Katie's Healthy Bites: Hold The Fat, Not the Flavor

Ina Garten's Butternut Squash Soup

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A squash colored soup in light gray bowl

©Quentin Bacon

Quentin Bacon

Healthy eating is not about depriving yourself of your favorite foods or the creamy textures we all crave. Healthy eating is about moderation and simple swaps that can make a dish less caloric, more nutritious and of course super tasty. Here are a few of my favorite healthy swaps that can make a dish more figure friendly without jeopardizing the deliciousness.

  • When making soups and sauces, puree white beans or starchy vegetables like potatoes and squash to create a thick, creamy texture and mouth feel without adding the cream, like this squash soup from Ina Garten (pictured.) This is a great swap for people with dairy intolerance as well!
  • When making mashed potatoes, skip the butter and cream (or slash the amount) and opt for evaporated skim milk, light sour cream or a little olive oil to create a similar texture and flavor.
  • When making pesto, swap half the oil for water or vinegar like white balsamic. You can cut the calories without losing the bright flavor.
  • Use smoked spices like smoked paprika instead of bacon to create a similar savory flavor profile without the fat.
  • Swap bison for ground beef to decrease saturated fat, cholesterol and calories, like in these slimmed-down bison patty melts.
  • Use apple butter or apple sauce in place of oil/butter in baked goods — it will create flavor and moisture while keeping your treats less fattening.
TELL US: What are your favorite healthy swaps?

Katie Cavuto Boyle, MS, RD, is a registered dietitian, personal chef and owner of HealthyBites, LLC. See Katie's full bio »

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