Category Archives: substitutions

Healthy Halloween

It was another great, fun-filled twitter party over at the Holistic Moms Network where it happens to be Holistic Living Month. The theme of the evening was the upcoming Halloween festivities; the tweets and links were flying fast and furious.

Here's the roundup:

Candy info

For those who are looking for alternative Halloween candy choices that are not loaded with artificial colors, HFCS, or other nasty ingredients

Consider getting supplies from the Natural Candy Store, as they put it, “all of the fun, without any of the funny stuff”
Another company, Yummy Earth, also sells organic candy
Here's an article I wrote about healthier choices for Halloween
It turns out some families don't give candy but give gifts instead such as Smencils, healthy juice boxes, or stickers

Candy switches

For those who are more interested in the fun of dressing up and socializing but don't want their children to eat the candy they receive there were a lot of suggestions about what to do with all of it:

The Switch Witch book seemed to be a popular suggestion
Reverse Trick-or-Treating was another popular idea and one that I wish I had known about when my kids were young
The idea of Candy Experiments looked interesting although I'm sure a fair amount gets eaten on the way to the laboratory
Donating the candy is one way to get it out of the house – many dentist's offices will buy back the candy at so much per pound
Saving the candy and using it to decorate gingerbread houses for the winter holidays is another idea to use it up

Decorations

The topic of holistically eco-friendly decorations came up.

Of course decorating with gourds, branches, and leaves is one idea but there were some other ideas mentioned that tied into this theme as well
The use of eco felt is something that I had not been aware of, what a great product and one that can be used anytime, not just for Halloween
One mom mentioned saving all the handouts and fliers from the beginning of the school year and using the backs to make shapes and decorations. I can see that this would be great for paper chains, paper lanterns, and other paper crafts

Costumes

Of course, it wouldn't be Halloween without the costumes:

Thredup is a company that allows families to swap kids clothing and more.
Thrift stores can be a great way to find neat clothing to use for costumes
Ideas for homemade costumes
A cute picture of a Fair Trade Banana costume
Recycled costumes
And let's not forget the makeup and more makeup

Fair Trade Month

It turns out that October is also Fair Trade Month so there was a fair amount of information about that as well:

However you choose to celebrate the holidays, make it fun, happy, and healthy.

New Healthy Indulgence

by Miradrinks, gluten free, health, nutrients, reviews, substitutions

Photo credit: Nevit

I've only recently returned from California where I spent several days with my Mentor Helayne Waldman, working with her on her upcoming book. It was truly wonderful to spend the time with her, we got so much accomplished and she is just an amazing person to hang out with.

As a nutrition professional she also pays a lot of attention to food and the holistic concepts of mindful and enjoyable eating. Liz Lipski, one of my nutrition heroes, says that we frequently fuel our bodies the way we fuel our cars – stop -gas -go. I think she's right and I definitely agree with the idea that mealtimes and enjoyment of meals should be more than just refueling. Helayne and I certainly enjoyed some wonderful meals together, always making time to stop, take a break and enjoy our meals (both the preparation and the eating) in the midst of working. As a foodie person I think it's great fun to learn new ideas and new recipes from other foodies.

While I was visiting, Helayne introduced me to a new healthy indulgence; it's so delicious I just have to share. I've been enjoying it every day since I got home. It's a great start to my morning and a satisfying addition to my usual alkalizing water, herbal tea, green tea routine.

As a disclaimer…the links to Amazon are through this blog. If you purchase them through the link I do make a few pennies via my affiliate account.

The drink? Equal parts of Capra Mineral When and Dandy Blend mixed together with hot water. Then topped off with some sort of dairy alternative. Almond milk or coconut milk are great, for a really decadent treat drop a dollop of Coco-Bliss vanilla ice cream in there.

In addition to being tasty there are some other nutritional benefits to using goat whey. It is alkaline, has a good electrolyte balance and contains over 20 different minerals. Goat milk, and whey, is much easier on the digestive system than cows milk. Many people who are lactose intolerant of cows milk are able to take goats milk, and whey, without a problem.

Dandy blend is a gluten-free powder containing water soluble extracts of dandelion, chicory, beets, barley and rye. While barley and rye contain gluten the way they are processed to obtain the water soluble extracts leaves all of the gluten behind. The company was kind enough to share that they test with Elisa Technologies Laboratory on a regular basis to ensure the gluten free status of their product. It has good levels of both major and trace minerals plus the liver and blood support provided by dandelion. The company promotes it a a coffee alternative for those trying to get off coffee. Having not had coffee for over 12 years that's not really an issue for me but I will say that it is delicious.

Added together I feel that the Mineral Whey and Dandy Blend drink in the morning provides me with a great mineralizing, alkalizing boost to my day. While I'm currently drinking it as a warm beverage I can see where it might be a great substitute for iced lattes, added to smoothies or other such drinks. If you have any ideas or recipes to share please let me know, I'd love to hear about it.

Foods To Lower Blood Pressure

by Mirahealth, herbs and spices, questions, substitutionsblood pressure, high blood pressure, salt

Hypertension is a growing concern in this country. Especially when coupled with the unfortunate reality of restaurants that over-salt their food. But our over exposure to salt is not only from eating at restaurants, even at home, we are consuming far more than we need. Many people tend to over-salt their food, probably due to the influence of high salt when eating out. You can then become addicted to that level of salt flavor and it can take some time and effort to readjust your palate.

Causes of high blood pressure

Blood pressure is measured in milimeters of mercury (mm HG). A moderate adult blood pressure is usually considered to be 120/80. The upper number is called the systolic pressure and indicates the force of your heart beat on the walls of your arteries. The lower number is called the diastolic and this number shows the force of your heart between beats.

Factors that can cause that number to go up may include a diet high in fat, sugar and sodium. A high stress lifestyle can also contribute to high blood pressure. It is very important to note that if you have blood pressure problems you need to let both your doctor and any nutrition professional you are working with know if you are making any changes to try to address blood pressure issues. Herbal remedies, lifestyle changes, and medication implemented together may cause a significant drop in blood pressure. Hypotension, blood pressure that is too low, can be just as bad for you as hypertension.

Fake Salt

If you have high blood pressure you may be advised to go on a low sodium diet. For many people that means switching to "fake" salt which is usually made from potassium chloride. Because it's not sodium it's deemed to be better for you by some medical practitioners.

If you need to avoid excess sodium, I think it's better to also avoid the potassium chlorides and look for other taste alternatives. Adding herbal blends like no salt-seasoning mix is a great way to add flavor without the salt. Or you can use lemon juice on things like black beans or sweet potatoes where you might normally use salt. The added tangy flavor really adds a boost without the need for salt.

The difference between salts

Table salt

This is typically a highly processed form of salt. It is often stripped of minerals, has chemicals added to prevent clumping, and then a low bioavailable form of iodine is added.

Sea salt

I confess I prefer to use sea salt. It has no additives and all the minerals are still in there. Sea salt does tend to have less iodine than table salt and iodine is important for our health so you’ll want to make sure you’re checking your levels and consuming iodine as needed. Adding sea vegetables to your diet is one way to help you get enough iodine. There are a wide variety of sea salts depending on where they’re harvested from.

Kosher salt

is a coarse salt named for the process by which it is created. To my knowledge, there are no additives, and it is not stripped of minerals. But the larger crystals limit some of the uses for it depending on the flavor profile of the dish you are making.

Foods that support lowering blood pressure

Alfalfa is an herb with a reputation for lowering blood pressure. Other herbs believed to be beneficial for lower blood pressure include parsley, ginger root, nettle, and sage. Often taken as an infusion or a tea, these should be avoided if you are on any sort of blood thinners.

Celery is an easily available food that has been recognized in Chinese medicine as being effective for lowering blood pressure. Studies done in Western medicine appear to confirm this benefit. Containing both potassium and sodium, celery is not only a vasorelaxant it is also a diuretic helping to relieve the body of excess fluid.

Garlic is also known to be very beneficial for reducing not only blood pressure but also cholesterol. Fresh garlic is better as the beneficial allicin is fully available when chopped or minced. Letting the garlic sit for 5-10 minutes after cutting allows the allicin to fully develop. Cook garlic lightly for 10-15 minutes (in other words closer to the end of the cooking time) to get full benefit.

Hibiscus tea is known to be very effective for lower blood pressure. The dried flowers can be purchased either through health food stores or even some larger chain grocery stores. A double-blind study published in 2009 in the Journal of Human Hypertension concluded that non-medicated hypertensive diabetic patients had a positive outcome from drinking two cups of infused tea every day for one month. The report further stated, "This study supports the results of similar studies in which antihypertensive effects have been shown for [Hibiscus sabdariffa]."

Nitric Oxide

Nitric oxide is a supplement that can be supportive for lowering blood pressure. This is because it helps your blood vessels to dilate, which can help regulate blood flow, inflammation, and also blood pressure. There are several studies using inorganic nitrate and beet juice supplementation, that found nitric oxide can support a reduction in blood pressure levels. Studies with beet root and beet juice have shown such promise that they have been considered as complementary treatment for hypertension. Beets are rich in dietary nitrates. By consuming beets or beet juice, your body has the components to convert it to nitric oxide and keep your blood vessels more open.

Another way to increase nitric oxide is through meditation. One study found that “meditation groups showed a significant higher level of serum nitrate & nitrite concentration…” Several different types of meditation have been observed to help reduce blood pressure levels. These can include zen-meditation, trans-meditation, and breathing awareness meditation.

In conclusion

The average person should get from 1,500 to 2,300 mg of salt per day.
1 teaspoon of salt has about 2,000 mg
Restaurant foods tend to be heavily salted, if you eat out a lot this may overbalance your palate to a high sodium preference
It is possible to restructure your palate and learn to use less salt
Changing your diet, adding nitric oxide, and including meditation may all be helpful strategies to lower blood pressure

With hypertension becoming a growing challenge, making changes can be an important strategy for controlling blood pressure levels and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Step By Step, Food Changes

by Mirabreakfast, change, questions, substitutions

Meg wrote in with the following, “For me, to truly change my eating habits, I have to go in very small and tasty steps. Once I find a healthier food or drink that I really like, after a few weeks of eating that I don't miss the junk stuff and don't feel deprived.

It would be great to find recipes / meal plans that “step you down” from junk to healthy organic by offering variations from A to B. For example, I've switched my typical breakfast from decaf with halzelnut non-dairy creamer and a cinnamon raisin bagel with cream cheese by first switching to whole wheat toast with a scrape of butter and cinnamon-sugar, then to one slice with the sugar, and finally to one slice of whole wheat bread with a scrape of butter or Nutella and a few spoonfuls of organic yogurt with walnuts.

I'm ready to tackle the (processed) decaf coffee with (chemical) halzelnut-flavored non-dairy creamer. Trouble is I really, really like the flavor and I don't really like the taste of green tea (yet). Can you recommend a healthier breakfast beverage replacement that could be transformed in stages? “

I find that lots of folks really like their coffee and have a hard time giving it up. Part of it is the chemical addiction to caffeine. What's actually more harmful than the caffeine is the flavored non-dairy creamer. With Mono and Diglycerides, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Dipotassium Phosphate, and Sodium Caseinate this is not food. I would say there is nothing wrong with one cup of coffee in the morning to get you started, just use real cream instead. If you want to give up caffeine and switch to decaf that's certainly a good thing to do, but that real cream is going to make it taste a whole lot better. And it goes without saying that organic dairy is best, read this article for more information about that issue. Green tea is certainly a great option, filled with anti-oxidants, but maybe starting with one cup of coffee and then switching to green tea for your other beverage choices (including water, water, water, and herbal teas) is the way to go.

The most important thing to remember about your breakfast menu is that you want to make sure you are getting some good protein, some fiber, and a healthy fat. This will help you make it through the morning with stable blood sugar. When choosing your bread make sure that you are getting WHOLE GRAIN instead of just whole wheat. Unfortunately whole wheat doesn't have all of the parts of the grain, so it's not as healthy. Marketers are aware of how much we look for those key words and so be aware that multi-grain is also not whole grain. For butter, choose a good, organic, butter and you can have more than just a scrape. For your yogurt and walnuts, that's a great choice. Organic full fat yogurt is best. Again, it helps you feel full, gives you the protein that you need and helps you start your morning with a stable blood sugar.

Top Tips For Sequential Eating Or How To Use Leftovers

by Mirabreakfast, left overs, recipes, substitutions

Although I am a fan of leftovers others in the house are less excited by the repetition of certain dishes. Being a big fan of not wasting food, and a new fan of Jonathan Bloom's blog Wasted Food I try to look for creative ways to repackage if you will, the offerings at the dinner table.

One way to do this is to take a moment and plan your menu, seeing what can be re-created from what you have already made. Here are a couple of examples of planning meals so that you are using leftovers for the next meal. I should note, by the way, that my favorite method is to turn dinner foods into breakfast foods as it makes food prep in the morning – a typically hectic time – a little easier.

The best and easiest sequential plan is to roast a chicken. Leftovers can be turned into a different dish, such as a pot pie. And the bones, of course, get turned into a delicious nourishing broth.

Making Tuscan Stew with polenta for dinner typically means there is leftover polenta. I take that polenta, pan fry it, top it with an over easy egg, top that with some homemade mushroom marinara and it becomes breakfast. Since polenta is made with stoneground, or fresh ground, corn meal, it's a delicious way to add some fiber to your morning and help get you off to a good start. Pan frying the polenta gives a nice change to the texture and provides a tasty base to the egg and sauce. And in case you're wondering, the Tuscan Stew by itself is delicious as leftovers and I typically have it for lunch the next day.

One of my favorite dinners is from my Fast Fun Freezer Meals. It's sauteed sausage, onions, and peppers. The leftovers usually get turned into an omelet in the morning. Adding leftover veggies or dinner dishes into omelets, frittatas, or an egg scramble of some kind is a great way to utilize them. All the prep and cooking is done, which makes breakfast cooking a snap.

For dinnertime leftover usage we can get creative by rummaging through the fridge. Soup and/or chili is a great way to incorporate a lot of little-bit leftovers. Adding fresh sauteed onions, a tasty broth or sauce, and making sure the spice combinations go together well (in the case of soup, curry does not pair well with Italian spice, I'm just saying…) you can hide almost anything. Add in a salad and it's a whole new meal.

Last but not least is the shepherd's pie trick; you can hide almost anything under that crust. Taking your leftovers, combining them with added vegetables, if needed, under a mashed potato or sweet potato crust which is then baked in the oven, you've got a new meal that doesn't take a lot of time, saves money (because you're not throwing out ingredients) and keeps everyone from getting bored with the same old leftovers.

Taking a few minutes to plan your meals will save you time and money while still allowing you to provide delicious and nutritious meals for your family.

Diana’s Delights

by Mirabaking, recipes, substitutions

I brought a batch of cookies to my book club meeting last night and they were a big hit. Everyone enjoyed them and I came home with only my plate and a few crumbs.

The recipe is one that I created for my daughter, Diana, it is her favorite cookie. This is a recipe that I give out freely in my cooking classes and I thought I would share it here for those who read the blog. There are two changes in the recipe below from what I hand out in class. The original uses fresh ground wheat and I've changed it to King Arthur Whole Wheat for those who don't grind their own flour. I also substituted evaporated cane juice sugar for the sucanat. To learn more about grain substitutions you can read this post and my notes about sugar substitutions can be found here.

Diana's Delights

½ C. butter
1 C. evaporated cane juice crystals
1 egg
½ t. vanilla
1 C. + 2 T. sifted whole wheat flour
½ t. salt
½ t. baking soda
1 C. rolled oats
½ C. chocolate chips
½ C. shredded coconut

preheat oven to 375º
cream butter and sucanat together
add egg and vanilla and mix well
add flour, salt and baking soda and mix well
add oats, chocolate chips and coconut and mix well

scoop 1 tsp balls of dough, roll into rounds and place on greased cookie sheet
bake 10 minutes
let cool 2 minutes on cookie sheet before moving to wire rack

Enjoy!

Rescuing Biscuits

by Mirabaking, grains, substitutions

“Even in failure there is success” or words to that effect.

I recently tried to create a biscuit recipe using 100% whole grain flour. To get to the rescuing part skip to the end; to learn how I got there, read on.

I'll start with a confession and tell you that I while I consider myself to be a fairly good baker and certainly do well with most baked goods there are two things that I'm still working hard at improving. One is pie crusts and the other is biscuits. They usually taste good and are certainly edible but don't always come out the way I envision them.

We recently had a curried sweet potato zucchini soup for dinner and I wanted to serve biscuits with it. Being the whole grain advocate that I am I, of course, wanted them to be 100% whole grain biscuits. One of the challenges of baking with whole grain flour is the way it changes the moisture content and also the loft, or rise, of whatever you are making. This can even be true in recipes where you make a simple switch from all-purpose to whole wheat flour. The additional fiber affects the dough.

As you can see from the picture, the biscuits did rise. But they didn't rise as much as I had imagined they would. Because of the amount of baking powder and baking soda I wasn't sure how much salt to use. They wound up not having enough so they were a bit bland. Although they were tasty enough with the soup, which was very flavorful and satisfying, they were not going to be tasty enough for jam biscuits to go with breakfast the next morning. As a matter of fact they hardened up just enough that I didn't think anyone would want to eat them.

This is where my curious nature sometimes comes into play. Faced with a half a batch of leftover biscuits (the recipe made a dozen) I wondered what you could do with leftover biscuits. My initial thought was to split them, lay them on the bottom of a casserole dish and then pour some sort of a hot fruit compote over them and see if that would work as a bottom crust. When I thought about it further I decided that might not be the best option because it would then probably result in a mushy mess at the bottom of the compote; I couldn't be sure that the biscuits would hold together enough.

Then inspiration struck (here's the rescuing part) since they weren't too salty I wondered if they could be turned into something sweet? I ground them up in my cuisinart. It turns out that 6 biscuits makes approximately 1 1/2 C. of biscuit crumbs. Combined with 6 T. of butter, 2 T. of sugar and a dash of cinnamon they create a nice graham cracker-type crust at the bottom of a pie dish. Topped with a sweet cheese filling (I used quark) and some sour cherries it made a tasty dessert.

While I certainly do not plan on making biscuits for the purpose of their crumbs I now know that at least they can be used to make a decent crust if needed.

What Is Arrowroot: Origins, Health Benefits, And Uses

by Mirabaking, gluten free, substitutionsarrowroot

Arrowroot has many uses especially in the powdered form. Its most common use is as a thickener. Often people will use it instead of cornstarch which is especially helpful for those who are allergic to corn. It’s also a gluten free starch so many people who follow a gluten free diet will use it in their recipes.

Where does arrowroot come from?

Arrowroot is a starchy root vegetable similar to cassava, sweet potato, taro, and yams. It is native to the tropical regions of Central America, South America, and the West Indies. Here in the United States, it can be cultivated in parts of Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina.

In its raw form the arrowroot rhizome is a good source of vitamins A and B6, thiamine, riboflavin, calcium, manganese, folate, phosphorus, iron and potassium. Once it is processed into a powde it loses many of these nutrients, but it does retain its status as a resistant starch which can be good for gut health.

Health benefits of arrowroot

Satiety – The resistant starch can help slow your rate of digestion, helping you feel full longer. This can help regulate your appetite which may in turn lead to weight loss.
Gluten-free Baking – Arrowroot is gluten free which can be helpful for those with celiac disease. When baking with it, it can add body to nut flours and help hold structure. The flour is easy to digest.
Glucose and Lipid Levels – Using arrowroot flour can help keep glucose and lipids within normal limits.
Feed Probiotics – Probiotics are important for your overall health. It is important to feed these probiotics to keep them strong and active. Prebiotics are what the probiotics feed on. In one study it was found that arrowroot carbohydrate extracts have been shown to enhance the survival of probiotics in yogurts.
Ease Diarrhea – In a small study of individuals who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome, arrowroot was found to reduce abdominal pain and many of the participants felt diarrhea was less of a problem. In the West Indies it is a well-known remedy for diarrhea when boiled in water or milk and seasoned.
Gastroprotective Agent – In a rat study, arrowroot starch was shown to provide protection for the stomach lining. It was also shown to decrease the ulcer index. These gastroprotective effects are known to contain carbohydrates and flavonoids that play a role in reducing inflammation. As it is easy to digest, it may be supportive for overall gut health too.

Using arrowroot

If you’re substituting it for cornstarch in a recipe, you’ll want to use twice as much arrowroot as cornstarch. It works very well for fruit pies and fruit cobblers to provide structure and body to the filling. One nice benefit is that using arrowroot does not interfere with the color of your pie or cobbler as it sets clear.

Arrowroot can also be used in gravies but be aware that extended heat with vigorous boiling will reduce its thickening properties. It should not be boiled and it’s best to add it in the last 10- to 15 minutes before you are ready to serve your dish.

When it comes to tomato and citrus based foods arrowroot is actually superior to cornstarch for thickening.

It can also act as a binder to replace egg, gum, flour, or nut proteins when baking.

In conclusion

As you can see, arrowroot is a great substitute for cornstarch and can provide a number of health benefits especially for gut support.

Sources

Cooke C, Carr I, Abrams K, Mayberry J. Arrowroot as a treatment for diarrhoea in irritable bowel syndrome patients: a pilot study. Arq Gastroenterol. 2000 Jan-Mar;37(1):20-4. doi: 10.1590/s0004-28032000000100005. PMID: 10962623.
Deswina, P. and Priadi, D. Development of Arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea L.) as Functional Food Based on Local Resource. 2020 IOP Conf. Ser.: Earth Environ. Sci. 439 012041DOI 10.1088/1755-1315/439/1/012041
Guly HR. Medical comforts during the heroic age of Antarctic exploration. Polar Rec (Gr Brit). 2013 Apr;49(2):110-117. doi: 10.1017/S0032247411000799. Epub 2012 Jan 20. PMID: 26366016; PMCID: PMC4563790.
Jayampathi, T. and Jayatilake, S. Arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea) Extract Increases the Survival of Probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus. Journal of Probiotics & Health. May 21, 2018. DOI: 10.4172/2329-8901.1000199.
Soepomo, J.L. and Janturan, S.H. The Gastroprotective effects of arrowroot tuber starch (Maranta arundinacea L.) on ethanol-induced gastric damages in rats. Pharmaciana. Vol. 10, No. 1., March 2020, pages 35-42. DOI: 10.12928/pharmaciana.v10il.12318.

Banana French Toast

by Mirabaking, breakfast, recipes, substitutions, vegetarian

Banana french toast makes a delicious breakfast. It's a great way to use up that last banana or two that is close to the edge if you don't have any more room in your freezer.

I freeze bananas two different ways. Peeled and stored in a ziplock they are great for throwing in to smoothies. The frozen consistency gives a little “slush” to the smoothie. If I'm going to use them for baking I leave them in their peels. That way when they are thawed you can snip the ends and they “goosh” right out.

But we've had our fill of smoothies and banana-baked goods lately. Not wanting to store the last banana I decided to use it up a different way. When they were little my girls used to make banana milk by blending together a banana, a cup of milk, and a splash of vanilla. I did made some and soaked the bread in it (leaving out the egg) to make banana French toast. It was delicious. A nice delicate banana-y flavor and we didn't even miss the egg at all. You could even make this vegan by using almond or rice milk instead of cow's milk. I topped mine with some orange marmalade and it was fabulous.

So if you need another way to use up some bananas give this a try, I think you'll enjoy it.

photo courtesy of commons.wikimedia.org

Changing A Recipe

by Mirabaking, fats and oil, grains, holidays, questions, recipes, substitutions, sweetenersingredients, recipe, swap

For many people learning to cook is a fun activity; often it's something you learn when you're growing up. In the beginning you learn by simply following the recipes. That's why baking is sometimes equated to science, it has to do with the exactness of the recipes. That science-type focus can make it difficult to understand what to do when it comes to changing a recipe though.

Why do you need to know how to change your recipes? Maybe you've run out of certain ingredients, or, need to make dietary changes to your recipe. Making these substitutions is not always easy and actually can be somewhat challenging. You need to understand the differences between ingredients, which can be subtle and often requires trial and error.

Below are some guidelines to help you get started when it comes to switching up your ingredients.

Baking soda or baking powder?

Before we get into the substitutions I feel it's important to clarify the difference between baking soda and baking powder. A lot of people think they're interchangeable. They can be but you need to be aware of how they each function in order to know if the substitution will work. Some recipes may call for both while other recipes may call for just one of them.

Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, requires acidity plus heat in order to create the rising action. However, this means that when you're using baking soda you need to be able to pop the recipe into the oven as soon as possible after mixing to take maximum advantage of the rising ability.

Baking powder, on the other hand, is essentially baking soda pre-mixed with an acidifying agent such as cream of tartar plus a drying agent, or starch, of some kind. Single-acting baking powder becomes active immediately after it is mixed with liquid. So the batter does need to be put into the oven as soon as possible.

Double-acting baking powder has a split reaction, partly when the liquid is added, and then a second reaction when the batter is exposed to heat in the oven. Because of this, recipes using double-acting baking powder can be held aside for a short while before you bake them.

Baking powder can be a good substitute for baking soda. If you only have baking soda and need baking powder you'll need to add 2 parts cream of tartar to 1 part baking soda; as an example, 1 teaspoon cream of tartar plus ½ teaspoon baking soda creates the correct ratio.

Substitutions

I've made some great doorstops/hockey pucks in my time by switching everything in a recipe and not understanding where or how I needed to make further changes. Keeping notes along the way is important. It can help you understand the evolution of your recipe and help prevent those inedible disasters.

I will share from personal experience that if you try to change everything at once you may find that you get an unpleasant result, so be careful when swapping. I usually change the flour first, then the fat, then the sugar.

Sugars

1 cup of sugar → substitute 1 cup of applesauce

You'll need to reduce the liquid in the recipe by ¼ cup – good for cookies, muffins, and quickbreads

2 Tablespoons sugar → ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Good for any baked goods, up to 4 tablespoons of sugar

1 cup sugar → 2 Tablespoons stevia powder or 1 teaspoon liquid stevia

The recipe may need further modification to make up for the loss of the volume of sugar

Flour/Starch

7/8 cup white flour → 1 cup whole wheat flour

You may need to let the batter sit for a few minutes to allow the extra fiber to absorb some of the liquid in the recipe

1 cup white flour → 1 cup mashed black beans

Wonderful in brownies

1 cup white flour → 1 cup nut flour + ½ teaspoon baking soda or baking powder

1 cup white flour → 1/3 cup coconut flour + 1 egg + a splash of water

Good for pancakes, cookies, and cake

1 cup white flour → 1 cup gluten-free flour blend

Depending on the recipe you may need to add tapioca starch or xanthan gum to make up for the loss of gluten

Fat and Dairy

1/2 cup oil or butter → ½ cup applesauce

Good for muffins or quick breads

1 cup butter → ¾ cup prunes + ¼ cup boiling water blended together

Good for brownies and other chocolate-flavored baked goods

1 Tablespoon butter → 3 Tablespoons ground flax seeds + 1 Tablespoons water

Let the mixture sit for 8-10 minutes to thicken before adding to the batter

1 cup oil or butter → 1 cup mashed banana

Good in brownies, muffins, or cookies

1 cup buttermilk or kefir → 1 cup whole milk + 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Let the mixture sit for at least 5 minutes to sour

1 cup milk → ½ cup evaporated milk + ½ cup water blended together

If you need a slightly thicker consistency you can use a little more evaporated milk and a little less water

Eggs

The video below is a great resource for how to make substitutions for eggs.