by Muriah Summer

Created on: April 16, 2010

Every dieter has their weakness, and for me, it's baked goods. Muffins, cookies, pastries, quick breads- I could eat them every day and never grow tired of them. While it isn't a good idea to go overboard, there are several ways to reduce the guilt when baking. They fall into one of two basic strategies; adding nutrition and reducing junk. I'll cover each in turn.

-Adding Nutrition-

The easiest way to add nutrition to your baking, if you haven't already, is to switch to using whole wheat flour. Whole wheat has loads of vitamins, minerals, and fiber- white flour has calories. Whole wheat flour does tend to make your baked goods a little denser, though, so try sifting it more or starting with half wheat, half white.

For those who have tried whole wheat in the past and just didn't like it, I suggest trying white whole wheat flour. White whole wheat is a different breed of wheat which is gaining popularity recently- it combines the nutritional benefits of whole wheat flour with a texture similar to white flour.

Substituting wheat germ or ground flax seed for a small quantity of the flour adds more nutrients, and is barely noticeable in the finished product. Wheat germ adds protein and many vitamins, while flax seed adds fiber and omega-3 fatty acids. About a 1/4 cup total per single recipe is usually a good amount.

Another way to add nutrition to your baked goods is to incorporate vegetables or fruits into them. Vegetables such as carrots or yellow squash can be added to almost any muffin or quick bread recipe without standing out, but even broccoli and spinach can be hidden in some recipes. The Sneaky Chef and Deceptively Delicious are two good cookbooks which include a wide variety of recipes incorporating vegetables. I particularly recommend the spinach brownies from Deceptively Delicious. 

-Reducing Junk-

The other side of healthier baking is eliminating or reducing the elements that are bad for you. High on this list is the sweetener. In most standard muffin, cookie, or quick bread recipes, the sugar can be reduced by as much as a third without adversely affecting the taste. If you have a favorite recipe, try reducing the sweetener by a tablespoon or so the next several times you make it until you find a balance that works for you. If you're trying something new, go ahead and cut 1/4 to 1/3 of the sugar- you'll probably never miss it. Be aware, however, that recipes already designed for health may not turn out well if the sweetener is reduced drastically.

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