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"Diana, just a quick heads up to let you know we are still using your cookbook and the guys will often be heard saying what would Diana say about this or that....really good feed back... I made your potato salad and the oriental coleslaw on Sat. for a family luncheon and had rave reviews so thanks again."
BC Hydro
Healthy Meal Ideas, Ingredient Swaps and Snack Ideas for the Holidays
With holiday preparations, Christmas shopping and festive entertaining in full swing, it’s important to keep yourself (and your guests) well fueled with nourishing foods. Use some of these tips and tricks to inspire you to eat better without the need to give up the tastes and textures you love.
Greek Yogurt: Mayo is a tangy, creamy favorite in many sauces, spreads and dips but tends to be very high in calories. Try using plain Greek yogurt instead. Just add 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard to 1 cup of Greek yogurt for a delicious spread, add it to oil and vinegar dressing or as a dip for veggies or shrimp.
Cottage Cheese: Blend 1 cup cottage cheese in a food processor with 1 Tbsp lemon juice or white wine vinegar until smooth and use it to replace sour cream in dips, mashed potatoes, on chili or fajitas.
Silken Tofu: Blend 1 package silken tofu with 1 Tbsp olive oil and 2 tsp lemon juice, 2 tsp apple cider vinegar and ¼ tsp salt for a vegan sour cream substitute.
Black Beans: Replace 1 cup of flour in chocolate brownie recipe with 1 cup mashed black beans for added protein and fibre.
Whole wheat Flour: Replace 1 cup white flour with 7/8c whole wheat flour or 1 cup almond flour in muffins and cookies
Mashed banana: Replace 1 cup oil with 1 cup mashed banana in muffin recipes
Evaporated skim milk: replace full fat cream with evaporated skim milk for the same creamy flavor but fewer calories.
Zucchini: replace spaghetti noodles with spiralized zucchini
Butternut Squash: consider serving a butternut squash soup instead of creamy mushroom
Cauliflower: Replace white rice with steamed grated cauliflower
Lettuce: replace flour tortillas with lettuce leaves
Ground Turkey: in place of ground beef
Kale chips: in place of potato chips
Seaweed: in place of potato chips
Nuts: in place of croutons
Fresh herbs, spices and lemon: in place of salt
Avocado: use it as a spread in place of mayo, in a salad dressing to add a creamy texture or in a chocolate dip for fruit (deceptively delicious)
Popcorn: snack on popcorn flavoured with different spices instead of potato chips. Try flaxseed oil and truffle salt, or curry powder and turmeric with lime flavoured salt.
Salsa and Hummus: replace chip dip and creamy high fat spreads with salsa and hummus to save on calories and add nutrition
Sparkling water: add a touch of juice or slice cucumber and mint and ditch the pop.