General cooking substitutions for easy healthy recipes.

Milk/Cream/Sour Cream
Cook with low fat (1 percent fat) or fat free dry or evaporated milk, instead of whole milk or cream.
Instead of sour cream, blend 1 cup low fat, unsalted cottage cheese with 1 tablespoon fat free milk and 2 tablespoonslemon juice, or substitute plain, fat free or low fat yogurt orsour cream.
Spices/Flavorings
Use a variety of herbs and spices in place of salt.
Use low-sodium bouillon and broths, instead of regular bouillons and broths.
Use a small amount of skinless smoked turkey breast, instead of fatback to lower fat content but keep taste.
Use skinless chicken thighs, instead of neck bones.
Oils/Butter.
Use cooking oil spray to lower fat and calories.
Use a small amount of vegetable oil, instead of lard, butter, or other fats that are hard at room temperature.
In general, diet margarine are not well suited for baking.Instead, to cut saturated fat, use regular soft margarine madewith vegetable oil.
Choose margarine that lists liquid vegetable oil as the first ingredient on the food label.
Eggs
In baking or cooking, use 3 egg whites and 1 egg yolk, instead of 2 whole eggs, or 2 egg whites or 1/4 cup of egg substitute,instead of 1 whole egg.
For Meats and Poultry
Choose a lean cut of meat and remove any visiblefat.
Remove skin from chicken and other poultry before cooking.

For Sandwiches and Salads

In salads and sandwiches, use fat free or lowfat dressing, yogurt, or mayonnaise, instead of regular versions.
To make a salad dressing, use equal parts water and vinegar, and half as much oil.
Garnish salads with fruits and vegetables.Move Out

For Soups and Stews

Remove fat from homemade broths, soups, and stews bypreparing them ahead and chilling them. Before reheating thedish, lift off the hardened fat that formed at the surface. If you don’t have time to chill the dish, then float a few ice cubes on the surface of the warm liquid to harden the fat. Then, remove and discard the fat.


Use cooking spray, water, or stock to saute onion for flavoring stews, soups, and sauces.
For Breads
To make muffins, quick breads, and biscuits, use no more than 1–2 tablespoons of fat for each cup of flour.
When making muffins or quick breads, use three ripe, verywell-mashed bananas, instead of 1/2 cup butter or oil. Or, substitute a cup of applesauce for a cup of butter, margarine, oil, or shortening—you’ll get less saturated fat and fewer calories.
For Desserts
To make a pie crust, use only 1/2 cup margarine for every cups flour.
For chocolate desserts, use 3 tablespoons of cocoa, instead of 1 ounce of baking chocolate. If fat is needed to replace that in chocolate, add 1 tablespoon or less of vegetable oil.
To make cakes and soft-drop cookies, use no more than 2tablespoons of fat for each cup of flour.

Source NHLBI Health Information Center