The simple guide to ingredient substitutions for recipes in the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge

Wheat Substitutes

There are many substitutes for wheat and they are all slightly different, with differing textures.  You may need to experiment using a combination of different ones to get the exact consistency or texture that you want.  Some common wheat free flours are:

• Sorghum Flour
• Brown/White Rice Flour
• Sweet Rice Flour
• Tapioca Flour
• Potato Starch
• Buckwheat Flour
• Quinoa Flour
• Coconut Flour
• Ground almonds

You can make your own gluten free flour by mixing together:

1/2 cup rice flour, 1 tbsp tapioca starch, 3 tbsp potato starch and 1/2 tsp xanthum gum.  This makes the equivalent of 1 cup wheat flour.

Another easy way to ‘healthify’ a recipe is by simply swapping white, processed flour for a wheat-based but less processed version like wholemeal or spelt flour.

When swapping flour types, it’s important to adjust the other ingredients accordingly. Here’s an easy guide:

• 1 cup white flour – 1 cup wholemeal or spelt flour
• 1 cup white/wholemeal/spelt flour – 1 cup nut flour/meal + ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 cup white/wholemeal/spelt – 1/3 cup coconut flour + 1-2 tbsp water or more to get the right consistency for your batter/mixture (using more than ½ cup of coconut flour is generally not advised as it can make the end product quite coarse and bitter).

Sugar substitutes

• 1 cup sugar – ¾ cup honey or pure maple syrup + 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup sugar – 1 cup unsweetened apple puree
• 1 cup sugar – 1 tsp liquid stevia or 2 tbsp powdered stevia

Check out how we use a small amount of maple syrup instead of processed sugar in this no bake chocolate peanut butter slice

Coconut sugar substitutes

 Butter substitutes

• 1 cup butter – ¾ olive oil
• 1 cup butter – ½ cup Greek yogurt
• 1 cup butter – ¾ cup pumpkin puree
• 1 cup butter – 1 cup mashed banana
• 1 cup butter – 1 cup coconut oil

Egg Substitutes

• 1/2 a medium banana, mashed
• 1/4 cup of apple sauce (or pureed apple)
• 1 tbsp ground flax seed or chia seeds mixed into 3 tbsp warm water; let stand 1 minute before using.

Try this delicious Chocolate Mousse made with chia seeds (recipe available in the recipe hub of the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge

Milk substitutes

• Almond Milk
• Soy Milk
• Coconut Milk
• Rice Milk
• Oat Milk
• To make buttermilk, add 1 tsp of vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of your choice of milk substitute.

Cream substitutes

• If needing a pouring type cream for a recipe to flavour soups etc, you could use a natural dairy free yogurt, which will have a lot less calories than cream.
• If you do need to use a pouring cream for a sauce or similar you could try blending 3/4 cup of soy or rice milk with 1/4 cup of extra light olive oil. This will equal 1 cup of light cream for your recipes.
• A dairy free or lactose free version of whipped cream can be hard to find – coconut cream is a good alternative but note it is high in calories (approx 330cal per 100grams) so use a smaller amount to keep a healthy balance. A great way to whip coconut cream is by refrigerating a tin of coconut milk overnight (different brands have different results and it is recommended to use a full fat version). After refrigerating, carefully open the tin and there should be a firm, white, waxy layer of coconut cream on the top. Scoop this firm layer out and place in a bowl. You can keep the coconut water at the bottom aside to use in smoothies or something else. Mix with a mixer or hand beaters for 3-5 minutes until it becomes fluffy and light with soft peaks. You could add a small amount of vanilla extract if using the cream for a sweet recipe.

Cheese substitutes

• If you have been following a dairy free or lactose free diet for a while you will probably be aware of the dairy free/lactose free cheese alternatives available at the supermarket and in health food stores and already have a few favourites.
• If you need to find alternatives for cottage cheese or ricotta cheese you could try blending or mashing some firm silken tofu with a dash of lemon juice. Silken tofu can substitute cheese in many recipes, replacing cottage cheese or ricotta in dips, sauces, smoothies, pies, and pasta dishes.
• If you’d prefer to try something other than tofu as a substitute you could use a dairy free yogurt such as coconut yogurt. This would provide a similar consistency to ricotta or cottage cheese and if you needed it for a savoury recipe just choose a plain flavour (remembering that there will always be an element of coconut flavour with these products).

 More on the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge