Healthy Alternatives to Use in Your Baking at Our Apartments near The Villages, FL
One of the best aromas you can have in your PepperTree Apartment home is the smell of something wonderful baking in your oven. Whether you’re baking for the holidays, a get-together, or even just for yourself, it can be an incredibly relaxing and stress-relieving activity – and a delicious one at that! The best part about baking is the finished product and being able to taste whatever yummy dessert you have worked hard on, but these sweet treats can also be high in calories and low in nutritional value.
There are many simple ingredient swaps you can make when baking that can increase your dessert’s nutritional value, including:
• Unsweetened applesauce for oil and/or butter. Unsweetened applesauce still holds that hint of sweetness and flavor you get from butter and oil, without all the fat and calories, and is a great substitute when baking breads or muffins. This is a one-to-one swap which means you will substitute out exactly what the recipe calls for. If it calls for one cup of oil, you switch it out with one cup of applesauce. The first time you try this, only swap out half of what the recipe calls for to see if you taste the difference. If not, next time, try swapping out more.
• Two egg whites for one whole egg. One whole egg, while not unhealthy, also holds half the recommended daily cholesterol for the average adult. This swap will completely cut out the cholesterol while doubling your protein, upping the nutritional content of your dessert in a big way. If your recipe calls for more than one egg, use one whole egg but swap out the rest for two egg whites per one whole egg.
• Whole wheat flour for white flour. White flour is completely devoid of fiber, so it takes longer for your body to digest it. Instead, swap out white flour for whole wheat flour. The benefits for this flour are vast; including reducing the risk of diabetes and heart disease, and also giving you a more powerful punch of fiber. In recipes, for every cup of white flour, substitute with 7/8 cup of whole wheat flour.
• Meringue for frosting. Meringue is made simply of egg whites and sugar, making it fat-free and a much healthier substitute for traditional frosting.
There are many ways to make baking healthier and to add nutritional value to your desserts. You can still have the same great taste but with a few simple switches, they will also be good for you, too.
Our apartments near The Villages, Florida, come equipped with spacious, updated kitchens to do all the baking your heart desires. If you’re not yet a resident of our community and would like to learn more, call our leasing office and we can set up a tour to show you all about our apartments and wonderful amenities.
