Living a healthier lifestyle doesn’t have to mean giving up your favorite foods. At STRIVE with Janelle we are all about helping you boost your fitness factor in a way that works for you! Today we are going to talk about food swaps that may help you cut calories and/or add more nutritional value to your next meal. And yes, they actually taste good.
Here are a few ways we like to switch up our favorite fare:
Spread the Love
The next time you make (or order) your favorite sandwich, try replacing the cheese and/or mayonnaise with avocado. We’ve found that slicing or mashing up a serving of avocado (about 1/3 of one) adds a bit of healthy fats and provides a creamy texture similar to our beloved mayo.
Get the Cream of the Crop
Love sour cream on your baked potato or burrito? So do we. But we’ve discovered a new way to dollop: plain Greek yogurt. This ups the protein while reducing the fat content.
Play Dress Up
We love salad dressing. Unfortunately, the store-bought stuff can be full of unnecessary ingredients. Our new obsession: sprinkling a bit of olive oil and balsamic vinegar on top instead. Who knew the actual salad could be the star? Minds. Blown.
See Green
Speaking of salads, we’ve been replacing iceberg lettuce with raw spinach (sometimes even making a mix of the two) for a boost of vitamins and iron.
Add Some Sparkle
Sometimes all we want is a little bubbly in our life, but not the extra calories. We get the carbonation kick we crave with club soda or sparkling water and a squeeze of lime. Genius!
Be a Wrap Star
We don’t know about you, but Taco Tuesday is our favorite day of the week! We’ve been wrapping our favorite fillings in greens like romaine leaves and butter lettuce (aka: Boston or bibb lettuce) for less calories and all the crunch of a taco shell. (That sour cream substitution comes in handy here as well!)
See? No cardboard or rice cakes to be found! Just a few tricks that may help you get that much closer to your goals.
Try them out and let us know what you think. Or share your own swaps in the comments!
Sources:
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/healthy-food-swaps
https://www.goredforwomen.org/live-healthy/heart-healthy-cooking-tips/healthy-substitutions/