How To Make Almost Any Recipe Clean
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. And here’s how to make (almost) any recipe clean.
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 or maple syrup. (Don’t try to substitute by volume. 1 cup of sugar does NOT equal 1 cup of honey.) Check out my Sugar Substitution Chart for substituting different types of sugars. Coconut sugar and sucanat are also good substitutes, though I rarely cook with them.
THINK BROWN SUGAR IS A HEALTHIER OPTION? THINK AGAIN!
Brown sugar is simply white sugar with molasses added. Need to find a substitute? Follow the directions above for weighing. Once you have the weight, use 3/4 honey and approximately 1/16 molasses to get a flavor that is close to the real stuff. If you want a dry version, try sucanat. It has a mild, brown sugar flavor.
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: Elana’s Pantry. 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!
Article is an original work and is © Tiffany McCauley. It may not be reproduced for any reason without written permission by the author.
Ally – What a great suggestion! Thanks!
Ally – I drink coffee almost daily. You just have to be careful what you put in it. Alcohol is only a special treat. A once in a while thing. It’s not clean, but it’s okay on occasion and in strict moderation. I drink maybe 2-4 times per year at most. Margarine is not clean. If you must have something like that, purchase organic butter. Otherwise, olive oil is your best bet as are other healthy oils like avocado or walnut oil.
Ally – I drink coffee almost daily. You just have to be careful what you put in it. Alcohol is only a special treat. A once in a while thing. It’s not clean, but it’s okay on occasion and in strict moderation. I drink maybe 2-4 times per year at most. Margarine is not clean. If you must have something like that, purchase organic butter. Otherwise, olive oil is your best bet as are other healthy oils like avocado or walnut oil.
Lydia – That’s a tough one. I have had several requests to clean it up, but I’m still trying to figure that out myself. You might try some 1% milk and some cornstarch to thicken it up. But I’d have to try it myself to be sure. Sorry!
I grind up chia seeds to make chia flour and use it in all recipes that call for flour as a thickener or binder. I also use chia gel as an egg replacer.
Jaynelein – That’s amazing! Does the quinoa add any flavor to what you are making?
Thornhill – It’s not clean unless it’s green. The white powder has been processed.
I have a bread maker. The whole wheat bread recipes call for part whole wheat flour and part bread flour. If I don’t use the bread flour and butter called for in the recipe, then the whole wheat bread turns out very dense and not very good at all. Is whole wheat pastry flour a good substitution for the bread flour? I already buy organic unsalted butter…Thanks!
Unlvnurse – For bread, I would sub with WHITE whole wheat flour. It’s much better for bread than pastry flour. I’ve just recently discovered it and may have to update my recipe here to reflect that.
Hi! I absolutely love your site and have found it very helpful. Was wondering what your thoughts are on Truvia, Ideal (Xylitol)? I use Truvia daily in my coffee and bake with Ideal as a sugar substitute. I notice you primarily use honey as a sugar substitute. I try to keep my sugar intake below 50 grams a day and have really noticed a huge change in my body. But am wondering if these sugar substitutes are really clean or just as bad as refined sugar. Have read some conflicting info. Would love to hear your thoughts. Thanks so much for sharing your site.
Carrie – Here’s an easy way to remember it.
Stevia = a plant you can grow in your back yard
Truvia = made in a plant (the Coca Cola company manufacturing plant)
Sadly, I have not come across any sugar substitutes that are clean. Even powdered stevia is processed. I believe the liquid might be okay though. But not positive on that. Xylitol may be a healthier option for your teeth, but it’s not clean. That said, I do know clean eaters who use xylitol.
I use xylitol in my clean eating because even though it is processed it isn’t as bad as most substitues or even agave and it’s hands down the closest to taste for a white sugar replacement. Plus it’s not a problem for blood sugar like honey or maple syrup, (other favorites I use often), it’s dry so you don’t have to worry about adjusting liquid in recipes, and it’s very low calorie. Plus some clean eating sources such as Clean Eating Magazine approve it as good for clean food. So yeah it’s sort of controversial, but I just thought I would share why I choose to use it.
Awesome! Thanks! I know a lot of clean eaters use it.
I am trying to transition my whole family over to clean eating–tough with my sensory children, it’s a process. Can you help me come up with clean ketchup–pretty please with raw honey on top?!!!
Here you go: https://www.thegraciouspantry.com/clean-eating-ketchup/
I haven’t yet ventured into scone territory, so It’s hard for me to say. But yes, I would use coconut butter.
This is the BEST site I have seen in a long time….Thank you so much for all of the useful and easy to follow (and read) information !! I will definitely be practicing clean eating !!!
I’m glad you’re finding it useful!
All my no sugar recipes are here: https://www.thegraciouspantry.com/find-recipes-by/categories/#special
how do you substitute cream of mushroom, chicken soups? thanks
I have a cream of mushroom soup here on my blog. You can always add chicken to it if you like. I make big batches and keep it in the freezer.
Here you go: https://www.thegraciouspantry.com/clean-eating-cream-of-mushroom-soup/
What about using Agave as an alternative sweetener?
Agave is not clean. It’s very processed.
Thanks for the input!
I have noticed ascorbic acid in tons of canned foods. I keep trying to google and find that it is vitamin C. Is this clean? If not, then why is it considered unclean…?
I think things like that are fine. If it’s just a vitamin, I wouldn’t worry about it too much. The real question is, why do they have to put a vitamin in there? Is it that processed?
Yes, that’s probably best. It will depend on what you are making, but coconut butter is typically a wonderful substitute. Or you can use some butter and some apple sauce, or use olive oil and apple sauce. Or olive oil and butter.
I’ve never heard of it. Sorry.
Yes, but it depends on what you are making.