The Mediterranean Diet Pyramid includes sweets at the very top, signaling that these are sometimes foods to enjoy on special occasions. As you celebrate the holiday season, be discriminating, and choose the very best quality desserts to enjoy. If you're inspired to bake your own family favorites or make something new this year, keep in mind a small but important change you can make: Substitute extra-light tasting or extra-virgin olive oil for butter in baking. This is one Med Diet habit that helps you include healthy fats in desserts.
Here's a quick look at how to make the switch:
1/4 cup butter - 3 tablespoons olive oil 1/3 cup butter - 1/4 cup olive oil 1/2 cup butter - 1/4 cup +1 tablespoon olive oil 2/3 cup butter - 1/2 cup olive oil 3/4 cup butter - 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 cup butter - 3/4 cup olive oil
There are other steps you can take as well to help keep the finale to holiday meals healthy:
- Build dessert around fresh or dried fruit.
- Include seeds and plain or toasted nuts in desserts; they're another good source of healthy fats.
- Substitute plain Greek yogurt for sour cream.
- Replace half the fat in baked goods with applesauce, mashed banana, pureed pumpkin, or pureed dried fruit.
- Reduce sugar in cookies and cakes by one-third to one-half and add cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg to enhance the flavor.
Try one or all of these delicious holiday recipes. They're great examples of how to use olive oil in place of butter.
|