Healthy Baking

If you’re planning on spreading the holiday cheer this season by baking up some tasty treats, remember that your healthy eating habits don’t have to be put on hold!

For fiber and nutrients, include nuts, oats, and dried or fresh fruits in cookies, cakes and breads. Pass on the butter or margarine and use fat substitutes like mashed bananas, applesauce, fruit purees, low-fat or non-fat sour cream, and plain or vanilla yogurt.

You can also give some of these healthy substitutions a try:

• Use canola cooking spray, peanut or olive oil in place of vegetable or corn oil.
• Mix in evaporated milk instead of heavy cream.
  
• Skip the eggs and use egg substitutes instead.
  
• Try frozen yogurt or reduced fat ice cream in place of regular ice cream.
  
• Use soy flour instead of white flour.
• Add skim or soy milk in place of whole milk.