I've discovered that I've found new versions of old favorites that I truly prefer over the old, unhealthy versions... for example, I used to crave pizza with tons of cheese, thick crust, and nearly all available toppings and bunch of veggies and at least 3 or 4 different types of meat. Now, I'm loving thin crust pizza with veggies, no meat, and half the normal amount of cheese. I'd much rather order my new fave than the old version. I may actually try it cheese-less next time - I've never ordered cheese-less pizza in my life

Anyone else have healthier versions of old favorites that you now prefer?

No but that sounds awesome I want to try some!

I use shirataki noodles or spaghetti squash as the base, and 15 calories worth of pesto sauce mix (powder). I mix the powder with either sour cream or a laughing cow cheese wedge or something like that to make low calorie pesto. I love love love love pesto and its not low calorie whatsoever, so this is a great way to get the taste without the fat.

I love making mashed fauxtatoes with cauliflower and just a little bit of instant potato flakes/granules. A HUGE serving is 1 bread and 2 vegetable exchanges. Making instant mashed potatoes according to the box directions is = to 2 bread exchanges and 2 fat exchanges (and no veggies), and the portion is less than half the size of the fauxtatoes.

it's apple season. so of course i was missing my grandma's apple crisp. i always liked it better than pie. i don't even like the crust anyway, and crisp is easier to make.

i simply cut up some apples. sprinkled or poured some low fat granola cereal on top. and bake.
the kids loved it. to me, it tasted pretty close to what i was looking for. without the butter or guilt. of course, i'm on a low fat diet, this isn't low carb. but we gotta love apples next time i'll add allspice or cinnamon.

ooh-great ideas...

I tried the standard shirataki noodles and couldn't convince myself to like them...I've been on the lookout for the tofu combo, but I haven't seen them locally yet, and I don't feel like ordering them online - I'm going to have to try spaghetti squash with your pesto alternative though; it sounds fantastic -

I'm also guessing I'd love the fauxtatoes - I bet the nuttiness of cauliflower works great in that -

Using granola instead of a butter/flour/sugar mix for a fruit crisp is also an inspired idea as far as I'm concerned -

Thanks for the fantastic suggestions

I like using french style green beans (beans cut lengthwise into thin strips) in place of pasta. It's not anything like real noodles, but it's still very good.

My grandma used to make green beans with onion, bacon, and tomato sauce (and a pinch of sugar and dash of vinegar) as a side dish to pour over mashed potatoes. In college, I lived on it, pouring it over baked potatoes instead of mashed. As a short-cut, I'd just throw a can of green beans into a jar of spaghetti sauce.

Now I usually either pour it over the mashed fauxtatoes, or eat it alone as a meal (usually with some type of protein either on the side, or cooked into the sauce).

Like kaplods I like the frenched green beans as a base for a flavorful sauce. I used to do 2/3 of beans and 1/3 whole grain pasta tossed with a bit of pesto- wonderful.

I make nachos with home toasted corn tortillas (cut in wedges), whole black beans or pintos, a pile of veggies (zuccini, onion, pico de gallo) and half a chicken tenderloin boiled with some menudo seasoning. With a token sprinkle of shredded cheese.

I actually ate some nachos at a mexican food place yesterday with friends, a whole order used to be my favorite near weekly lunch/dinner. I can honestly say I like mine better.

One of my favorite columns in Cooking Light magazine was always "Lighten Up" where the magazine would take a reader submitted family favorite and rework it to something healthier.

Green beans in lieu of pasta, what a good idea! I'll have to try that.

I've found I prefer veggie burgers over beef hamburgers, and brown rice over white rice.