Fall is here, and that means celebrating the spooky season, chilly nights bundled up inside, and pumpkin spice everything! It’s also the time of year when baking (and eating) sweet treats warms the soul. From pumpkin cookies to caramel apple pie, there’s bound to be a fall favorite that you absolutely love and plan to make every year.
While they may be delicious, many of those treats aren’t the most nutritional masterpieces we pride ourselves on consuming. Thankfully there are some simple substitutions you can make so you can enjoy your favorite fall treats without the guilt. Take a look at these 5 tips for healthier baking this fall!
5 Tips for Healthier Baking
Sometimes, the easiest way to make your baked goods a little healthier is by making some simple substitutions or using alternatives to traditional ingredients. Check out a few healthier alternatives to these classic baking staples.
- Rethinking Flour
Traditional all-purpose white flour is high calorie and high carb, which can produce that uncomfortable bloating feeling produced by many sweet treats. You can minimize that feeling by baking with a low-carb alternative flour! Whole wheat flour is a good substitute since it has higher protein and goes through less processing, but you can also go the extra mile with gluten-free flour. This switch offers more options for those individuals who need to follow specific diets. Some great choices include:
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- Macadamia nut flour
- Almond flour
- Oat flour
- Chickpea flour
- Rice flour
- Sugar Alternatives
Traditional sugar is refined and processed so much that by the time it’s used in your sweet treats, it doesn’t hold much nutritional value. Plus, desserts heavy in refined sugar can be dangerous to people with diabetes and anyone wanting to watch their sugar intake. Thankfully, there is a range of clean eating sugar substitutes like:
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- Fruit puree
- Coconut sugar
- Honey
- Maple syrup
- Agave nectar
- Stevia
- Plant-Based Milk
Animal milk contains the more harmful trans and saturated fats that can cause digestion issues and long-term health complications when consumed in excess. Plant-based milk is a much healthier alternative and provides more options for individuals on lactose-free or vegan diets. For your next baking adventure, try using:
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- Macadamia nut milk
- Almond milk
- Oat milk
- Coconut milk
- Soy milk
- Butter Replacements
Traditional butter and oil often add unnecessary trans or saturated fats that can negatively impact your health. Try using creamy greek yogurt as a substitute. It holds the same properties as butter, with a fraction of the fat and much more protein. Or, for an entirely plant-based and vegan option, try macadamia nut butter or macadamia nut oil!
- Vegan Egg Substitutes
Eggs are staples in many sweet treats because they help bind the ingredients together. However, eggs can hold high amounts of cholesterol, impacting your heart health. Egg substitutes can accomplish the same binding without the negative side effects. Some vegan options for egg substitutes include:
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- Ripe bananas
- Applesauce
- Pumpkin puree
- Flax seed
- Chia seed
- Aquafaba
“Consider adding superfoods like macadamia nuts, dark chocolate, chia, or flax seeds. They can kick up the healthiness of your baked goods by providing essential nutrients and ‘good fats’ that traditional desserts often leave out. That way, you can eat what fuels your heart without compromising your health journey.”
Increase the Nutritional Value of Your Baked Goods
While the substitutions listed above are easy and efficient ways to make your baked goods a little healthier, there are also several ways you can add nutritional elements! The beauty of baked goods is that they can be customized and catered to fit your exact tastes.
Consider adding superfoods like macadamia nuts, dark chocolate, chia, or flax seeds. They can kick up the healthiness of your baked goods by providing essential nutrients and ‘good fats’ that traditional desserts often leave out. That way, you can eat what fuels your heart without compromising your health journey.
Take a look at some of our favorite fall-inspired macadamia recipes to help get you in the fall baking spirit!
- White Chocolate, Pumpkin, and Macadamia Bars
- Keto Macadamia Nut Bread
- Vegan Peaches and Coconut Cream with Macadamia Nut Crumble
A Holistic and Balanced Approach to Wellness
At Love Macadamia™, we have a passion for educating and informing the world about cleaner, healthier ways to eat and live. Living a healthy and balanced lifestyle is more than restricting the foods you eat or the activities you perform. It’s a mindful decision to look at your health holistically and make adjustments so that you can support your overall wellness while still enjoying the flavors you love.
We all deserve a sweet treat every once in a while, and if that sweet treat is also good for you… what’s not to love?
Be sure to check out more macadamia sweet treat recipes on our Pinterest Board. You’re sure to find a dish you’ll love, invigorated with a healthy kick!
Happy baking season!
