Delicious food swaps to protect your heart

If you’re someone who cringes at the thought of switching out your favorite foods for something more nutritious, here’s a little secret: Eating healthy, wholesome food doesn’t have to involve a flavor sacrifice.

You just need to tweak your recipes a little to get the biggest nutritional bang for your calorie buck.

Registered dietitian Lisa Moskovitz of the New York Nutrition Group, a company that offers nutrition counseling, says simple ingredient and cooking style swaps can lower calories and fat while still making flavorful, enjoyable entrées and desserts.

Not only are these changes small and simple, they also include items easily found at any grocery store.

Ditch the Fryer

Grilling, baking, roasting, steaming and sautéing with a small amount of olive oil are much healthier ways to cook food than deep-frying.

“Fried chicken can be made much healthier by lightly breading the meat with whole-wheat panko breadcrumbs and baking it, versus having it practically swim in oil,” Moskovitz says.

“Roasting, grilling and steaming preserve taste without adding extra fat.”

If you’re a sucker for french fries, try cutting potatoes into chunks and roasting them in the oven for a satisfying alternative, Moskovitz recommends.

Sub Out Butter and Sugar

When making cookies, replace half the butter with rich and creamy avocado, for a nutrient boost that cuts fat and won’t affect flavor, Moskovitz says.

Add prunes can to brownie recipes to cut down on sugar, or use no-sugaradded applesauce. Vanilla extract can also act as a good stand-in for sugar, she says. For recipes calling for heavy cream, use 2% milk instead.

“It may not be quite as creamy, and the taste might not be as strong, but it won’t be to the point where you won’t enjoy it,” she says.

Make Veggies Fun

A popular method for cutting down on carbs involves cutting vegetables into noodle shapes, also known as spiralizing, to fill the bulk taken up by grain noodles.

“Other recipes out there call for substituting mashed cauliflower for pizza crust,” Moskovitz says.

“And mashed cauliflower can come out looking and tasting much like mashed potatoes.”

There are easy ways to increase the volume and nutrition of meals without adding calories, she says. Toss some extra vegetables into pasta sauce, chili and soup, and even try filling out hamburger patties with finely minced vegetables.

Switch-Up Condiments

Use avocado instead of mayonnaise on sandwiches and in salads. Try Greek yogurt as a replacement for sour cream.