The Butter Swap

Butter... rich and creamy; a perfect way to top toast or the essential ingredient in our baked goods, right? Wrong!  Other than being delicious, butter does not pack a very beneficial punch.  Here are the straight facts:

Looking at the nutrition label, we can see that in just one Tbsp, butter packs a whooping 11g from fat.  This label is from Smart Balance Blended Butter Stick... something someone might pick out if trying to be "health conscious", but if you take a look at the right side there is a comparison to real butter.  While this option is a better pick in saturated fat and cholesterol, is it still worth it to you to waste 100 calories on just butter? Not me... that's why I've put together a list of "healthy swaps" for you to try!

1.  Olive Oil (Extra Virgin is the best) - Yes, the obvious choice, this can be the real deal when it comes to baking and cooking.  Although it still offers its fair share of calories, olive oil has great added health benefits including being loaded with the "good" fats, Vitamins E, A, K, Iron, Calcium, and Amino acids.  It's known to be good to your heart, cholesterol panel, skin, bones, eyes, and your immune system!  Use 3/4 a cup olive oil for every 1 cup of butter in a recipe.  (be careful: if not used in moderation... the calories and fat can still add up!)
2.  Avocados - Another ingredient that is not only delicious but provides additional health benefits.  Try spreading on your toast for a fun twist.  It's benefits, to name a few, include fiber, vitamin C, and potassium, keeping you energized throughout the day.  You can even try baking with avocado.  Sub in 1 cup pureed avocado for every cup of butter a recipe may call for.  (This is one that I have heard a lot about, but have not yet tried... please leave a comment to let me know what you think!)

Applesauce made in sweetpeaskitchen.com

3.  Applesauce - Now this is one of my favorites that tends to surprise a lot of my clients.  It is a fabulous swap when baking sweets because it adds moisture and fiber into your baking and saves TONS on calories. Plus it adds a nice sweet touch.  Use equal amounts of applesauce that you would butter.  Try in cakes, cookies, etc... If you have apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon, you can even make your own applesauce!  Chop 4 apples and microwave until softened (about 4 minutes), transfer to food processor, add 1 T. brown sugar and 1 pinch cinnamon and puree until desired consistency.

4.  Plain, Non-fat Greek Yogurt - This is perfect for when you want to add protein and moisture without a ton of calories.  The baking with this ingredient is not bad either... it creates velvety moist goods and the amount of protein is to die for.  Use a half cup of Greek yogurt for every cup required when baking.

Homemade nut butter by abetterbagofgroceries.com

5.  Nut Butter - My go to food :)  Just like avocados, you can add any nut butters to bagels or toast.  Nuts contain heart healthy fats, potassium, and fiber.  Eating whole grain toast or bagels will also up your health benefits.  This decadent ingredient is always a winner.  You can even make your own with just 2 cups of raw almonds!

That reminds me... I have some baking to do this weekend!  

What other tricks and substitutions have you tried? I'd love to hear from you!

oxox, Em