3 Tips to Transform Any Recipe


Cookbooks GaloreHow many cookbooks do you have? I have way too many to count. I LOVE to read cookbooks like other people read magazines or novels. The problem with the many, many cookbooks I have is that I can’t make the recipes as they are… I usually need to modify the ingredients in some way or another to fit into my own way of eating, which means no eggs, no dairy, no wheat or gluten and no almonds. Yup, I tend to redesign the whole recipe to the point it does not resemble the original at all, but it works for me.

I’m frequently asked about cookbooks and modifying recipes like what’s my favorite cookbook or how can I modify this so I can enjoy it? Personally, I like buying Paleo-style cookbooks because they typically don’t include any of the foods that I avoid.

Want to modify any recipe from your favourite cookbooks, so you can enjoy them without the bloating, constipation, congestion, headaches, fatigue, weight gain, night sweats or heartburn that would normally ensue?

Before I get into my 3 tips for modifying any recipe, I thought you might like to know my favourite cookbooks and recipe websites.  If you click HERE, you can check out my FAVOURITE COOKBOOKS and HERE for my FAVOURITE RECIPE WEBSITES.

Keep on reading and become an expert ingredient manipulator and enjoy cooking and baking again.

3 TIPS FOR MODIFYING A RECIPE (MAKING IT NUTRITIONIST FRIENDLY)

Tip # 1: Ditch The White Stuff

Review the recipe for all white ingredients. Obviously I’m not talking about yogurt, cauliflower or cottage cheese. I’m talking about the refined, high Glycemic sugars and flours that can cause you to have cravings in the afternoon and become constipated. Once you’ve identified the processed white ingredients swap them out for choices below (this is not en exhaustive list but will get the job done).

Flour Choices

  • Light spelt flour (not gluten-free (GF), but is wheat-free)
  • Coconut flour GF (low in carbs) — absorbs a lot of the moisture, so don’t use much; I suggest you mix coconut flour with another GF choice
  • Almond flour GF (low in carbs) — recipes using nut flours tend to use a lot of eggs, but this is a fantastic nutritional alternative
  • Brown Rice flour GF
  • Buckwheat flour GF

Sugar Choices

AMAZING TIP: To substitute white sugar in any recipe — simply use your kitchen scale and weigh out the amount of sugar the recipe calls for and then measure the substitute to match the white sugar’s weight.

Don’t replace volume for volume. For example, 1 cup for 1-cup doesn’t work. Instead, replace the weight with an equal weight.  Substitute a liquid for a liquid and a dry for a dry. 

My preferences for sugar alternatives are:

  • Raw unpasteurized honey – ½ cup white sugar = ¼ cup raw honey
  • Coconut (palm) sugar – can be replaced 1:1 with in recipes calling for granulated sugar; great transitional sugar substitute
  • Fruit – when I can, I use fruit puree like unsweetened applesauce
  • Xylitol or Erythritol – these are sugar alcohols and do not raise blood sugar levels; however, xylitol is toxic to dogs

Tip # 2: Replace The Vegetable Oil

We consume way too many processed vegetables oils. These oils are PUFA’s (polyunsaturated Omega 6) and contribute to inflammation. I realize that Extra Virgin Olive Oil may not be the best tasting choice for baking so check out my suggestions.

  • Coconut oil – I replace butter and oil with this or I use a ghee/coconut oil mix
  • Butter – use real butter instead of oil or margarine.  Why?  Your body knows what to do with it.
  • Grapeseed oil – this can be used at a high heat and has a very mild flavor
  • Flaxseed or Hempseed oil – can only be used for cold recipes like dressings

Tip # 3: Replace The No-No Foods

Everyone has No-No foods that they can’t or shouldn’t eat. For me, No-No foods are dairy, gluten, eggs and almonds. When a recipe calls for dairy, I substitute with my homemade nut/seed milk.  For eggs, I use 1 tablespoon chia seeds (ground or whole) and 3 tablespoons of warm water.  Let it sit until congealed and you have a substitute for one egg.  I use this chia “egg” when the recipe calls for 1 or 2 eggs.

  • Unsweetened almond milk – this can replace any milk in any recipe
  • Yogurt – it’s fermented and gives my good bacteria; however, I tend to use coconut or cashew yogurt rather than cow yogurt, but there is also almond and almond/coconut yogurts.
  • Sour cream – Greek yogurt is a good substitute, if you tolerate dairy.  Otherwise, you could make cashew yogurt.  The web has many sites that can guide you on making cashew yogurt or cashew “sour” cream.  Hum, this sounds like a good recipe experiment for the weekend. 

If the recipe uses cheese as a garnish, I just leave it out. My dairy sensitivity allows me to consume hard cheese on occasion but if I consume it repeatedly by body gives me a pleasant sign to take a rest from it for a while.

There you have it.  No need to throw away your favorite cookbooks or deny yourself your favorite recipe. Part of my job as your nutrition coach is to guide and educate you on how to modify your favorite foods into real food choices you can enjoy them.

Give me a call (403.801.5698) or drop me an email (brenda@wattworksnutrition.ca) today.  Together we can nurture and nourish your body to live a vibrant fulfilling life.  Don’t hesitate…start typing an email or pick up the phone.  I am waiting to be your nutrition coach and cheerleader.


About Brenda

Brenda loves learning and sharing what she's learning with you. She is a certified keto/carnivore coach with Keto-Adapted (Maria and Craig Emmerich, a certified holistic nutritional consultant (CHNC), and a natural nutrition clinical practitioner (NNCP).