YMCA Healthy Living Magazine Autumn 2021 | Page 16

AUTHOR
REBECCA PONSFORD Rebecca Ponsford is an Accredited Practising Dietitian . She works in private practice and has special interests in gut health , environmental sustainability and culinary nutrition . You can find Rebecca on Instagram @ fodmapdietetics and @ rebeccaponsford _ dietitian .

HEALTHY BAKING TIPS

Rebecca ’ s baking tips will help transform your snacks into nutrient dense ones .
Autumn is a great time to get into baking . Baked goods are considered occasional treats due to their high sugar and butter content . With a few simple ingredient changes , biscuits , cakes , loaves and crumbles can be great vehicles to pack in nutrients .
Flours
One of the simplest tips for healthy baking is to use wholegrain flour . White flour removes the outer bran and germ of the grain , where most nutrients are found . Wholemeal flour retains more fibre , protein , iron and B-vitamins . If you need to follow a gluten-free diet , try brown rice , buckwheat , quinoa or even legume-based flours .
Nuts and seeds
Rich in unsaturated fats and omega-3 to support heart health – nuts and seeds are great to use in baking . Nut meals ( almond and hazelnut meal ) add moisture from their natural oils . Seeds such as chia and linseeds absorb water and form a gel-like texture when combined with liquids . You ’ ll also get the benefits of added calcium , fibre , iron and zinc .
Flavour
While white sugar adds sweetness in many traditional baking recipes , it does lack depth of flavour . Fortunately , there are many more naturally sweet ingredients that can reduce the need for large quantities of sugar . Try adding fresh or dried fruits such as apples , apricots , berries , dates , pears , ripe bananas and oranges to cakes and muffins . Search your spice cupboard for aromatic cardamom , cinnamon , nutmeg and vanilla . Don ’ t skip the pinch of salt in your baking recipe , as salt helps bring out the sweetness of other ingredients . Grated carrot , pumpkin and zucchini can even be stirred through the batter to add a sneaky dose of vegetables . To reduce saturated fat intake , try replacing butter with mild extra virgin olive oil at a conversion ratio of 1 : ¾ ( butter : olive oil ).
Healthy pantry shopping list :
} almond meal / flour } cocoa , ground coffee and dark chocolate } dried fruit ( apricots , cranberries , dates and figs ) } extra virgin olive oil } gluten-meal free grains and flours
( amaranth , buckwheat , millet and quinoa ) } honey / maple syrup } legumes ( black beans and canned chickpeas ) } LSA ( almonds , ground linseeds and sunflower seeds ) } nuts ( almonds , Brazil nuts , cashews , hazelnuts , pecans and walnuts ) } rolled oats } seeds ( chia , flax / linseed , poppy , pumpkin , sesame and sunflower ) } spices ( cardamom , cinnamon , nutmeg and ginger ) } tahini paste } vanilla bean extract } wholemeal flour .
Fresh ingredients :
} eggs } Greek yoghurt } milk } seasonal fruit ( bananas , berries , citrus , pears and plums ) } vegetables ( carrots , pumpkin and zucchini ).
Toppings
Swap rich and heavy frosting and icings for alternatives such as berries , chopped nuts , sliced citrus fruit and thick Greek yoghurt mixed with a touch of maple syrup and vanilla .
16 YMCA HEALTHY LIVING MAGAZINE