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Your mission, if you choose to accept, is to revamp a recipe to cut out the processed food ingredients.
Level of Commitment: Making Strides
Many of you may already be doing this regularly. It’s practically a necessity if you want to eat healthy foods that your family enjoys. If you’re a seasoned pro, please help out those baby steppers who are dying to make their husband’s favorite such-and-such with real food ingredients.
We’re talking both main dish recipes that include convenience items you want to avoid like onion soup mix or ranch dressing mix as well as standard quick bread recipes that you want to give a nutritional boost.
I’ve demonstrated the method a few times here at KS:
- Apple Squares
- One-Bowl Pumpkin Muffins or Bread
- Slow Cooker Stew with Beans a la Tuscany
- “Homemade” Turkey Sausage and Sausage Spinach Pasta Toss
- and the famous Dad’s Homemade Cheeseburger Helper Substitute
Here is a primer on reverse engineering and healthifying recipes. It covers substitutions for common recipe ingredients, such as:
- corn syrup
- cream of ____ soups
- ketchup
- white flour
- white sugar
- corn or soybean oil
- canned chili beans
- tomato soup
What else is in the ingredients on your boxes and cans or favorite recipes that you want me to tackle?
This mission is mostly about recipes you already make at home, like these cream of chicken soup casseroles (with reverse engineering instructions included). Next week we’ll talk about making storebought foods from scratch, like crackers, salad dressings and more.
Look for a hamburger helper fake-o recipe round-up this Thursday, my husband’s favorite meal reverse engineered Friday, and a gathering of homemade salad dressings next Tuesday. (If you’re a blogger, you can link up your recipes.)
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If you missed the last Monday Mission, click here.
Kitchen Stewardship is dedicated to balancing God’s gifts of time, health, earth and money. If you feel called to such a mission, read more at Mission, Method, and Mary and Martha Moments.
Hungry for more? Related posts:
Looking forward to tomorow’s post! I do quite a bit of reversal here…hubby has a LOT of unhealthy dishes and snacks that he insists on having, and the truth is he doesn’t even know that I’ve “healthified” all of them!
alexis´s last blog ..Super-Simple Salad Dressings
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I just posted a hamburger helper remake recipe myself before I read this! I look forward to learning more things to make in a healthy way for my poor box-and-can-loving husband!
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Katie Reply:
January 25th, 2010 at 9:33 pm
Angie,
Katie
Definitely still link up on Thursday!
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oh my gosh I am so excited about this post!! Looking forward to it!
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I do get frustrated with a lot of the freezer cookbooks since so many recipes call for canned soups..
My goal is no more store bought snacks..
I just made homemade soft pretzels .. now I have to make them healthy.. perhaps soak, remove the sugar and do half white/half wheat flour.. thanks for keeping me thinking Katie!
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Up until recently I just avoided recipes with processed ingredients (truthfully, those “recipes” often make me angry — like I couldn’t figure out to combine a box of cake mix and lemon pudding?? Or a can of soup and some pasta? Come on. That’s not a real recipe). But recently I’ve started working on some revamps because some of my favorite recipes included just one canned ingredient but the rest was all homemade! I’d love to see your ideas though, because there’s a lot I haven’t figured out yet!
Kate´s last blog ..Cloth Around the House
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Something I wish I never did see is dried beef or chicken buillon…argh! I have never found a single one that does not have msg.
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Really looking forward to having your tips for avoiding processed ingredients all in one post!
I just found a great recipe for onion soup mix in Tosca Reno’s book “The Eat Clean Diet Recharged” We like to add that flavor to all sorts of stuff.
I’ve tried several substitutes for Hidden Valley Ranch Buttermilk mix but they just aren’t the same. I use 1/2 tsp or so to make dressing using the Top Secret Recipe version of the Outback Steakhouse ranch dressing. Of course there is mayo in it too. It’s just so good. Got a good substitute?
Keep up the good work, Katie! You’re inspired!
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I often have to reverse engineer recipes because I am dairy free. One of the biggies it the cream of __ soups, which I usually sub for with basic white sauce with chicken bouillon.
I love ranch dressing, but can’t have because of the dairy. I love the buttermilk dressing mix from Penzey’s spices. I mix it with rice milk and mayo for a great dressing (I also sprinkle it on chicken and lots of other things, so it isn’t just a one purpose thing to buy)
Vanessa´s last blog ..
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I would love to have a recipe to replace Campbell’s Tomato Soup. It is the main ingredient in the household favorite recipe for spaghetti meat sauce and others.
I have tried substitute recipes for cream of mushroom soup and been very pleased.
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I have a question about shortening. I stopped buying shortening, but a few months ago I bought some Spectrum non-hydrogenated organic all-vegetable shortening, but I was wondering just today if it’s a good choice? If not, what would you recommend to swap for shortening? Thanks! This post was timely!
Kari ´s last blog ..Snow Day (part two #2)..more playing!
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I’m looking forward to the cracker recipes. Whole Wheat crackers are so expensive. My son refuses to eat sandwiches but he will eat peanut butter on crackers…..SO if I could just find a healthy cracker (that didn’t break the bank)…
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My last two holdouts are mayo (Best Foods) and mustard (Grey Poupon dijon). I’ve made mayo before, but my husband just doesn’t like it as much as Best Foods. And I have a love affair with Mr. Poupon. Have you tried Sally Fallon’s mustard recipe? I just can’t imagine anything as good as Poupon.
Anyway, keep up the good work! Looking forward to new ideas & recipes!
Lori´s last blog ..I am a cereal freak. (Homemade Grape Nuts Cereal)
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Jen Reply:
January 26th, 2010 at 1:38 am
It’s spendy, but we love Wilderness Family Naturals Mayo. We just use a lot less now.
I had to resort to this when I couldn’t find a homemade recipe we liked, and there are NO good options (without soybean oil) sold in any stores that I can find.
Also, Eden Organics make a brown mustard (in a glass jar!) that is great. I use this now, in place of dijon. Tropical Traditions sells it for a good price (even better on free shipping days), but I think you can buy it in plastic at regular grocery stores too.
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Hi Katie! Do you know anything about xanthan gum? I see it listed all the time, particularly for gluten-free recipes. Is this OK real food-wise
Jendeis´s last blog ..Flickering Flame
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Sonia Reply:
January 26th, 2010 at 2:51 pm
I wondered about this ingredient too.
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I’m looking for a soaked cookie recipe… (I think you might have even alluded to one down the road) or other NT style sweet treats for which I can use whole wheat flour or whole grains. …Not recipes that call for sprouted flour or other alternatives that I would have to special order and are many times more expensive.
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Katie Reply:
January 30th, 2010 at 3:22 pm
Sarah,
Just remembered about this one for you!
http://www.cheeseslave.com/2009/05/04/healthy-soaked-oatmeal-cookies/
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Hi Katie! Can’t wait for this article. My problem in the winter is powdered hot chocolate. We’re talking a cup almost every night. Do you know of a substitute? I just starting reading Nourishing Traditions and I’m excited to be learning more!
K @ Prudent and Practical´s last blog ..Sesame Turkey Recipe
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Travis Alexander Reply:
January 25th, 2010 at 10:27 pm
I have that exact same problem. There’s nothing better than a nice cup of hot chocolate, I swear!
Travis Alexander´s last blog ..5 Practical Ways To Overcome Self Doubt
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I’d love a homemade recipe for italian and greek dressings. Also, crackers would be good, my DD loves goldfish crackers but I refuse to buy them anymore! lol
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Lenetta @ Nettacow Reply:
February 1st, 2010 at 11:25 pm
If I may suggest ones on my list to try :>) here’s one from Heavenly Homemakers and a sourdough one from Sarah’s Musings – both are Katie-approved sources!
Lenetta @ Nettacow´s last blog ..Declutter Challenge: 40 Bags in 40 Days
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Sonia Reply:
February 2nd, 2010 at 9:39 am
Thanks! I’ll look into those.
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