Healthy Substitutions, Cooking Hints, and more!

Below is a compilation of some hints I recently shared on Facebook, a few from my book, and a new cooking gadget website I discovered.

Save money by using all parts of vegetables

Celery pieces I boiled for vegetable broth

I use all parts of foods that many people throw out!

• To use broccoli stems, just peel the tough outer skin off and chop them with the flowerets. 
• Celery leaves/tops can be chopped to use in casseroles, stuffings, soups, etc. Freeze chopped bits for longer storage. 
• Boil any [typically] discarded vegetable pieces, such as celery tops, broccoli stems, and asparagus ends in water for vegetable broth. Add a few fresh herbs to the water after it starts boiling, if desired. Strain, and use immediately, or freeze for later use. I use vegetable broth in homemade soups and casseroles, and when I make cabbage rolls. You can find my Cabbage Roll recipe in my blog here, and it is on page 116 in my book. 

Cajun seasoning

Make your own seasonings

Creating your own seasoning combinations saves money, and you can control the ingredients. The photo above is Cajun Seasoning from page 31 in my book. It is flavorful, delicious, and contains no salt.

Substitute heathy ingredients in recipes

Substituting nonfat Greek yogurt for sour cream reduces the fat content, and it is more nutritious. I use yogurt in baked goods and recipes, and the results are always fabulous. I have used yogurt in muffins and breads, and in recipes where yogurt (sour cream, initially) is the main ingredient, like spreads, sauces, and dips. My Spinach Dip recipe on page 68 in my book is half yogurt, and it is just as creamy and flavorful as the sour cream version.

Substituting natural applesauce for oil or butter in recipes is healthier, and you can also then reduce the sugar content. Mussleman's provides some excellent information about how to do this on their website. The only thing they do not address is reducing the sweetener. The first time I sub applesauce in a recipe, I always try a small reduction of the sweeter, and then tweak it a bit next  time, if needed.

Find recipes, reviews, information about cooking tools...

Village Bakery is a resource site with information about kitchen gadgets, where you can find cooking tools, reviews, recipes, and more.

Please feel free to share this post, and let me know if you have any questions!