Today, I'm going to give some tips for making your own healthier recipes. There are some great substitutions to help make just about anything healthier. There might be some minor variance in taste or texture-but it's worth it!

Whole milk: Substitute fat free, 1/2 percent or 1 percent milk for evaporated fat free milk.

A whole egg: Substitute with two egg whites, 1/4 c of egg substitute, or my personal favorite, 1 T flax seed and 3 T water

Unsweetened baking chocolate (1 oz): Substitute with 3 t of cocoa powder and 1 T of canola oil

Shortening, lard or butter: Substitute with canola or olive oil reducing the amount by 1/4. For example; use 3/4 c of oil to replace 1 c of shortening, lard, or butter.

Cream or whipping cream: Substitute with an equal amount of fat free evaporated milk or either 1/2 c low-fat yogurt or 1/2 c low-fat cottage cheese.

Vegetable oil: Substitute with an equal amount of applesauce.

Butter: Substitute with an equal amount of polyunsaturated margarine. For baking, switch to applesauce. Make sure the margarine is trans-fat free.

Mayonnaise: Substitute with "light" or equal amounts of plain yogurt.

Cream Cheese: Neufchatel or 4 T margarine mixed with 1 c dry, low-fat cottage cheese.

Ricotta cheese: Substitute with low-fat cottage cheese.