CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The holiday season is often filled with sugar cookies, eggnog and other indulgences. But too much of a good sweet or salty dish can pose a health risk.
One dietitian explains how to substitute ingredients, without losing the flavor.
What You Need To Know
- Kimberly Spatola, a registered dietitian with Novant Health, says oat flour is a good substitute for white flour because it’s higher in protein and fiber
- She suggests using ground turkey instead of ground beef since it is lower in calories
- Butter from grass-fed cows is usually on the top of her grocery list. She said this butter has more healthy fats compared to regular butter
Kimberly Spatola grew up in Kentucky and cooking was a big part of her childhood. During the holidays the kitchen was usually filled with all sorts of baked goods and other food dishes.
“Lots of butter, sugar, olive oil, but also pan frying and things like that,” Spatola said. “There weren’t a ton of fruits or vegetables or things like that.”
But when she was a teenager, tragedy hit their family.
Her father died from a heart attack. Spatola is an only child and says it was extremely tough on her mother and her.
“It was all very sudden,” Spatola said. “I still love to cook and still do, but that made me want to be a little healthier to prevent any chronic diseases.”
It’s why she decided to become a registered dietitian. She started creating recipes that were good for the waistline and the heart. One of her favorite holiday sweets are mint oatmeal cookies, which she makes with oat flour instead of white flour.
“Oat flour is a whole grain so you will get more fiber, B vitamins and nutrients than you would from the white, refined flour,” Spatola said.
She also used butter from grass-fed cows.
“It has more of the healthier fats than if you just buy traditional butter from the grocery store,” Spatola said.
Spatola says she often thinks of her father, a chemistry professor, when she is cooking.
She loved the subject as well and combined it with cooking.
“A lot of the food shows we watched growing up were about food science,” Spatola said. “I learned how to combine ingredients in a way that they can still taste good while being as nutrient dense as they can.”
It may require a few extra steps, but Spatola says it’s worth it.
RECIPES:
Oatmeal Cookies
20 cookies
Ingredients
• 1 ¼ cups oat flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt*
• ½ cup Kerry Gold butter, unsalted
• ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 egg, room temperature
• 1 ½ cups old fashioned oats
• ½ cup chocolate chips or raisins (optional)
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together oat flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a large bowl using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and brown sugar together on medium to medium-high speed. Cream mixture together until it has significantly lightened in color and is very fluffy. Add the vanilla and egg and beat on medium high. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat again as needed to combine.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low until just combined.
5. Using a spatula, stir in the oats and chocolate chips/raisins (if using).
6. Take 2 tablespoons of the cookie dough and shape into balls. Place onto a cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart from one another.
7. Bake in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges have just started to turn golden brown. The center of the cookie should look very soft and gooey.
8. Allow cookies to cool on the sheet pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
White Turkey Chili
6 servings
Ingredients
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 (4 oz.) cans diced green chiles
• 32 oz. unsalted chicken stock, divided
• 1 ½ teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 8 oz. Neufchatel cream cheese, softened
• 2 (15 oz.) can low sodium cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup corn, frozen
• 2 ½ cups leftover turkey breast, cut into bite sized pieces
• ¼ cup cilantro or parsley, chopped
Directions
1. Heat olive oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add in diced onion and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until onions are golden brown around the edges. Add in garlic and sauté for about 1 minute more.
2. Add in the green chiles and sauté for 1 to 2 more minutes. Turn heat to medium and add in half of the chicken stock and all the spices. Allow to simmer.
3. In a blender or food processor, blend the reserved half of the chicken stock with cream cheese and 1 cup of the drained cannellini beans until completely smooth. Add mixture into Dutch oven, along with remaining beans, corn, and turkey breast. Allow the mixture to simmer for at least 20 to 30 minutes.
4. Garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley.
5. Serve with sliced avocado, 2% Monterey jack cheese, and whole grain tortilla chips.
Ingredient Substitutions:
For a vegetarian chili, use unsalted vegetable stock and firm tofu, if desired.
Rotisserie chicken breast can be easily substituted as an alternative.