Say goodbye to conventional baking methods with these 10 healthy baking tips, and you'll be chomping on delicious, yet healthy, muffins in no time! Not only will these healthy baking tips give you low calorie and low fat desserts, but they will also give you essential nutrients from real foods like vegetables, fruits, dry fruits and nuts, and other essential fats. SO here they are - 10 healthy baking tips for a healthier you...
1. Avoid any products with transfats. Study each and every nutritional guideline mentioned at the back of an ingredient and compare it with others in order to lower the fat of the overall baked dish.
2. Nuts, though super healthy, should not be used in large quantities. Excessive use can wreak havoc to your diet plans. Skip the nuts inside the batter and sprinkle them in controlled amounts right on top of the batter in order to save calories and excessive fat intake.
3. Apple sauce, fruit puree, vegetable puree, plain yogurt are a few of the excellent substitutes for fat (esp. oil) in most of the recipes. Even mashed ripe bananas work as an excellent alternative. Want an even better alternative Go for baby food, you'll thank us for the rich, creamy consistency you'll get because of it!
4. Replace half the amount of eggs used in your baking recipe with any other thick liquid in order to lower the calorie load. Try nut butter, bean or fruit substitutions. You can also go for flax eggs which are easily available in the market and are thick in consistency. Still wondering how the baked goods will become nice and fluffy Fret not! Add a pinch of extra baking powder for each egg replaced and you are good to go!
5. Substitute whole milk with tofu or even skimmed milk. Don't like the taste of tofu Try hemp, coconut or almond milk.
6. Replace all-purpose white flour with whole wheat pastry flour and save on calories. You can also grind your own chickpea or oats flour.
7. White sugar can turn any fitness plans upside down. Try replacing this by sucanat, brown, raw or Demerara sugar.
8. Try and choose more natural flavourings such as cinnamon, nutmeg or vanilla in order to add more texture, flavour and calorie free richness to your food.
9. Don't over-mix the cake batter or you will get a tough cupcake. Also create your own flavours with chopped nuts, sugar-free decorations or candied fruits. Slice and dice food items such as fresh and dry fruits and sprinkle them on the top layer of the cake.
10. Keep tasting your batter at every level of preparation and trust us when we say, you'll do just fine. More often than not, you might be adding more sugar than is actually needed based on a recipe by someone who has a very sweet tooth. Also, by adding natural sweeteners like honey and cinnamon, you will be sweetening food the healthy way and therefore won't need as much sugar anyway. We are eager to listen to your healthy baking experience. Do share them in comments below!
Source: Times of India
BDST: 1659 HRS, AUG 30, 2015
Edited by: Sharmina Islam, Lifestyle Editor
