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.

Hamburgers: Finely chop a couple of cups worth of mushrooms and onions, saute with a little cooking spray until mushrooms lose their water and it evaporates. When it's cool, mix it with an equal amount of extra-lean ground beef, an egg white, and some softened bulgur wheat or a few blended-up whole wheat crackers (for binder).

I also add in some jalapenos, low-cal bbq sauce or other flavourings and when you gril them they are soooo delish and still taste like beef burgers. I happen to like (and prefer) turkey burgers, but my boyfriend wanted a healthy beef burger so I made these.

Chips = Baked Eggplant Slices, Baked Kale (be sure to watch them so they do not burn)

Spaghetti = Spaghetti Squash, Squash sliced in a mandolin, Minced Cabbage (Steamed), Kelp Noodles 

Some of the healthy subs that I have:

Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries- slice into fries, spray w/ cooking spray, then seanson as you like ( I like salt, pepper, and garlic powder). Bake until crisp at 400 on non stick cookie sheet- yummy!

Zucchini Pasta- slice thin ling ribbon w/ vegetable peeler. blanch quckly for 1 minute in boiling water- shock in ice water. Toss w/ fresh pasta sauce and a litlle parm cheese.

Sliced almonds, soy nuts, and dried fruit on salads instead of croutons- equal calories with better nutrition. 

Pizza: Shred 1 cup zuccini, 1 cup sweet potato and 1 cup white potato. Sautee in pan with non stick spray, salt and pepper until just tender. Press firmly into sprayed pan or large oven proof skillet as "crust". Add pizza sauce. Next add grilled chicken and the veggies of your choice ( I will usually grill some portobellas, peppers, and squash to go on this) Top w/ a few tbs parm cheese, and some lo fat mozzarella. bake at 400 until bubbly and crust is crunchy! This is definately limited only by your imagination, and much better for you than traditional pies! I have made a greek version of this with grilled eggplant, tomatoes and feta cheese w/ oregano- also good!

Flat out tortilla wraps are great and they are good size and quite filling and they only have 90 calories in the light ones  delicious....

I haven't seen this on here yet and it's my newest addiction.

100 cal pudding pack (vanilla)

small carton serving plain lowfat greek youghurt

1 cup fresh berries

1 oz sliced natural almonds

I use this after a workout, for some reason mixing the yog with the pudding makes the yogurt taste like cool whip and the whole thing taste like a whipped dessert.  On top of that it has tons of protein, fiber and can be low cal

pudding 100 cal

yogurt 100 cal

berries 50 cal

almonds 150 cal (and that is a huge handful)

the pudding/fruit is sweet enough for me but you can go big and add a splenda pack.  SOOOO Tasty.  A big bowl and easy to share after dinner with your honey or eat it up yourself for a post workout meal (400cal)

Original Post by jett69:

I haven't seen this on here yet and it's my newest addiction.

100 cal pudding pack (vanilla)

small carton serving plain lowfat greek youghurt

1 cup fresh berries

1 oz sliced natural almonds

I use this after a workout, for some reason mixing the yog with the pudding makes the yogurt taste like cool whip and the whole thing taste like a whipped dessert. On top of that it has tons of protein, fiber and can be low cal

pudding 100 cal

yogurt 100 cal

berries 50 cal

almonds 150 cal (and that is a huge handful)

the pudding/fruit is sweet enough for me but you can go big and add a splenda pack. SOOOO Tasty. A big bowl and easy to share after dinner with your honey or eat it up yourself for a post workout meal (400cal)

Kraft has a sugar-free pudding that's only 45 calories a thing.