Posted by Stephanie Clarke on Tue, Mar 09, 2010
While it's OK to indulge in treats occasionally, it's also nice to have healthier craving-stopping alternatives that you can enjoy more often. Here are some of the foods I turn to when I want a lower-calorie substitute for some of my favorite higher-calorie splurges.
Instead of: French Fries
Try: Roasted cauliflower. You might be a little doubtful about this trade, but give it a try. You'll get the crispy-crunchy texture that you enjoy with French fries, but with significantly fewer calories. Chop cauliflower into florets, toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roast at 400 degrees until golden and crispy (about 30 to 45 minutes), stirring once. It will be crispy on the outside, tender on the inside and you can even eat it with your hands like fries.
Instead of: Cheese Pizza
Try: Pita pizza. I always keep a good marinara sauce and two percent mozzarella on hand so that I can get that pizza flavor without having to dial for delivery. Spread marinara sauce on a six-inch whole-wheat pita, or on two halves of a whole-wheat English muffin or half of a bagel. Then, top with mozzarella, a dash of Parmesan, and some fresh basil and Italian seasoning. Broil or bake until cheese is melted and enjoy!
Instead of: Bagel with Cream Cheese
Try: A two-ounce whole-wheat frozen bagel (like classic Lender's whole wheat) spread with reduced-fat cream cheese. You can even add a side of fruit and still come in at about 160 calories and 4 fat grams less than the typical bagel store calorie bomb.
Instead of: Potato Chips with French Onion Dip
Try: Popchips or baked potato chips dipped in low-fat plain yogurt seasoned with onion and garlic powder.
Instead of: Chunky Premium Full-Fat Ice Cream (like Ben & Jerry's)
Try: One quarter of a sliced banana, 1 teaspoon chopped walnuts, and 1 tablespoon mini chocolate chips mixed into ½ cup Edy's Slow Churned Light Vanilla ice cream. At 200 calories, this homemade Chunky Monkey saves you 100 calories (with less than half the saturated fat) over the original.
Instead of: A candy bar
Try: Three dark chocolate Hershey's Kisses and a cup of tea with steamed fat-free milk. Candy bars can be tough to portion–even if you intend to eat 1/3 of the bar, the other piece is still there to tempt you. Instead, I opt for Hershey's Kisses, which are much easier to portion since they're small and individually wrapped.