Recipe Hacks for Better Nutrition
As a Together Counts™ partner, we at the Canned Food Alliance recognize that life is about balance and that you can still enjoy the occasional treat and live healthfully! We partnered with Kara Lydon, author of The Foodie Dietitian Blog, to come up with these simple recipe hacks that will boost the nutritional value of some of your favorite foods using canned goods found in most pantries.
- Fall is the perfect time for hearty, delicious soups packed full of nutritious vegetables. To thicken soups, combine pureed canned white beans and low-sodium vegetable or chicken stock instead. White beans have a mild flavor and have the added benefit of bumping up the fiber and protein content of your soup.
- For a quick and easy tailgate or a Halloween treat, make delicious, fudgy brownies with two simple ingredients – a packaged brownie mix and canned pumpkin puree. Simply mix a 15-ounce can of pumpkin into a boxed brownie mix and bake as directed for a sweet treat that packs a vitamin A punch with less fat than traditional brownies.
- Make homemade salad dressing with pureed canned fruits, vegetables and beans for added nutrition. Check out these recipes for some quick and easy ideas.
- Does your recipe call for cream? Try substituting an equal amount of canned evaporated skim milk for the cream. The sugar intake will increase by 2 grams, but the result will have a fraction of the fat.
As a dietitian who believes that healthy food can and should be delicious, I am always experimenting with tasty ways to nourish my body through whole foods. A little creativity and ingenuity can help transform recipes to make them healthier, but still satisfyingly delicious!
By: Kara Lydon, RD, LDN, RYT
Author of The Foodie Dietitian Blog
For recipes and more information on the hottest trends, new research and the nutritional benefits of canned food, visit Mealtime.org. While there, sign up to receive Canned Food News, the CFA’s monthly e-newsletter.
Want more ideas for simple, recipe ideas? Check out these reads from Together Counts!