Healthy Holiday Swaps

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1. Coconut Milk for Heavy Cream
Classic holiday soups like pumpkin stews and crab bisques often call for non-diet-friendly heavy cream. By substituting coconut milk cup for cup, you'll get the same creamy taste and texture for about half the calories—and no, the coconut taste won't dominate the soup, we promise!


2. Cocoa Nibs for Chocolate Chips
These antioxidant-rich bits are unprocessed parts of cocoa beans used to make chocolate. Sub them in one to one where recipes call for chocolate chips to cut out additives such as sugar and dairy—you won't notice any sweetness missing.


3. Sliced Tomato for Marinara Sauce
Chances are that jar of store-bought tomato sauce has lots of added sugar lurking inside. If you're cooking a big lasagna feast for the holiday table, consider tossing in freshly sliced tomatoes for a fresher, healthier, and more eye-catching meal that's packed with antioxidants.


4. Unsweetened Applesauce for Oil
Reduce the amount of oil on the holiday table with applesauce. The fat-free puree can be used cup for cup in breads, muffins, and even boxed mixes for brownies and cakes.


5. Vanilla Extract for White Sugar
Famous for your crisps, cobblers, and pies? You can* *skip white sugar altogether in your recipes by using vanilla extract, which is tasty and adds more flavor than sugar with fewer calories. Rule of thumb: Use two tablespoons of vanilla extract for every cup of sugar. This works in poached fruit recipes too.

For more fun holiday recipes, check out the LiveWell Vermont Fall Flavors Recipe Book!

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