How-To: Make Our Recipes Your Own
8:00 PM
By Kristi Tamaki, RD / Best Teen Diets Contributor
If you are anything like us as far as recipes go, one thing, no matter how small or big, can deter you from choosing to make a recipe.
Similar to the process of getting through airport security, there are several checkpoints that a recipe goes through before we decide it’s a “maker”. First, we look at the title. Sound appetizing? Okay, ingredients. This is where recipe writers might be crossing their fingers as we scan the list and make a mental note of the things we have and the things we must buy. List of things to buy too long? We're gone. Ingredients we've never heard of? We’re moving on. But, if we’re satisfied at that checkpoint, the third step is scanning the directions. Four days of prep work? Not the dinner for tonight. Instructions too elaborate? Tools I don’t have? Instructions so long I can’t even get through scanning without becoming impatient? Next… If I make it through though without any hesitations, then we have ourselves a “maker” and we continue forward.
All this to tell you that we understand that recipes aren't always winners. Chances are you've looked at several of our recipes and dismissed them for the prep time, availability of ingredients, or convenience factor. Today we’re taking three recipes and showing you ways that you can alter the recipe to maybe, hopefully, fit your needs.
Breakfast: Quick Breakfast Taco
- Microwave some leftover beans, fish, pork, steak, or chicken in place of the egg.
- Add veggies, especially green! Try one chopped green onion added to the egg before microwaving or a handful of kale leaves, cooked or raw, layered beneath the cooked egg.
- Use a real egg instead of liquid egg substitute.
- Crumble some reduced-fat feta cheese or cotija (a crumbly mexican cheese) instead of cheddar.
- Go international: use kimchi in place of the salsa with leftover teriyaki steak or chicken.
- Replace the tortilla with toast.
Lunch: Tuna Melt
- Omit the shallot or use chopped onion instead (shallots are a bit milder than onions is all).
- Try plain yogurt or avocado in place of the mayo.
- Use 1 teaspoon of dried parsley in place of fresh.
- Don’t have hot sauce? Forget it! It doesn’t break the dish.
- Short on time? Forego toasting the bread.
- Don’t like tomatoes? Try eggplant, cucumbers, or zucchini with feta or goat cheese.
- Replace tuna with canned salmon, chicken or beans (mash the beans so they don’t roll off the toast).
Dinner: Chicken Fajitas
- Don’t get scared by the length of the ingredient list-- the first five are spices!
- Buy cooked chicken breasts and add them into the pan just before serving -- this speeds up cook time!
- Use lime juice in a bottle instead of fresh.
- Use whatever-- we mean whatever-- veggies you have or love!
- Go International (inspired by this)l: Swap these spices for the chile, salt, cumin, garlic, and onion powder.
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- crushed red pepper to taste
- sesame oil instead of olive oil
Best Teen Diets recommends healthy well balanced eating that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein and low-fat or fat-free dairy. We offer nutrition information for teens, parents and educators that emphasizes the importance of healthy eating for teens. For more information visit www.bestteendiets.org
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