Recipe Makeover Tips - California Walnuts

Smart Living

We’ve created a Smart Recipe Collection especially for you to provide nutritious flavorful recipes with less fat.

When baking, use applesauce for half of the called-for shortening. The applesauce will help retain the moisture in baked goods, while reducing the amount of calories and fat.
Choose 100% whole grains and foods high in fiber. In recipes, substitute whole-wheat flour for half of the called-for all-purpose flour, and whole wheat bread for white bread.
Use cooking spray or nonstick pans to reduce fat when cooking.
When using apples in a recipe, don’t peel the skin, as it offers fiber.
For a light pie topping, try pureeing Greek yogurt with some honey in the food processor until creamy and smooth.

Choose lean meats with minimal visible fat. The leanest cuts of beef include sirloin, chuck, loin and round.¹
Choose lean sources of protein such as chicken and turkey breast, pork tenderloin or buffalo meat.
When marinating meat try one of Mollie Katzen’s Smart marinades or sauces. These recipes are indulgent in taste, but not in calories and saturated fat.
For a great bread crumb coating mixture, use 1 cup panko, ½ cup chopped walnuts and ½ cup cornmeal. Try this combination when making our Walnut Coated Smart Fried Chicken.
Use ground turkey. Check out our Smart Spaghetti & Meatballs with Tomato Sauce or Turkey Walnut Mushroom Meatloaf, both great ways to use ground turkey.

To boost flavor and nutrition in treats try adding toppings such as fresh fruits, yogurt or walnuts instead of high calorie frostings and artificial syrups.
Try to minimize the amount of added sugars and syrups in your recipes to avoid consuming empty calories.

When making salads choose darker greens that are higher in iron and fiber like arugula, chicory, kale, mustard greens or spinach.¹
When cooking, minimize the amount of salt used. Dietary Guidelines suggest consuming no more than 2,300 mg of sodium per day, which is about a teaspoon of salt. To enhance flavor, opt for herb blends and spices instead.²
When a recipe calls for cheese, use aged cheese. The stronger the flavor, the less you need!
Limit foods high in cholesterol such as liver and other organ meats, egg yolks, and full-fat dairy.³