to anything dairy.
Now if I don't touch the fat, I do lower the sugar, especially in American recipes. I usually cut it by a third to a half and I've always been happy with the results.
What a great giveaway! I am looking forward to making yeasted rolls this holiday season. And as for healthy baking, I like subbing in egg whites when possible to add more protein and lower fat.
ReplyDeleteI replace as many ingredients with healthier options as possible. When my kids were little and hated "chunks" of vegis in things I spun them thru the food processor and then added them and they never knew! Made great spaghetti sauce with no "chunks"
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to making some fruit pies this week for thanksgiving. So love being ablt to do them myself and not have to eat what someone else made or brought that might be full of "who knows what!"
ReplyDeleteI like using applesauce to replace half of the oil in recipes. Other than that, I try to enjoy!
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