Learning creative modifications to substitute certain ingredients with other alternatives is a wonderful skill set to have for numerous reasons. The simplest reason is that knowing how to quickly improvise saves time, money, energy, stress, and gasoline by preventing a trip to the store which you might otherwise have needed in the spur of a moment. If you decided a spontaneous batch of brownies for tonight’s company would be an extra treat but then find halfway through the recipe that your oil is gone, using black beans will save you from a frenzied trip to the store and gift you with a margin of time to rest before their arrival.

Another wonderful reason to learn to modify recipes is because I have found that often my best recipes have been developed through my needing to be creative when only certain ingredients are on hand. I personally believe recipes are overrated and only open a recipe book a couple times a year. Experimenting in the kitchen can be a most rewarding, adventurous way to eat more variety, mix up your normal menu, and create innovative eats!  Each of my celebrate nutrition cooking videos shared here on Couv.com are the result of this same experimenting.  After all, who would ever have thought chocolate mousse could taste so heavenly made from avocado and be just as healthy, too?

One of my favorite reasons to modify a recipe is out of consideration of those who have food allergies or food sensitivities. Many individuals today cannot digest dairy, gluten, and eggs or have special needs for their health. A perfect example of this is shown in my Raw Mango Crumble. A store-bought gluten-free pie crust for a dessert is usually both very costly and is not known for being tasteful. Why not both add fiber, nutrients, and a delicious taste with my date pecan pressed crust in this recipe!

Stay tuned next week for the second half of Leanne’s creative modifications and further benefits for substituting ingredients. Food is our fuel for life so build your skill set with my wonderful insights for living life abundantly.

PART ONE:
Print this PDF to keep in your kitchen for continued use over the years!