Killing It in the Kitchen

Using Easy, Common Swaps

BAKING SUBSTITUTES:

You Don’t Have It —– Now You Do!

This baking substitutes will work great in your baked goods.

1 tsp baking powder = 1/4 tsp baking soda + 1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp lemon juice = 1/2 tsp vinegar

1 ounce unsweetened chocolate = 4 tbsp cocoa powder + 1 tbsp butter

1/4 cup cocoa = 1 oz square of unsweetened chocolate

1 tsp cream of tartar = 2 tsp lemon juice or vinegar

1 cup cake flour = 1 cup all purpose flour less 2 tbsp

1 cup self raising flour = 7/8 cup all purpose flour + 1 1/2 tsp baking powder + 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp arrowroot = 1 tbsp flour or 1 tsp cornstarch

1 tbsp gelatin = 2 tsp agar

1 tsp lemon zest = 1/2 tsp lemon extract

1 cup of cake flour = 2 tbsp cornstarch and all purpose flour to fill one cup

1 tbsp tapioca = 1 1/2 tbsp all purpose flour

1 cup self raising flour = 1 cup all purpose flour + 1/2 tsp salt + 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 cup unsalted butter = 1 cup shortening

1 cup corn syrup = 1 1/4 cup sugar + 1/3 cup water

RECIPE SUBSTITUTES:

1 tsp cornstarch = 2 tsp flour (for thickening)

1 tbsp butter or margarine = 1/2 tsp of extra virgin olive oil (frying, sauteing or grilling)

1 clove of garlic = 1/8 tsp garlic powder

red wine = replace with equal amounts of grape juice or beef broth

white wine = replace with equal amount so apple juice or chicken broth

1 cup of beer = 1 cup of chicken broth

1/4 cup of brandy = 1 tsp brandy extract plus enough water to make 1/4 cup

1 cup ketchup = 1 cup tomato sauce + 1 tsp vinegar + 1 tsp sugar

1 cup mayonnaise = 1 cup plain yogurt

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese = 1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese or 1/2 cup grated Romano cheese

1/2 cup Soy sauce = 4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce + 1 tbsp water

1 tbsp chives = 1 tbsp green onions

Substitute any mushrooms type for meat

1 tsp Seasoning salt = 1 tbsp fresh herbs

1 cup packed brown sugar = 1 cup of granulated sugar +1/4 cup of molasses

1 cup honey = 3/4 cup sugar + 1/4 cup liquid

1 cup powdered sugar = 1 cup sugar + 1/3 tsp cornstarch (blend in a blender in batches)

2 tbsp sugar = 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract (cookies, cakes, brownies)

1 tbsp sugar = 1/8 tsp Stevia (affiliate link)

1 cup sugar = 2/3 cup agave nectar

1 cup corn syrup = 1 1/4 cup white sugar + 1/3 cup of water

FAT/OIL SUBSTITUTES:

In many cases, you cannot simply substitute one type of fat or oil for another.  The consistency matters!

When you are out of oil, substitute these items

1 cup butter – 7/8 cup vegetable oil + 1/2 tsp salt

1 cup butter or oil = 1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt (cakes, muffins, cookies)

1/4 cup oil = 1/4 cup applesauce (cakes)

2 tbsp butter = 2 tbsp mashed avocado (sandwiches)

See more fat substitutes in the skinny substitutes list.

EGG SUBSTITUTES:

2 tbsp water + 1/2 tsp baking powder (cookies/cakes)

1/2 banana (batters, breads, brownies)

1/4 cup applesauce (batters, breads, brownies)

1 egg = 1/4 cup pureed tofu + 1 tbsp flour (for vegans)

1 egg = 1/4 cup yogurt (brownies)

1 egg = 1/2 cup buttermilk (cakes)

1 egg = 3 tbsp pureed fruit (cakes)

2 eggs = 1 tbsp white vinegar and 1 tbsp water + 1 tsp baking powder. (stir well – use when cake calls for more than one egg)

1 egg  = 1/4 cup vegetable oil (cookies)

1 egg = 1 tbsp cornstarch + tbsp water (cookies)

DAIRY SUBSTITUTES:

1 cup buttermilk = 1 cup plain yogurt

1 cup half & half = 7/8 cup whole milk + 2 tbsp melted unsalted butter

1 cup heavy cream (won’t whip) = 1/3 cup butter + 2/3 cup milk

1 cup sour cream = 1 cup milk + 1 1/3 tbsp vinegar

1 cup light cream = 1 cup evaporated milk

1 oz sliced mozzarella cheese = 1 ounce sliced tofu (great for sandwiches or crackers)

1/2 cup sour cream = 1/2 cup pureed silken tofu, blended

1/2 cup of ice cream = 1/2 cup of frozen banana, blended

1 cup whole milk = 1 cup fat free milk + 1 tbsp canola oil

1/4 cup butter = 1/4 cup baby prunes (dark cakes or brownies)

1 cup butter = 1/2 cup buttermilk + 1/2 cup applesauce (cakes, breads, muffins)

1 cup cream cheese = 1 cup fat free ricotta cheese

SPICE SUBSTITUTES:

1 tbsp fresh herbs = 1 tsp dried herbs

1 tsp allspice = 1/2 tsp cinnamon + 1/4 tsp ginger + 1/4 tsp cloves

1/4 tsp saffron = 1/4 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp cardamom= 1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp cinnamon = 1/4 tsp nutmeg or 1/4 tsp allspice

1 tbsp cumin = 1 tbsp chili powder

1 tsp apple pie spice = 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon + 1/4 tsp nutmeg + 1/8 tsp allspice + dash of ground cloves

1 tbsp Italian seasoning = 1/3 tsp each of basil, oregano and rosemary

1 tsp poultry seasoning = 3/4 tsp sage + 1/4 tsp thyme

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice = 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon + 1/4 tsp ground ginger + 1/4 tsp ground allspice + 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

 1 1/4 tsp Chinese 5 Spice Powder  =1 tsp ground cinnamon + 1 tsp ground cloves + 1 tsp ground fennel seed + 1 tsp ground star anise

HEALTHY SUBSTITUTES:

1 cup sugar = 1/2 cup applesauce

1 cup butter = 1 cup mashed avocado (good in chocolate brownies etc)

Butter/oil/margarine = equal parts of either unsweetened applesauce or mashed banana (for baking)

1 egg = 1 tbsp chia seeds + 3 tbsp water – grind in a spice mill 

1 egg = 2 egg whites

1 cup butter or shortening = 3/4 cup prunes + 1/4 cup hot water – pureed (brownies, chocolate cakes, dark baked goods)

1 cup breadcrumbs = 1 cup ground oats

Mashed potatoes – try mashed cauliflower

Pasta – try zucchini noodles

Ground beef – substitute ground turkey

Rice – pulse cauliflower in a food processor and stir fry for a few minutes in coconut oil.

Amazing Results with Unorthodox Methods

Ditch the iron or handheld steamer and just grab some ice if you want to get wrinkles out of shirt or slacks. Put two or three ice cubes in the dryer along with one or two pieces of clothing and place it on the hottest setting. The ice melts and turns to steam, getting the wrinkles out. This trick isn’t as effective with heavier clothing, but it’s a miracle on lighter fabrics. The best part is that you don’t have to set the dryer for longer than 10 minutes or so for it to work.

Or place clothing on a hanger.  Go into the bathroom and put it on the shower rod.  Turn on hot water from the shower. Leave the bathroom, shut the door, and wait 10 minutes.  Voila!  Your garment looks perfect.

EMBRACE VINEGAR FOR LOTS OF TASKS.

Your kitchen’s favorite acid can be a superstar on cleaning day. Do you have a collection of cloudy drinking glasses that just won’t come clean? Don’t waste your time scrubbing and scrubbing with traditional soap. A little white vinegar will help get those hard water stains out, along with a whole bunch of other unsightly stains around your home.

For glasses, you can soak them in diluted white vinegar or simply dunk a rag in your vinegar and clean as usual. This trick will also do wonders for your coffee carafe and dirty faucets. If you haven’t cleaned your showerhead in a while, put vinegar in a plastic bag and wrap it tight around the head overnight. In the morning, remove the bag and wipe it down to get it to sparkle.

That’s not even close to the end of vinegar’s powers. For dirty blinds, put some vinegar into a bowl and put your hand into an old sock. Dip your fingers into the vinegar and wipe those blinds down with the sock. It’s far easier than taking the entire set of blinds down to clean them, and it does a much better job.

PICK UP BROKEN GLASS WITH BREAD.

When you inevitably drop a glass and hear it shatter on the floor, you know you’ve got to spring into action to ensure you get every last shard. While picking up the big pieces is easy enough, the small ones can really be a pain.

The hack? Put a little bit of water on a piece of bread to make it a bit damp and press it on the floor where the remaining fragments are. The glass will embed in the bread without the danger of cutting your fingers or feet in the process. It’s much easier than trying to sweep up every last fragment, and you’ll likely be able to catch those tiny bits that are otherwise invisible to the naked eye.

CLEAN A FOGGY MIRROR WITH SHAVING CREAM.

This is a bit of a two-for-one cleaning tip. If you apply traditional shaving cream to your mirror and wipe it down with a paper towel or rag, not only will you rid the mirror of smudges and streaks, but it’ll also keep it from fogging up during a shower for a few weeks. This trick is also useful for cleaning your glasses and car windows.

CLEAN YOUR MICROWAVE WITH LEMON.

Instead of scrubbing, scraping, and scouring away at a splattered microwave mess, you can get a better clean with the help of a lemon. Simply squeeze juice from a lemon into about half a cup of water and drop the remaining lemon in. Put the mixture into the microwave for around three minutes—basically long enough to come to a boil.

The mixture, now steamed, will fill your microwave. Once you let it sit for five minutes, you can open the microwave, remove the bowl, and take a cleaning rag or paper towel to the inside. Any spilled gunk will come off easily, and the lemon and steam will help any lingering odors.

RINSE OUT YOUR BLENDER IN SECONDS.

Instead of disassembling your blender and cleaning those sharp blades by hand, there’s a simple hack that’ll save you time, effort, and a headache. Just fill your blender halfway with hot water, throw in some dish soap, secure the lid, and turn it on. The hot water and dish soap will remove the stubborn residue around the blades, and you’ll be able to just rinse it all out when it’s done.

NEUTRALIZE ODORS WITH A FEW SIMPLE INGREDIENTS.

Instead of needlessly scrubbing your kitchen from floor to ceiling or spraying air-fresheners every time you cook a little salmon, there are simple solutions to get rid of unwanted cooking smells.

One method is to simmer a pot of half water, half vinegar on the stove. The other is to boil a pot of water with orange and lemon peels thrown in right after you cook. This is a quick and cheap way to get rid of unwanted aromas that linger for days even after you crack a window.

CLEAN YOUR BATHTUB WITH GRAPEFRUIT.

Ditch the harsh, expensive chemicals and embrace a more organic way to clean your tub. First, turn the water on and get your tub wet from end to end. Then, simply cut a grapefruit in half, sprinkle a generous amount of salt on the exposed fruit, and begin scrubbing.

The combination of the citrus fruit and salt removes soap stains and other assorted messes while leaving a pleasant smell behind. The same technique can be used on sinks, faucets, and fixtures as well. If you’re looking to switch to easier, more natural cleaning solutions, the grapefruit is a safe bet.