This week my in-laws were in town. Because I am home, because I love to cook and because people need to eat, I whipped up a few quick go-to’s in my personal repertoire that are easy to reheat in the event someone comes in the house hungry and in need. I returned home one evening to see most of the food I cooked had been consumed (yay!) but also to discover that apparently I didn’t use enough seasoning salt (or any at all actually) as evidenced by the ginormous jar of Lawry’s sitting on my counter. While the Soup Nazi (of Seinfeld fame) would take that personally, I took it in stride. As a healthcoach, I aim to practice what I preach when cooking for myself and my family and one of those practices is to cook with little/no added salt (I typically use either sea salt or sodium-free seasonings and Mrs. Dash).

Since I’m often asked what good food choices are, I thought today was a good day for a healthy food post that may be useful for anyone looking to make small changes in their daily routine. Here are some ideas you may be able to incorporate into your household cooking to increase the amount of healthy food options you eat!

Brown Rice
Brown rice is more nutritionally sound than white and the substitution of brown rice is easy and tasty! Spray a saucepan with olive oil and sautee chopped onions and minced garlic. Add 2 parts low-sodium vegetable or low-sodium fat-free chicken stock (I love Imagine Organic Low-Sodium No-Chicken Broth) to 1 part long-grain brown rice. Add your favorite herbs and spices (garlic powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, etc.) while rice is simmering. Once cooked, fluff with a fork and serve.

Better Vegetables
Avoid slathering your freshly cooked steamed vegetables with butter. Instead, use a high quality EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) or non-stick spray to lightly coat your skillet and pan sauté vegetables. Or, avoid these additions altogether by steaming veggies and once done, tossing them in fresh lemon juice and herbs.

Mashed Potatoes
Forget the butter and whole milk in these babies! Use a low-sodium vegetable broth and a bit of EVOO to substitute. Not only do they leave your potatoes more flavorful, but also healthier and lighter.

Greek Yogurt
Use plain Greek Yogurt (2% or fat-free) instead of sour cream in many recipes. Greek Yogurt has more protein and fewer calories than traditional sour cream. Plus, it tastes good! I have used Greek Yogurt in coffee cake, and cheesy potato casserole and nobody could tell the difference.
Use your Broiler
Broiled food tastes just as good as oil-laden, pan-seared food and uses little (if any) added fats or oils. Plus, the broiler is super quick! My husband likes to broil his fish and we also use the broiler to make tasty ‘grilled’ cheese sandwiches, mini pizzas and heat up our leftovers.

Salad Dressing
Mix fresh lemon juice, a smidgen of EVOO and herbs and spices like basil, black pepper, sea salt and garlic powder to make a light, healthy and delicious drizzle for your salad. You can even add your favorite balsamic vinegar to give your salad extra tang. Making your own dressing is easier than you think!

Quinoa
An amazing grain, quinoa packs a protein punch you would not believe! Plus, it cooks super fast (about 15 minutes) which means you will be ready to chow down in no time. Simmer 1 part quinoa to 2 parts water or low-sodium broth. I have also added chopped spinach and drained/rinsed black beans to make a healthy side dish that my family loves.

Roasted Red Potatoes
Cube red potatoes, scatter on a pre-sprayed (with olive or canola oil) baking sheet, cover with your favorite herbs and spices and a smidgen of EVOO. Toss. Roast your potatoes at 425 degrees for about 35 minutes. Dip in your favorite no sugar added ketchup (I love Annie’s Organic Ketchup). They taste better than the french fries at the drive-thru!

Egg Substitutes for Baking
I love to use applesauce and banana as substitutes in recipes that call for eggs. Use 3 TBS of natural smooth applesauce for 1 egg. Use 1/2 of a banana to substitute for 1 egg. You can also use tofu and Ener-G Egg Replacer (found at most health food stores) to replace eggs. Also, in many recipes you can reduce the egg count by using egg whites only. Or for example, in a recipe that calls for 2 eggs, use 2 whites and 1 yolk. Most of the fat and cholesterol is found in the yolk so whenever you can reduce the amount of yolk being used, you will reduce the cholesterol, calories and fat content in your recipe.

Eating healthy is best done when the changes you make are small. If you feel like you’re ‘missing out’ on something, the chances that you will return to poor eating habits is higher than if you make small adjustments here and there. I love to play in the kitchen and find new simple swaps that keep us enjoying some of our family favorites while boosting the nutritional value. What are some of your favorite swaps?