How To Make (Almost) Any Recipe Clean

by The Gracious Pantry on February 19, 2010

Ever wonder how to make a not-so-clean recipe, clean?

No, you don’t scrub it with a brush. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard that (really bad) joke!

I firmly believe that most recipes can be converted to a clean eating plan with a little experimentation and some elbow grease. So if you’d like to take a crack at it with one of your favorite recipes, here are some basic guidelines for making those healthy and clean substitutions.

If you would like any help with substituting a particular ingredient, please leave a comment and I’ll see if I can help.

THAT AWFUL WHITE STUFF
Sugar is pretty easy to substitute if you have a kitchen scale. Simply weigh the amount of sugar called for in a recipe, and then use that same weight in any natural liquid sweetener like honey, agave or brown rice syrup. (Don’t try to substitute by volume. 1 cup of sugar does NOT equal 1 cup of honey.) Check out my free downloadable chart (pdf.) for substituting different types of sugars.

THINK BROWN SUGAR IS A HEALTHIER OPTION? THINK AGAIN!
Brown sugar is simply white sugar with molasses added. Need to find a good substitute? Follow the directions above for weighing. Once you have the weight, use 3/4 agave and approximately 1/16 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. So for example, use 1 cup agave and 1 tbsp. molasses.

WHAT ABOUT OIL?
In cooking or “frying” – if your recipe calls for more oil than you’d like to use, start with 1 tbsp. olive or safflower oil and replace the rest 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 purée (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.

THE OTHER WHITE STUFF
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 not, experiment with the myriad of whole grain flours found in your local health food store. It’ll be a very tasty adventure!

LITTLE GLOBES OF PROTEIN
As much as I love eggs, I know lots of folks can’t eat them. 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.

WHAT ABOUT GLUTEN?
This is such an involved subject that it would take me a whole other blog to cover it. So instead, I’ll send you to the expert: The Gluten Free Goddess. Her tips are excellent.

OTHER SUBSTITUTIONS?
If you are wondering about something not listed here, leave a comment below. I’d also love to know what substitutions you use to keep YOUR cooking and baking clean!

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http://whodoyouchoosetoday.blogspot.com/ angie

super helpful information, thanks so much
http://www.thegraciouspantry.com The Gracious Pantry

You’re very welcome!
Sarah

Thanks for this – I often substitue agave and honey and applesauce, but it’s nice to have some clear cut guidelines.
Marlena

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.
http://www.thegraciouspantry.com The Gracious Pantry

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
Marlena

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!)
http://www.thegraciouspantry.com The Gracious Pantry

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!
Sarah

Did you ever come up with a solution to the Campbells soup issue?
http://www.thegraciouspantry.com The Gracious Pantry

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!
Kim

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?
http://www.thegraciouspantry.com The Gracious Pantry

Kim – Either use 1/2 cup honey or use 3/4 cup Sucanat.
Tammy Hardin

I have been trying to find a way to “Clean” freeze my home grown peaches so they won’t turn brown in the freezer. Everyone keeps telling me I need to add sugar to them. I don’t use white granulated sugar for anything. I do use raw sugar at times but most often I substitute agave for any needed sweetner. I just don’t think the peaches would freeze the same with the agave. I would appreciate any suggestions.
Thanks,
Tammy
http://www.thegraciouspantry.com The Gracious Pantry

Tammy – That’s a really good question! I have to be honest, I’ve never done it before, but here’s what I found with some internet research:

“Mix the peach juice with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice.
Another method is to crush one tablet of Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in a tablespoon of the peach juice, mix it with the remaining juice and toss peaches gently in the liquid. Fruit Fresh is ascorbic acid, an antioxidant, and it prevents the reaction of the peach flesh to the air. If you have no lemon juice on hand, the crushed vitamin works fine.”

“Use frozen concentrated orange juice to keep peaches from turning brown. Wash approx. 15-20 peaches, slice with the skins on for nutritional value, add one 12 oz. can frozen concentrated orange juice, mix well to thoroughly coat and place in freezer bags. The orange juice adds a delicious flavor and color to the peaches and is sure to please.”

“I learned this while serving as a demonstrator in supermarkets. Soak fruit in pineapple juice.”

So see if one of those suggestions works for you. And please let me know how it turns out! I’d be really interested to know.
Erin

for the mushroom soup do you use any stock? I make mine using chicken/veggie stock as a base then add the mushrooms, (I use potent mushrooms, shitake, portabella etc.) and thickened milk.
http://www.thegraciouspantry.com The Gracious Pantry

Erin – Yes I do. Stock is the only way to go!
Jodi

I saute shiitake mushrooms, chopped onions and a clove or 2 of minced garlic in a little olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Then make a roux with the oil/juices and some whole wheat pastry flour. Then thin it with unsweetened Silk to the desired consistancy depending on if we are eating it as soup (with a little tarragon added) or using it as the sauce in a casserole. This is nothing like Campbell’s. We think it is much better. Try it an see what you think.
http://www.thegraciouspantry.com The Gracious Pantry

Thanks Jodi – I’ll give it a try!
Jodi

My mom uses 1/2 orange juice (not concentrate) and 1/2 water for fresh peaches in a fruit mix. For freezing she uses just lemon juice to keep the color. Lemon juice also does for fruit (in desserts and such) what salt does for savory things, kind of “sparks” the flavor. If the fruit is fully ripe and sweet you probably won’t need to use sweetener, or very little.
http://www.thegraciouspantry.com The Gracious Pantry

Thanks Jodi! Great advice as usual!
Wendy

Any ideas for a substitution for cream? Was thinking of trying to clean up a peanut butter chocolate pie recipe. Thanks!!
http://www.thegraciouspantry.com The Gracious Pantry

Wendy – You could try coconut milk or soy milk thickened with arrowroot, cornstarch or tapioca starch. You could even add in a little unflavored gelatin.
berrim

I have gone slowly into clean eating over the years without realizing i have done this. My son is very allergic to MSG he become very behavoiral when he has anything with it in it. So I started with not making anything from a box or can for my 4 kids i figure if my oldest is like this it possible for the other too. And the great think is i went from 360lbs to 249 and still loosing. This is a learning process for me and one i actually enjoy. i don’t like putting anythink in my mouth if i can pronounce it.
I love this site it has so many great ideas Thanks
http://www.thegraciouspantry.com The Gracious Pantry

Berrim – That’s wonderful! That’s what clean eating is all about! Keep up the great work!
Lydia maripoza75

wonderful information the more I read the more I feel like this is a possible change in my lifestyle thanks for sharing
http://www.thegraciouspantry.com The Gracious Pantry

Lydia – It is possible! You can do it!
Cindee

Do you have a suggestion of what i could substitute corn syrup with to make my recipe “clean”
http://www.thegraciouspantry.com The Gracious Pantry

Cindee – Brown rice syrup is the closest you can get.
joy Stephenson

I have so many questions. I am trying to clean up my grandmothers old homemade granola recipe. It calls for 1/4 cup of brown sugar. So in order to convert that to agave and molasses I follow the white sugar chart? It also calls for veg oil, which I substitute with conola oil. Do you suggest another oil instead? thanks
http://www.thegraciouspantry.com The Gracious Pantry

Joy – While canola oil is a vegetable oil, it’s probably not the healthiest choice (although some would argue with me on that). Try safflower oil or coconut oil. Avocado, walnut or grape seed oil are also good choices.

For 1/4 cup brown sugar, I would use a scant 1/4 cup agave or honey and 1-2 tsp. molasses depending on how heavy of a molasses flavor you want.

Let me know how it turns out!
Andrea

How do you feel about Stevia? I am trying to figure out if it is actually clean… there’s so much conflicting info on the internet. I am looking for a sweetner to put in my coffee and I’m new at clean eating – making my first clean grocery trip this weekend. I am so thankful for your shopping list – it will make the trip much less stressful!
http://www.thegraciouspantry.com The Gracious Pantry

Andrea – Glad I could help! As far as I know, Stevia is clean. But I don’t know much about it as I don’t use it. I get too much of an aftertaste from it, so I don’t care for it much. I have no idea if it undergoes a lot of processing though. You could google “stevia processing” and see what comes up. If it’s processed, it’s not clean. Hope that helps.
http://www.scissorbill.blogspot.com Sarah

I don’t know if cream is clean or not but I’ve substituted cream and sauteed mushrooms for Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup and it was better.
http://www.thegraciouspantry.com The Gracious Pantry

Sarah – Cream is too high in fat. While technically it’s clean because there is no processing involved (for the most part), it’s still too high in fat to be included in a clean eating diet. Though, in a pinch, it would be better than the alternative!
carol

I see you recommend the use of agave nector a substance as deadly as high fructose corn syrup, processed in the same way as HFCS. It would be good to research this yourself.
http://www.thegraciouspantry.com The Gracious Pantry

Carol – That’s what some people say. But there is much evidence to the contrary as well. It also greatly depends on the manufacturer themselves. I leave it up to people to make their own decisions in that regard. I won’t preach one way or the other. The matter is far from settled.

The thing with research is that most people pick it apart to suite their own needs and goals. I’ve yet to see a definitive study that proves this.
Cassie

As a busy mom on a budget, I used to make many casseroles that called for “cream of” soups. Since switching to clean eating as much as possible, I had to find a good, clean, inexpensive and time saving substitute for these soups. When I am cleaning up a recipe that calls for cream of soups, I’ll usually take the base (celery, mushroom, chicken, whatever it’s cream of), and sauté it in olive oil until tender. I then add low fat cream cheese and a small amount of fat free milk or unsweetened soy milk and cook over low heat until it has thinned out just a bit. Then just cool and store in fridge until you’re ready for it.
Hope this helps.
http://www.thegraciouspantry.com The Gracious Pantry

Cassie – that’s great! I’m sure that will help a lot of people here. Thanks for sharing!
BryanM362

Hi Tiffany, lots of good info here, thankyou!

I notice you substitute Agave and Honey for sugar in a lot of recipes. Aren’t they still basically sugar?
http://www.thegraciouspantry.com The Gracious Pantry

Bryan – Yes, they are. But they are considered clean because they are not processed. Although there is some debate over agave and how it’s processed. Lately, I’ve been sticking more with honey.
Paula Grimm

Do you a substitute for heavy (or light) whipping cream?
http://www.thegraciouspantry.com The Gracious Pantry

Paula – It really depends on the recipe. Some recipes can handle it, some can’t.
Jen

Hi, I’m looking to convert several family recipes that use solid shortening. Any suggestions? Thanks!
http://www.thegraciouspantry.com The Gracious Pantry

Jen – It really depends on the recipe. Some will do well with oil and some will do well with things like bananas and apple sauce.
Christy D.

For clean cream of “something” soup, I use http://thyhandhathprovided.blogspot.com/2009/02/chicken-zucchini-casserole.html and make up my own dry mix to have ready on hand (it’s just about as quick as the canned stuff) OR I use http://tammysrecipes.com/homemade_cream_chicken_soup and freeze it in 1.5 cup portioned ziploc bags for a quick thaw.

For celery or mushroom, I saute the appropriate veggie in one of the above recipes. Not only is it healthier, but WAY less expensive. Those cans are almost $1.50 each even for the store brand!
http://www.thegraciouspantry.com The Gracious Pantry

Christy – Thanks! I’ll have to check those out!
Anonymous

Malea – Let’s put it this way. Would you ever go to the store and buy Erythritol, Caramel Color, Tartaric Acid, Furmaric Acid or Natural Flavors to cook with in your own kitchen? I’m betting no. That’s how I determine if something is clean or not. This one would be a big, fat “no”. Sorry!
Malea Curtis

Have you heard of the new soda, “zevia” ? It seems like a clean product to me, but since I’m new to this I was curious as to what your opinion was. Here’s a link to check it out: http://www.zevia.com/index.html
Reneau

What do you sub for butter in a recipe?
Anonymous

Reneau – That depends on the recipe and how much butter is called for.
Jenny Felty

Hello! I’m still new to the clean way of life and have found your site very helpful. Thank you! A couple of questions. For brown sugar, do you use the same substitution chart as you would for white sugar? For example, if a recipe calls for 1 cup brown sugar, how much agave and molasses would I use? Also, any substitutions for cream cheese? Thanks again for this site! It’s made my transition to eating clean much easier!
Anonymous

Jenny – What I do is convert the sugar to honey or agave and to that I add a bit of molasses. How much really depends on how much honey or agave I’m using. But typically, between 1-3 tsp. is enough to flavor it.

Cream cheese would be non-fat greek yogurt or yogurt cheese which I also have a recipe for here. But the tanginess of the yogurt really comes out, so some people don’t like to use it as a substitute.

Hope that helps!
Britt

Any chance of a clean shepards pie? My favorite.
Anonymous

Britt – It’s on my list!
Sarah Bobenhouse

Do you know of a good substitute for mayo? I’ve tried greek yogurt, but it’s not quite the same…it’s a little too tangy! Any ideas?
Anonymous

Sarah – I don’t think anything will ever truly equal mayo. So you can do one of two things.
1) Get a clean mayo and use very small amounts.
2) Try hummus. It’s different, but it does add some yummy flavor.
Hope that helps!
Lizbrooks89

Are store bought noodles a “clean” food?
Anonymous

Lizbrooks – Depends on the noodle. If it’s 100% whole grain, then yes, most people treat is as clean. But I supposed it depends on how strict you want to be. Noodles certainly don’t come from nature that way, so it’s all about how strict you want to be.
Anonymous

Heidi – You’re welcome! Glad you enjoyed it!
Kim

love the web site. Thanks for all your hard work.
Anonymous

Thanks Kim! I appreciate your support!
Anonymous

Giselle – That depends. What type of oatmeal snack? The type that is like loose granola or the type that is like a bar?
Dana Stough

in regard to sugar replacement how do you alter the other ingredients in a baked good to account for honey?
Anonymous

Dana – Depends on the recipe. Recipes are all based on ratios. So some recipes do okay without any alterations. Others, I have to look at the ratios of wet to dry and adjust accordingly.
Scotnkaren

can I substitute greek yogurt for cottage cheese when making protein pancakes?
Anonymous

Scotnkaren – I don’t see why not. Maybe make a small batch the first time just in case, but I would think it would work just fine.
Mindy W

Hello! I am new here and starting myself and my family of 6 on a more “clean” diet. I am also a major sugar addict and that is the first step I have taken for myself- cutting out all processed sugar. I’ve started using honey and pure maple syrup, but I noticed on some of the “organic” products I buy for my kids, they use “organic dried cane syrup” or “organic evaporated cane juice”… what the heck does that mean and is it considered clean?
Anonymous

Mindy – No, they are not clean. A plant can be grown without chemicals, but if it is processed into something “unnatural”, it is still not clean. Clean eating is all about avoiding unprocessed ingredients. Always ask yourself if you would buy an ingredient individually to cook with in your own kitchen. That will often help. I don’t know of any stores that sell evaporated cane juice, organic or otherwise. It’s a good rule of thumb to follow when shopping.
Amy Savinon

Tiffany, I just want to comment you on your site! I have been dedicated to “the gracious pantry” for quite some time now and just want to let you know how much I love it! I have introduced some of your recopies to my roommate and loves them! Your “how to” guides, especially the converting sugar chat helps so much and makes eating clean fun and simple! Thanks again! – Amy
Anonymous

Amy – How wonderful! Thank you so much! I’m thrilled you’re enjoying my site and recipes!
Anonymous

Paola Bear – Depends on the recipe.
Anonymous

Jlallen – Yes. First, be sure you’re getting whole grain cream of wheat. The regular stuff is processed and is not whole grain. Bob’s Redmill makes it, but I can’t remember the name on the package. Something like “whole farina” or something like that. Make the butter organic and use honey instead of sugar.
Anonymous

Corine – Yes, pure maple syrup is clean. Enjoy!
Anonymous

Heather – Depends. Low fat or non-fat plain yogurt is clean, flavored is not (though there are rare exceptions). Cream cheese is not due to the high fat content and same for sour cream. But other than that, they are more or less okay. So if you must use them, use in very small amounts.
Anonymous

Song – No, you would take the total amount of sugar, in this case, 3/4 cup, and substitute accordingly. I would say about 1/2 cup of honey. Then “flavor” the honey with molasses to your liking.
Anonymous

Joyce – Brown rice syrup is wonderful and I have used it as well in some of my recipes here. Great substitute for corn syrup!
Anonymous

I get mine at Trader Joe’s. But really, you just have to read labels. They can be hard to find, but they are out there. Or you can make your own.
Anonymous

Carole – Here is my definition of clean eating: http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/what-is-clean-eating/

If you doctor tells has given you different instructions, however, please follow your doctor’s orders.
Anonymous

Kristinvanhoozer – It depends on the recipe. I no longer eat dairy, so I haven’t been able to experiment with it much. But I can see where it would work for many recipes. If you have a particular recipe in mind, email it to me and I’ll see if I can convert it using greek yogurt.
Anonymous

Kristin – There’s no doubt it’s confusing. And part of the reason for that is that many people have different ideas about what clean eating is. On the bright side, it also means that clean eating is very adjustable to your lifestyle and beliefs in health. Evaporated cane juice, to the best of my knowledge, is not clean. Honey and maples syrup are fine because they come from nature that way. I hope that helps.
Anonymous

Sherri – Thanks so much! Glad you all are enjoying my recipes!