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While the holidays bring smells of gingerbread and sugar cookies, pumpkin pie, and nutty brownies, baking is a year-round hobby for many, which is great for their friends and family. But it's not the best when you're trying to maintain healthy lifestyle.

It's easy to get caught up in the fun of baking and forget about the sugar, butter, and extra calories that go with it, but a few simple alternatives can help you maintain the fun (and the yum), while holding onto the healthy principles that support overall good health and wellbeing.

FOR WHITE SUGARRaw Honey:
For every 1 cup of sugar, substitute 1/2 to 2/3 cup honey.Pure Maple Syrup:
For every 1 cup of sugar, substitute 2/3 cup of maple syrup AND
reduce quantity of liquid ingredients (water, milk, juice, etc.) by 1/4 cup AND
lower baking temperature by 25 deg F.Mashed Bananas:
For 1 cup of sugar, use 1 cup of mashed bananas.
To get a smooth consistency, use overripe bananas and puree in a blender while adding water as necessary.
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FOR ALL PURPOSE FLOUROat Flour:
There will be some rising and moisture issues when using oat flour. Hence, if what you're making requires baking powder, for every cup of oat flour, use 2 1/2 tsps baking powder. For other baked goods, its best to research how to adjust for each type of situation because it's not a 1-to-1 equivalence.Coconut Flour:
For 1 cup of regular flour, use 1/4-1/3 cup of coconut flour. This type of flour soaks up more moisture than all purpose flour, hence add more liquids to your baked goods such as eggs, buttermilk, water, etc.Whole Wheat Flour:
1:1 cup whole wheat flour to all purpose flour. Not gluten-free so it might not be appropriate for some baked goods. Be sure to check the label for "whole wheat" not just "wheat".Brown Rice Flour:
1:1 cup brown rice flour to all purpose flour. Generally gluten-free and can be used in most recipes. Has a nutty flavor, great for crackers, muffins, and other uses where smoothness is not a priority.
FOR EGGSTofu:
1/4 cup of pureed silken tofu for 1 egg. Best for custards, flan and quiches where a dense smooth finish is desired.Ground Flaxseed:
3 tbsp water + 1 tbsp of ground flaxseed for 1 egg. Best for use with cakes, muffins and cookies.
(Note: This article is a work in progress and additional substitutes for healthier baking ingredients will be added.)


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