People are beginning to understand the benefits of a healthier lifestyle where you don’t have to go without those longed-for sweet treats. Those who say desserts and cakes can’t be delicious and healthy and low in fat are wrong. It also appears that more and more of us are attempting to make our own home-made versions instead of the shop-bought options.
Healthy Baking Tips
If you are the one doing the cooking, there are lots of ways to make your favorite recipes healthier. Try using egg substitutes or just egg whites instead of whole eggs. Use fruit sauces or purees instead of oil to maintain the natural moisture in your cakes when baking. These can be used as sweeteners which also work. However, the most important thing to remember when choosing a fruit puree as a sweetener is that you match the flavor with what you are making.
Oils
If you have to use oil, try monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats as they elevate good cholesterol in the blood. For baking, try olive, peanut (be mindful of allergy problems), sunflower and corn oils. Seeds also fall into this category, along with ground flax seeds, and avocados. Finally, put in less sugar than the amount your recipe calls for. You will get used to it and its better for you. The NHS offers more healthy tips.
Low-Fat, High-Fiber Cakes
You can tell that some cakes are healthier, because they will contain whole-food ingredients, including oatmeal, oat bran, whole-wheat flour and many others. These contain a lot of healthy fibre and are low in fat, and this makes them very good for the digestive system. You can add whole grains to any cake recipe you might be using. They are now readily available in health-food shops and in the major supermarkets.
Baking with Fruit
Naturally sweet, low in calories and containing no fat at all, fruits are now making their way into cake recipes. There are hundreds of fruit cake recipes available in good cook books and online. Who hasn’t enjoyed cutting a slice of apple or lemon meringue pie? Both have been voted as the nation’s favorites, so you could consider them when you next get out your pastry knives. Most berries, either frozen or fresh, are very popular fruits for making an array of muffins, cheesecakes, pies, fruitcakes. The BBC has a large number of recipes on its website.
It is clear that by substituting different ingredients such as whole grains, fruit-based toppings and non-fat icings it is possible to eat cakes and sweet treats which taste good and are not bad for us. There are many cookbooks and internet sites where you can find recipes for an array of delectable treats for every occasion.
