When you go on a diet, missing out on your favourite foods really takes its toll on your wellbeing. It’s hard to get excited about bulgar wheat and chickpeas when you’re used to burgers and cupcakes, right? However, depriving yourself of the foods you love isn’t actually good for your weight loss, let alone your wellness, so how do you have your cake and eat it too? The answer: make healthier versions. Below, we’ve got three recipes that can help you tuck into your food favourites, without packing on the pounds in the process.
1. French Toast: This recipe, courtesy of The Nutrition Twins, Tammy Lakatos Shames, RD, and Lyssie Lakatos, RD, serves two and can be ready in 15 minutes. Per serving, you’ll find 166 calories, 296mg of sodium, 26g of carbs, 4g of fibre, 2g of fat (none of which is saturated), sugars, 12g of protein, 122mg of calcium and 2mg of iron. For this healthy version of French toast you will need:
- 3 egg whites
- 1/4 cup skimmed milk
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 slices whole-grain bread
- Cooking spray
- 1/2 cup berries
- 1 tablespoon honey (optional)
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar (optional)
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds (optional)
The Nutrition Twins instruct, ‘In a medium mixing bowl, blend egg whites, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract. Place bread in batter one slice at a time and let soak for one minute per side. Spray a non-stick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add bread and let cook about three minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove to a plate and top with berries, honey, sugar, and chia seeds, if desired.’
2. Onion Rings: Registered dietician Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD, author of S.A.S.S! Yourself Slim: Conquer Cravings, Drop Pounds and Lose Inches, provides a recipe for onion rings that can be completed in 45 minutes. Each serving contains 248 calories, 127mg of sodium, 44g of carbs, 7g of fibre, 3g of fat (none of which is saturated), sugars, 14g of protein, 53mg of calcium and 2mg of iron. For this recipe, you will need the following ingredients:
- Cooking spray
- 2 tablespoons garbanzo bean flour
- 2 organic egg whites
- 1/4 cup organic whole-grain cornmeal
- 1/2 teaspoon salt-free Italian herb seasoning
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 dash cayenne powder
- 1 medium sweet yellow onion, sliced into rings
‘Preheat oven to 400 degrees,’ Sass directs. ‘Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray. Place flour in one bowl, whisk egg whites in a second, and blend cornmeal and seasonings in a third. Dip each ring into flour, then egg whites, then cornmeal, and place on the baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes until crispy.’
3. Chocolate Chip Cookies: Michelle Dudash, RD, author of Clean Eating for Busy Families: Get Meals on the Table in Minutes with Simple and Satisfying Whole-Foods Recipes You and Your Kids Will Love, provides the following recipe for Almond Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies. You will need:
- 3 tablespoons flaxseed meal
- 4 ounces unsalted butter, sliced
- 1 packed cup brown sugar, clumps broken up
- 1/2 cup granulated raw sugar (evaporated cane juice)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups unsweetened almond butter
- 2 1/4 cups unbleached white whole-wheat flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teasoon salt
- 1 3/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips
Dudash details, ‘Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line two large sheet pans with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. In a small bowl, stir together flaxseed meal and 1/2 cup water. In an electric mixer fitted with a paddle, beat butter, sugars, and vanilla on medium speed until smooth and slightly fluffy, about three minutes. Add flaxseed slurry, almond butter, and 1/4 cup water and beat on low until incorporated. Turn off the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low speed, stopping just before ingredients are completely incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add oats and chocolate chips and mix on low just until distributed evenly. Using a tablespoon or your hands, portion dough into balls of about one heaping tablespoon each. Place on sheet pans about one and a half inches apart. (You will need to bake dough in two batches.) Bake until lightly golden, about eight to 10 minutes. Cool and store in airtight containers for up to five days, or freeze for up to four months.’