Here at Poosh, we believe in balanced eating. Punishing ourselves for eating something a little less clean never solved anything, and we gotta live, right?
We all deserve a baked good every now and then. Whether we’re into sweet treats or savory pastries, getting the hang of baking with simple swaps can take the no-no factor way down and the nutritional value way up. We can still be totally in control of what we put in our bodies without forfeiting our favorite things, with these easy baking swaps.
While coconut oil might make your baked good ever so slightly coconut-y, it’s hardly detectable enough to matter. It’s high in medium-chain triglycerides, those special bonds that are great for brain health. It’s perfect for vegans, but if not vegan, we love a healthy full-fat, grass-fed butter.
When recipes call for syrup of any kind, skip the brown rice syrup and, dear Goddess in heaven, please, no high-fructose. It’s an inflammatory nightmare. Applesauce is naturally plenty sweet and doesn’t lend much of an apple flavor at all. Plus, extra fiber!
There are so many different flours with different textures to choose from. Almond, chickpea, rice, millet, sorghum, green banana, potato starch, arrowroot powder … the list goes on. While these are all great, protein-packed flour options, they don’t always perform the same way as traditional flours on their own. Nut flours need a combo of the aforementioned arrowroot or potato starch, plus a more carby starch like millet or quinoa flour, and baking powder. We can make our own blends, but already-blended GF flour mixes are available for an easy 1:1 swap with traditional recipes!
Coconut milk for regular dairy
Almond milk doesn’t always stack up in baking when the recipe calls for full-fat dairy milk or cream. Coconut milk from the can is a great substitute due to its fat content. For a heavy cream swap, try canned coconut cream. There is even coconut whipping cream, coconut evaporated milk, and coconut sweetened condensed milk in cans for easy vegan swaps as well.
If we’re trying to really adhere to a vegan diet, a flaxseed egg substitute is super easy to make. We can use whole flaxseeds, but ground flaxseeds will be smoother, plus, they are loaded with healthy omegas and fiber. Mix a tablespoon of ground flaxseeds with 3 tablespoons of water and let sit for five minutes until it congeals. Mix in just like a cracked egg!
When steering clear of granulated sugar, this natural sweetener is a fantastic option. It’s 150 to 200 times sweeter than sugar, without the stevia aftertaste, so you need less to do more. It contains zero calories, zero carbs, zero sodium, and zero fat, making it the ultimate sweet swap.
The content provided in this article is provided for information purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice and consultation, including professional medical advice and consultation; it is provided with the understanding that Poosh, LLC (“Poosh”) is not engaged in the provision or rendering of medical advice or services. You understand and agree that Poosh shall not be liable for any claim, loss, or damage arising out of the use of, or reliance upon any content or information in the article.
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