Swap Out #4: White Rice for Quinoa

iVillage.com: 9 Super Easy (and Delicious) Food Swaps to Help You Cut Calories and Lose Weight

Trying to avoid excess carbs but love having grains at dinner? Choose quinoa (pronounced keen-wah), a protein-based grain that will satiate you and provide a host of nutrients. This superstar swap-out can easily be found on supermarket shelves. One serving has about 160 calories, 6 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber.

Calorie Savings: A cup of cooked white rice has 200-250 calories, while a cup of cooked quinoa has about 175-220 calories per serving, but double the protein (8 grams). In this case, the equation isn’t just about calories. Because quinoa is a complex carbohydrate, it won't spike your blood sugar the way a simple carb like white rice will. Plus, the high level of protein in quinoa makes you feel fuller longer, so you tend to eat smaller portions.

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Swap Out #1: Sal...

If you’re on a diet, then you're probably counting calories, fat and carbohydrates. But if you're sacrificing taste, you’re also setting yourself up for a binge. Enjoy your food with tasty replacements that have less calories, fat, sodium and sugar. Start with a fresh take on salads: Use marinated peppers for extra flavor without as many calories as regular salad dressing. Look for brands low in sugar and sodium.

Calorie Savings: On average, full-fat salad dressings can range from100 cal/serving for just two tablespoons. A large pepper piece (about 1/8 of a pepper) has about 30 calories and is rich in vitamin C. Since most of the calories come from the oil the peppers are packed in, blot them before using. Chop up two or three pieces and add to your salad.

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Swap Out #2: You...

Similar to the texture of a turnip, Kohlrabi is a member of the cabbage family and is rich in vitamin C, phytochemicals and minerals. Try these fries that are low carb and rich in nutrients. Peel the thick skin off the kohlrabi to its crisp flesh and cut it into strips, about 1/4-inch in diameter, or use a mandolin to slice it into round chips. Brush lightly with olive or vegetable oil, season with chili powder and cumin or sea salt and black pepper. Bake until brown in a pre-heated oven at 425 degrees, flipping once.

Calorie Savings: A small McDonald's French fry (3.7 ounces) will cost you 300 calories. Baking fresh fries from potatoes at home will lower the calorie count of a similar portion to around 190 calories, depending on how much oil you use. This recipe for Kohlrabi fries is just 100 calories per 6-ounce serving.

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Swap Out #3: Red...

A Portobello mushroom is a decent swap for a burger, but what about a steak replacement? A halibut steak is a good choice because its firm, flaky meat holds up well no matter how you cook it, even on the grill. It also has a sweet, mild flavor so you can dress it with a variety of marinades or rubs. Halibut is low in saturated fat and a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins B6 and B12, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium.

Calorie Savings: A standard skirt steak has 174 calories per 4-6 ounce serving. Even with the visible fat trimmed, about 50 percent of the steak's calories come from fat. A rib eye or sirloin cut has even more fat and calories per serving. A 4-ounce filet of halibut has about 160 calories and 4 grams of heart-healthy fat.

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Swap Out #4: Whi...

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Swap Out #5: Oil...

Want to make a brownie that is lower in calories and fat, higher in fiber and bursting with chocolate flavor? Use prunes. Here’s a baker’s secret: Pureed prunes help to boost the flavor of chocolate. Not a fan of prunes? Use canned pumpkin in lieu of oil in your baked goods. Try this simple recipe from Dr. Oz's -- it uses boxed brownie mix, pureed pumpkin, lemon zest and softened peanut butter. Yum!

Calorie Savings: One ounce of oil has about 270 calories while an ounce of pureed prunes has 72 calories and zero fat. One ounce of salt-free canned pumpkin has 10 calories.

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Swap Out #6: Cro...

Add dressing and croutons to a healthy salad and suddenly you’ve turned it into a high-calorie, high-fat meal. Consider swapping out croutons for dried fruit, like those offered by Crunchies. You can add strawberries, pineapple, mixed berries, tropical fruit, raspberries and mixed fruit. Of course fresh fruit works, too.

Calorie Savings: A cup of plain croutons has about 122 calories, seasoned croutons have more. A cup of Crunchies (though 1/2 cup is usually plenty) has about 100 calories, with 8 grams of fiber.

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Swap Out #7: Ful...

Finding a delicious and creamy swap-out for full-fat ice cream is a challenge. For a more calorie-and fat-conscious regular treat, Laloo’s goat’s milk ice cream is a great choice. Rich in protein and calcium, it’s significantly lower in saturated fat than traditional ice cream and somewhat lower in calories, and they also offer several flavors of frozen yogurt. (Laloo’s strawberry flavor is lowest in fat). So Delicious also offers dairy-free almond milk ice cream with only 1 gram of saturated fat per serving.

Calorie Savings: A 1/2 cup of Haagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream has 270 calories, but a 1/2 cup of So Delicious Vanilla Almond Milk has 130 calories (only 40 of those calories from fat). Laloo’s Strawberry ice cream has 130 calories and 2.5 grams of saturated fat in a 1/2 cup serving.

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Swap Out #8: Pot...

If you want to savor a snack with a crunch, swap out potato chips for whole grain tortilla chips and make them yourself, sans oil. Microwave whole grain tortilla halves for about 20 seconds, flip them over and microwave again. Repeat if necessary until they’re crisp enough to break into chips. Then add hummus or peanut butter for a truly healthy snack. To make kale chips, remove large leaves from their stems. Place the kale leaves on a cooking sheet lined with parchment paper, spray lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with your favorite herbs. Bake at 350–375 degrees until the edges brown (which can be anywhere from 5-12 minutes so watch carefully).

Calorie Savings: Regular potato chips have about 155 calories per ounce with more than 50 percent of the calories coming from fat. Baked chips have 120 calories per ounce, and 25 percent fat. Homemade tortilla chips have 76 calories per ounce and only 1 gram of fat, while kale chips average half the calories of potato chips.

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Swap Out #9: Pre...

Looking for a savory, crunchy snack? Ditch the pretzels which are mostly highly processed carbohydrates with few nutrients, and reach for baked, seasoned chick peas rich in protein and fiber. To make: Rinse 2 cans of chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans). Pat dry with paper towels and set aside. In a mixing bowl combine 1/8 cup of olive oil, 1/2 tsp each of smoked paprika, cumin and turmeric, and a dash of black pepper and sea salt. Add chickpeas, tossing until completely coated. Bake on a non-stick baking sheet at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes, turning occasionally. Leftovers will stay fresh in an airtight container for several days.

Calorie Savings: One ounce of hard, salted pretzels has about 110 calories. An ounce of chickpeas prepared with a light oil coating averages 60 calories per ounce.

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The Secret to We... Trying to lose weight? These 50 delicious (and healthy) foods and drinks will fill you up.

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