Excellent Substitutes for the Worst Foods

Hi everyone-

Someone recently mentioned tortilla wraps as their enemy. I thought I would provide an alternative that I have found for tortillas. Please feel free to add other food substitutions (and no, I don't mean "diet coke for coke" or "equal for sugar"). I mean, for those foods we really like and use, but can't seem to find low cal real subsitutes for. If someone has a good substitute for rice, I would love to know.

Tortilla Wraps - I've tried many low carb wraps. Most are borderline disgusting (for example, the Mission Low Carb Tortillas). But the one that is the best (and biggest!) for 81 calories each is "La Banderita Low Carb Soft Taco Wraps". AND, they are big enough to make lunch wraps (not those small taco wraps that others make).

Cereal - 1-minute Quaker Oatmeal. But here is the catch. Instead of making the 1/2 cup, 150 calorie serving of 1-minute Quaker oatmeal with 1/2 c water, make it with 3 - 3 1/2 cups of water, and cook like you are making regular oatmeal - for a long time. Then, let it cool a bit - the oats start puffing up and you get a whole big bowl just for 150 cals. Add two tablespoons of canned pumpkin to give it some texture.

If you need a sour cream fix, sub Fage 0% Total Greek Yogurt. Bout a 1/4 of the cals.

Num, num, mmmm....

i use salsa (flavoured with apple cider vinegar instead of additional salt) for my pasta. The taste is a little different from normal spaghetti, but not in a bad sense... i think... :3 

and it's 10cals for 2 tablespoons of salsa, not to mention that additional apple cider vinegar adds 0 cals and no sodium either. :3

I like using yogurt in place of mayo!

This post should be stickied! Its great! 

Instead of oil spray for sauted veggies I either use low sodium veggie broth or balsamic vinegar. 

As a bread moistener (aka instead of mayo) I either use either vegenaise or tomato paste.  vegenaise isn't all that good for you, so I ususally use tomato paste.

Instead of parmesean I use nutritional yeast with a little bit of finely crumbled walnuts.

Instead of salt: kelp sprinkles.

instead of soy sauce: bragg's liquid aminos.

When I'm craving sweets, I have a few carob chips.  mmm mmm.

Instead of butter on veggies I squeeze a lemon over them - delicious!!! on green beans is especially amazing.

 

Pizza isn't bad 4 u. You need to know how to eat it in moderation.  For example, choose thin crust and select toppings that are healthier like chicken or plain cheese.  If thin crust isn't an option, just eat two slices and cut back on any other fatty foods for the day and avoid usin butter.  I eat pizza a lot this way and I've lost over 20 lbs since the end of April.

Original Post by dadmomnxander:

Pizza isn't bad 4 u. You need to know how to eat it in moderation.  For example, choose thin crust and select toppings that are healthier like chicken or plain cheese.  If thin crust isn't an option, just eat two slices and cut back on any other fatty foods for the day and avoid usin butter.  I eat pizza a lot this way and I've lost over 20 lbs since the end of April.

 I agree.  In fact I'm having pizza today but with the promise of working out as soon as I get home!

one way I make sure that my pizza isn't going to be as bad for me is I make it myself.

You can find tons of different kinds of premade crusts at the store or you can make your own if you feel bold.  then you can make sure that the proper amounts of sauce and cheese and other toppings is being added so you know what's on it and what calories you're eating.  You're in control this way.  And I believe it tastes better.

I could never give up pizza!!!!

:]

Original Post by _lymabean_:

one way I make sure that my pizza isn't going to be as bad for me is I make it myself.

You can find tons of different kinds of premade crusts at the store or you can make your own if you feel bold. then you can make sure that the proper amounts of sauce and cheese and other toppings is being added so you know what's on it and what calories you're eating. You're in control this way. And I believe it tastes better.

I could never give up pizza!!!!

:]

you could try Kashi's whole wheat pizza instead of making your own. My wife and eye have them for Sunday night pizza & salad dinners. Target has a house brand of whole wheat pizza and I've seen some others starting to pop up.

I have always had a soft spot for jalapeno poppers but they can range anywhere from 250-350 calories a serving depending on where you get them. Instead I take a mission brand tostada (80 cal) spread a laughing cow light french onion wedge on it (35 cal) and top with sliced jalepeno's (5 cal) so all together it is 120 cal instead. Not exactly the same but still a crunchy creamy jalapeno treat good hot or cold!

Original Post by 20lbs2bodaciousbride:

This is kind of obvious, but I'll post it anyway...

SUBSTITUTE VEGGIE PRODUCTS!!!  Vegetarian "meat substitutes" can get you a LOT of food for the calories without the calories and still getting a lot of protein.  I use them in recipes all the time as well as for the basis of my meals.  My favorites are as follows:

Boca Breakfast Patties!!!  Great on low-fat breakfast sandwiches on whole wheat muffins, and also AWESOME in an egg subtitute omelet with fat-free american cheese... You have no idea how good that is for hardly any calories at all!

Any brand of "Ground Beef Crumbles"!!!  Spaghetti sauce, tacos, taco salads, chili... So many possibilities.

Morningstar Farms Veggie Chicken Products!!!  I love the chicken nuggets with hot sauce, the chicken patties on whole wheat buns... You can use them for making "Chicken Parm" with marinara and low fat mozzarella cheese...

 Veggie substitutes aren't always that much better than the originals.

But they are! In every way. To me, at least, and bodacious.

For the seemingly many pizza fanatics...I make mine an almost pure veggie pizza. I replace the crust with a half of a seasoned tomato (to act as both the crust and the sauce) or a large portabella mushroom cap. You can make your own sauce with some seasoned tomato puree or paste, sprinkle a little bit of low fat mozzarella, and top with whatever veggies or meats you want (I use black beans, red bell peppers, more mushrooms, and spinach). Obviously it's not a real pizza but if I'm looking to lessen my carb intake a little bit it helps.

For soda cravings (which I luckily don't get!), some sparkling water and crystal light I hear works.

Fries can be made with baked slices of sweet potato or butternut squash.

Instead of eating pumpkin pie, you can toast a light english muffin, season some canned pumpkin with cinnamon (or if you'd like, pumpkin pie spice) and splenda, and just spread on top.

I think that's all I eat on a regular basis (with the exception of the soda).

I just substitute lettuce now for wraps.

 

But yeah the Mission low carb tortillas are chewy garbage, so gross!

Another thing I've found to be really good for pizza crust is the low carb, low calorie whole wheat pitas.  It's thicker than tortillas, so it holds up a little better.

 

Does anyone have a substitute recipe for sesame chicken that's not so bad for you?  I love sesame chicken and I've been looking for a recipe for a while now. Thanks.

Pizza can be easy.  Make your own crust.  It's not that hard.  Use some good sauce.  We like Classico.  Fat free or lite cheese.  Top with veggies and bake. 

Sesame chicken is going to hard to fake since it's deep fried.

i could get a degree of some kind in this.

noodles-shirataki obv.

parmesan-this rice based shaker at most health food stores that seems similiar to nutritional yeast? 1tsp=15cal/0fat/2g protein

ice cream-soy delicious

little hard or chewy candies-Halter or Georgie's or Jols boxe

-tip-never get lattes, you're getting wayyy too much milk or soy milk for very little espresso. ask fo black coffee or a redeye/shot in th dark and add using your discretion

any kind of milk or milk substitute-unsweetened almond  breeze(40cals/cp) or unsweeted pacific almond milk(only 35). you could also grind up fruit/add sweetener, etc and make these into creamy popsicle

use high protein cerea(WATCH OUT OF CRAZY HIGH SUGAR AND CALORIE ONES)

try Kay's Natural gluten-free french vanilla. i'm now addicted. they look like cheerios but 9g protein/100cal(about 3/4 cup)

and add fiber one to cereal

use lite tofu, nasoya lite firm works best(40cal/7g protein)

edamame or lentils are better options than other beans, having a better protein to carb ratio(

GLENNY'S SOY CRISPS as substitute for any crunchy, crispy, salty crave. best thing ever, i stick to unsalted but the new multigrain kind and the best

mix wheat bran, fiber one, pumpkin, or almond breeze into oatmeal to add density for less calories. also cook oatmeal in prebrewed green tea to make it a teeny bit caffeinated, you don't even taste the difference.

grind up celery or zucchini into soup to add density

if you do dairy Fage 0% greek yogurt is the way to go, i think 80 cals/18g protein for a big container thats very thick

jam-Walden farms has impressed me, especially apricot

pita-Damascus  low carb whole wheat, 110 cals, 17g carbs,10g protein, 7g fiber, Their "roll-ups" for wraps are even better(110 cals, 12 protein, 15g carbs,9g fiber)

Using tomato paste as a bread moistener on sandwiches is such a great idea! I'm so excited to try it.

I use lemon juice (either by itself or mixed with a splash of olive oil) instead of salad dressing. (Okay, I'm sure you knew that one)

I use Brummel & Brown (yogurt butter) to add flavor to anything that needs it, even sandwiches, rice, or soup. It adds a creaminess I crave. It's only 45 cals per tablespoon (as opposed to over 100 for butter and without the trans fats of margarine) and I usually only need a quarter tablespoon.

My boyfriend uses avocados to replace ice cream in milkshakes (skim milk, avocado, sprinkle of sugar or sweetener, add vanilla flavoring if you like). I think it works even better than frozen bananas and I don't have to use as much.

Any of my favorite cracker-based hors d'oeuvres work just as well on a slice of fresh cucumber, grilled zucchini, or grilled summer squash.