Healthy Food Swaps For Autumn Weight Loss

It can feel harder to eat healthy at this time of year.  We think of salads and light meals in summer but come the colder weather we start to think of heavy, stick-to-your-ribs, warming foods and often our calorie consumption creeps up.

But, there are some simple swaps you can make that help you stay on track.

Use Pumpkin in Cake Mixes

One of the easiest healthy food swaps you can do with your autumn treats is to use pumpkin puree in your cakes. Use pumpkin puree to replace fat and eggs. This goes really well in spiced cakes but don’t be afraid to experiment.

If you want to follow a recipe instead of adjusting one here’s a lovely spiced pumpkin cake recipe: Spiced Pumpkin Cake

Sweet Potatoes Instead of White Potatoes

Many people enjoy potatoes, especially in the autumn when you want something a bit more filling but they can lead you to overeat carbs. Instead of having traditional white potatoes in your dishes, try sweet potatoes. These are filled with nutrients. You can have stuffed sweet potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, or even sweet potato soup.

Use Cauliflower for Low-Carb Options

If you are on a low-carb diet, then you should be very familiar with cauliflower. The bland taste and slightly rough texture of cauliflower makes it perfect as a substitute for many of the carb-rich foods we tend to love. You can use it to make mashed cauliflower instead of potatoes, use it instead of rice with it, or even make cauliflower steaks. Be creative and find different ways to substitute the higher-carb ingredients with cauliflower.

Quinoa Instead of Rice

One more substitution you can make for a healthier meal is to replace your rice with quinoa. Rice is fine, particularly brown rice but quinoa has higher protein levels and is more nutritious.   As it’s autumn why not go for a harvest quinoa side dish with squash, pumpkin, roast brussels sprouts and spices, which would be really healthy!