I am sure that all of you Albert Lea Tribune newspaper readers are aware of Extreme Home Makeovers since we had this fantastic event occur right here in Freeborn County recently. Well, you may not be aware of this, but an extreme recipe makeover can happen right in your own kitchen! A recipe makeover can enhance your recipe by reducing the amount of sugar, fat, cholesterol and sodium in your recipe and even add a little more fiber without sacrificing the great taste of your recipe.

How do we begin? Fat in the recipe plays an important role in enhancing the taste, texture, moisture and aroma of food. In baked goods, tenderness and volume are affected by the amount and type of fat used. The amount of fat called for in many recipes can often be decreased without sacrificing the taste, texture and moisture of the recipe. As a general rule use 1-2 Tablespoons of fat per cup of flour when baking biscuits, muffins and quick breads. Reducing the fat to less than that can affect the texture, taste and moisture of the recipe. Quick breads such as banana, pumpkin and zucchini bread often call for larger than needed amounts of oil. You can replace 1/2 to 3/4 the amount of oil with applesauce. For example 1 cup of vegetable oil can be replaced with 1/2 cup of applesauce and 1/2 cup of vegetable oil. For heart health benefits, use canola or light flavored olive oil in the recipe.

Sugar in the recipe contributes to taste, structure, texture, volume and how the cake or bread rises and browns. You can use reduce sugar by 25-50% in your recipe and it should not affect these qualities but your recipe may not be quite as sweet. If desired, to make up for the taste, add a 1/4 teaspoon vanilla or other extract to your recipe for added flavor or a small amount of additional spice such as cinnamon. If you use a sugar substitute when baking, browning, texture and volume and baking time can be affected. Splenda Granular manufacturers recommend that you lightly spray the batter or dough with cooking spray just before placing in the oven to help achieve a more golden brown color. Sugar substitutes do not activate yeast so maintain at least 2 teaspoons of sugar in recipes calling for yeast so that these products will rise. Cakes and quick breads may not rise as high as their full-sugar counterparts so to achieve a better rise, substitute 8-inch round cake pans with 2-inch sides in place of 9-inch round cake pans. Also, try adding 1/2 cup non-fat dry milk powder and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda for every cup of Splenda granular in your cakes and quick breads

Salt may be reduced in your recipes as well. Use 1/4 cup egg substitute such as Eggbeaters or 2 egg whites in your recipe in place of one egg to reduce the cholesterol content of your recipes. Use reduced-fat sour cream and mayonnaise in place of the full fat versions of these to save many calories and reduce the fat content of your recipes.

The following recipe has been modified to reduce the sodium, cholesterol, calorie and carbohydrate content of the recipe. Whole wheat flour has been added to the modified recipe to replace some of the white flour. This increases the fiber content of the recipe and enhances the texture of the recipe. Enjoy!

 
Zucchini Bread

Original  

3 eggs                                                  

2 cups sugar                                          

1 cup vegetable oil                                  

3/4 tablespoon vanilla

2 cups grated raw zucchini                      

3 cups all-purpose flour                            

1 teaspoon salt                                                     

1 teaspoon soda                                                     

1/2 teaspoon baking powder                                   

1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon                                         

1 cup raisins                                                  

                                  

Modified

3/4 cup egg substitute

1 1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup Canola oil 

1/2 cup applesauce

1 tablespoon vanilla 

2 cups grated raw zucchini

2 cups all-pupose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup raisins  

     

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine egg substitute, sugar, oil, and applesauce and vanilla in a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until well blended. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl and stir together. Add dry ingredients to the moist ingredients and mix together. Add zucchini and raisins to the mixture and fold gently. Divide and pour batter into two greased and floured 9 x 5 inch bread pans. Bake 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Recipe makes two pans. Cut each pan into 12 slices. 

Nutrition Information

Per slice:  Original recipe: 233 calories, 34 grams  carbohydrates, 10 grams of fat, 172 mg of sodium         

Modified Recipe: 152 calories, 26 grams carbohydrate, 4 grams of fat, 136 mg sodium.

Becky Goodell is a registered and licensed dietitian at Albert Lea Medical Center — part of Mayo Health System.