Clean Eating Recipe Substitutions
I recently received an email from a reader asking about clean eating substitutions for a recipe she wanted to make. It got me to thinking that this would be good information for me to not only research for my own use, but to share with you all here.
I mean, let’s face it. If you eat clean, at some point, you will probably want to adapt a favorite recipe to suite your clean eating needs. So here is an outline for how to do just that.
I’ve based this list on things that I have cut out of my diet since I began eating clean. If you would like any help with substituting an particular ingredient, please leave a comment and I’ll see if I can help.
That said, I’d love to know what substitutions you use to keep your cooking and baking clean!
Sugar
The white stuff is pretty easy to substitute if you have a kitchen scale. Simply weight the amount of sugar called for in a recipe, and then use that same weight in agave. You can do the same thing with honey. (Don’t try to substitute by volume. 1 cup of sugar does NOT equal 1 cup of agave.)
Brown Sugar
Follow the directions above for weighing your sugar. Once you have the weight, use 3/4 agave and 1/4 molasses to get a flavor that is shockingly close to the real stuff. You can use honey here too, but it won’t have the same flavor. Agave is better when you are trying to achieve the flavor of brown sugar.
Oil
In cooking, if your recipe calls for more oil than you’d like to use, replace it with plenty of chicken broth and a non-stick pot or pan.
In baking, use 3/4 cup apple sauce (no sugar added), and 1/4 cup fruit puree (like pumpkin or banana) for each cup of oil. But be sure to add extra spices and extracts, as there is then little or no fat to enhance the flavor of what you are baking. Typically, 1 extra tsp. of extract or spices will do nicely. Watch your baking times closely as low fat/non fat items turn from raw to dry very quickly when in the oven.
Flour
White flour is not only used for baking, but also for thickening sauces and other culinary uses. If the texture of your recipe depends on the flour (like in baking), then stick to whole wheat pastry flour.
If the texture is not as important, you can substitute regular whole wheat flour or other flours such as oat flour.
Eggs
I found a fabulous source for all kinds of ways to replace eggs, either the whole egg or just the whites or yolks. Check it out here.
Gluten
This is such an involved subject that it would take me a whole other post to cover it. So instead, I’ll send you to the expert: The Gluten Free Goddess. her tips are excellent. I don’t cut gluten out of my diet, but I know many of your do.
That’s all I can think of for now. If you can think of anything I’ve forgotten here, leave a comment below so I can update this post to be a better reference for everyone.
Thanks!
Tiffany
11 comments
super helpful information, thanks so much
You’re very welcome!
Thanks for this – I often substitue agave and honey and applesauce, but it’s nice to have some clear cut guidelines.
Hi, I would LOVE to know what to substitute the Campbells mushroom soup for in my family favourite Tuna noodle casserole. It is a standard that my family is really missing and I can’t seem to get the flavour just right.
Hi Marlena,
I’ve had a few people ask me for Campbells substitutions. Let me see if I can come up with something for you. I’ll get back to you on that.
Thanks for stopping by!
Tiffany
Hi Tiffany,
I have another question. If a recipe calls for canola oil, or say, melted butter or margarine, can it be substituted for another oil such as sunflower oil?
Also, have you used organic coconut sugar in your baking? I’ve been using it for a few weeks in recipes that call for sugar or brown sugar and so far everything has turned out great. Has a much lower glycemic index than regular sugar, and even less than honey and agave. It sort of tastes like brown sugar though not quite as sweet, but I’m okay with that. Trying to get my hubby to use that in his coffee (instead of the organic cane sugar that I have forced him to use instead of refined white sugar, lol!)
Marlena – Oils are easily substituted with other oils. So yes, use whatever oil you are comfortable with.
I’ve never heard of coconut sugar. I’ll have to investigate. Sorry I can’t be more help with that one!
Did you ever come up with a solution to the Campbells soup issue?
Sarah – No. But I haven’t given up. Unfortunately, some things are made “better” with chemicals and unhealthy ingredients. but I will keep trying. So far, the closest I’ve gotten is sauteed mushrooms in a milk thickened with whole wheat flour and cornstarch. Not to tasty. But I won’t give up!
Hi Tiffany – me again
I have a recipe that calls for 1/2 cup agave but I don’t have any. Can I substitute with Sucanat, and how much would I use?
Kim – Either use 1/2 cup honey or use 3/4 cup Sucanat.
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