Healthy Eating in 2013 - Post 2

A couple weeks ago I posted about eating healthier this year by adding new products into your kitchen. 

This second post is about products I like to substitute in cooking and preparing meals. 

The first two products are grains. I am sure you have heard of the new gluten-free products and diets that have come out in the last few years and maybe you've been wondering if these diets have any merit. 

For those who don't know, gluten is the protein in wheat that gives it that elastic texture as dough. If you've ever worked with gluten-free flours you know what I mean when I say that elastic feel just isn't there. Therefore, it also makes the texture of the baked good a little different than when it's cooked with wheat. 

Since so many products contain wheat and gluten, and because we eat it so many times a day, our digestive systems never really get a break from it. This can cause irritation in your digestive system that can lead to bloating, IBS, and other not so healthy side effects. 

A great way to give yourself a break from gluten is to introduce some "clean" grains into your meals, like brown rice pasta! 

This brown rice pasta tastes just like wheat pasta! It has a very similar texture and flavor. I also tried the quinoa pasta. Although it had a similar taste to brown rice or wheat pasta, it had a different texture that I didn't like as much as regular pasta. 

This pasta is also made in a wheat-free facility. For most people it wouldn't matter either way, but if you do have an allergy to wheat it is very important that all products are made in a facility that doesn't use wheat. 

Another great, clean grain is quinoa. It can be used as a substitute for recipes calling for rice. The little balls double in size when they're cooked.

Quinoa is actually a seed and so it actually contains quite a bit of protein. Below you see a box of quinoa on the left and brown rice on the right. Gram for gram, quinoa offers more fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals.

So quinoa creates a nutritiously complete dish, especially for those who are looking for good sources of protein that are not animal foods.

Another great substitution for cooking is almond milk. I did talk about it a little bit in my previous post, but this is a fantastic way to cut down on calories in recipes that contain milk.

This unsweetened milk contains only 30 calories per serving and more calcium than dairy, without any saturated fat. 

It is also a great creamer for coffee!