Substitutions Archives | Dinner Tonight

Spice Things Up! Substitutions in Place of Salt!

February 29, 2016 by Dinner Tonight

Spices help add flavor to our foods while cutting back on the amount of sodium/salt in our foods. Here are a few substitutions to try when adding flavor to many of your favorite foods.

#1 Cumin

Cumin is traditionally used in Mexican dishes. This spice comes from the Mediterranean region, which means it pairs well with many Italian, Spanish, and Greek dishes.

#2 Hot Curry

Curry comes in a variety of spice mixtures. Regions incorporate a mix of different spices like turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, and cayenne powders to create a curry blend. Hot curry blends can add spice to grilled chicken, baked summer squash, or pasta.

#3 Nutmeg

Nutmeg is known for adding spice to many sweet dishes. However, it is a great addition to many savory dishes as well. Try it mixed in a baked cauliflower recipe or add it a fillet of fish. A little goes a long way with this spice; start with 1/8 teaspoon in your dish.

Just a reminder: Start with a small amount of a spice and only increase the amount of spice you add to a dish by 1 1/2 times. Try starting with 1/4 teaspoon for most ground spices. You might start with less if you are adding in a hot or strong spice like cayenne, red chili peppers, cloves, nutmeg, or peppercorns!

Small substitutions that make a big difference

July 23, 2015 by Dinner Tonight

Sometimes it is the small changes in recipes that can make a big difference in calories and fat. Eating healthy does not mean you have to give up flavor. Try these easy (and healthy) swaps in your recipes today.

https://youtu.be/-11LxrvpNqc

Try the recipe Microwave Breakfast Cake to practice using these substitutions.

Rethink Your Drink

April 13, 2015 by Dinner Tonight

Ways to Reduce Liquid Calories

Have you ever wondered how many calories are in your morning cup of coffee, juice, soda, or evening cocktail? We sometimes forget to look at liquids when evaluating our diets. Liquid calories can add up fast.
All foods and drinks can be consumed in a healthy meal plan but one has to be mindful of how much we are consuming at any given time. The biggest rule of thumb when it comes to reducing liquid calories is to DRINK MORE WATER. Water has zero calories and helps hydrate our bodies. Simply replacing some of the beverages with water and choosing lower-calorie options would drastically reduce the intake of empty calories.

Juice? This may be a surprise for some, but too much of a good thing is possible. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends a maximum of 4-6 oz of juice a day. Usually when a person orders juice it comes in a 16 oz glass (which is over 200 calories). A better option would be to eat the actual fruit and you get the benefits of phytonutrients and fiber.

Another sabotager is coffee drinks. One medium frozen frappuccino can range anywhere from 250-450 calories and 15g of fat. That is equivalent to eating 3 1/2 twinkies! You don’t have to completely give up your coffee, choose options of reduced-fat milk or a smaller size. So the next time you are choosing a beverage, look at the nutrition label, or choose a nice cool glass of water. Enjoy!!

Boring Water? No More!

The biggest complaint is that drinking water every day gets boring. If this is the case for you, try infusing your water with fresh or frozen fruit. Manufacturers are now making water bottles that have infusion compartments within the bottle, but you don’t have to have a special water bottle. You can just place the fruit directly in your bottle and drink up, or make one of our Aguas Frescas recipes and check out our Infused Water Basics.