Healthy Holiday Baking

Is holiday baking a tradition in your family? Christmas cookies are always a favorite! With a few alterations, it is possible to create healthier versions of your favorite recipes.


• Incorporate whole grain pastry flour, oat bran & wheat germ to equal the required amount of flour.
• For muffins, quick breads, cake mixes and cakes made from scratch replace the oil, margarine or butter with applesauce. I keep unsweetened prepackaged 4oz individual servings on hand, very handy. You will save more than 900 calories and 100 grams of fat for each ½ cup used.
• For chocolate baked goodies, such as brownies and cakes, use pureed prunes, now found in the baking section or baby food prunes are great!
• For rich, creamy sauce or soup that’s low in fat and calories, use evaporated skim milk instead of heavy cream. It has cream-like flavor and is richer in texture than regular skim milk. You will save more than 80 grams of fat and 600 calories for every cup used!
• In place of sour cream, use fat-free plain yogurt. You may have thought to use fat free sour cream, but yogurt has a richer body and flavor, plus yogurt is often much higher in calcium than sour cream.
• I usually try to cut my sugar in recipes as much as I think I can get away with and still have it sweet enough. With that said……
• When you want a fluffy frosting, replace the margarine or butter in your recipe with marshmallow crème. It adds creaminess to the frosting without contributing any fat.

Try experimenting with these substitutions and you will feel better about what you are baking, serving and giving away as gifts. Happy Holidays!