by Diana Howard

Created on: July 30, 2008   Last Updated: June 29, 2009

My diet was so restricted, while I was recovering from a heart virus that I found myself having to be incredibly creative. Substituting allowed me to lose one hundred pounds in less than six months and regain my health. At home, select only natural products and avoid pre-prepared foods. Fresh fruit and vegetables are wonderful party fare as long as they are accompanied by great dips. Try this for a healthy dip;

Substitute Goat Milk Yogurt ( 2 cups) mixed with (1 cup) non-fat Greek Yogurt for sour cream as a dressing base. Yogurt is an alkalizing food, low on the Glycemic Scale, and this combo packs two to three times the protein and half the saturated fat and sodium of commercially prepared dressings. Add Balsamic or Apple Cider Vinegar and a little honey, garlic and spices to taste.
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If you like hot food, then add lime juice, a little honey, chipotle and jalapeo peppers, chopped tomatoes, onions and some cilantro. No matter what spices you use, add a bag of defrosted frozen spinach (undrained) to the recipe. The beneficial vitamins, protein and greens in this substitute will give you an incredible boost of nutrition. Best of all, because of its low salt and fat content, you need not restrict yourself to two tablespoon servings. This can be used by the half a cup and it is still lower in calories and salt than most dressings. Do not add extra salt! Pasta Salad can be enjoyed when made with high fiber pasta, using more veggies than pasta. You will still have the pasta feel and flavor, without the fast carbs. Use your own seasoned oil and vinegar; light on the oil. Barilla Plus makes a great pasta with 10 grams fiber that does not get rubbery or gummy.

Flavored cream cheese substitutes can be created in the same way by mixing eleven ounces of Goat Cheese to two cups non-fat Greek Yogurt...season the way you would any cream cheese schemerdon't add salt. . If you have a sweet tooth or wish to create a sweet dip or spread, do not use refined sugar; either use honey or xylitol a sweetener used in gum as a sweetner It is sold in packets, so you can take it along wherever you go and it's actually good for your teeth.

Bread can be a real problem for most of us. I love bread and white bread was definitely off my list. At home, I eat only Ezekiel bread which is a low glycymic product with sprouted grains that is soft and does not taste like cardboard. It makes wonderful toast, and the company is now making English Muffins, Hot Dog and Hamburger Buns. In a restaurant, if you must indulge, choose Sourdough or Pumpernickel if available and save it as a treat at the end of your meal. Substitute the potato with a double order of veggies.

There are some incredible "nosh" substitutes which will help your waistline and please your palate. Try Sweet Potato Chips, Taro or other root veggie chips. Always have a handful of almonds available for a snack attack. Avoid all foods with little goodies like "high-fructose" corn syrup, which acts like heroin in the system driving your desire for more sugar through the roof. Trans fats are no-no's as well. .If you don't know what's in a food you are being servedreach for whatever natural food is on the table. Don't forget, it's okay to indulge a little when at a party or restaurant as long as you stick to healthy choices at home.

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