Quick & Healthy Recipe Substitutions

With these quick and easy ingredient substitutions, cooking heart-healthfully doesn’t have to be a chore.

By Mindy Hermann, R.D., and Sara Broek
Reviewed by Elizabeth Burt, R.D., L.D., 2008

A few easy substitutions will make your meals much healthier. Read on for our 16 swaps.

Use Baby Prunes, Not Butter

When your recipe calls for:  butter, margarine, or oil

Use this ingredient instead: baby prunes

Best used for: brownies, dark quick breads

Why substitute? Substituting baby prunes for oil and butter cuts more than half the fat and calories.

Tips on making the switch: The color of the prunes will change the batter color, so use this swap when baking dark breads or brownies. The recipe will bake up denser and have more moisture. Also, be sure to snip the tips of the prunes and finely chop them for the recipe.

Recipe Idea:
Chocolate Accordion Bread