Davis - The Healthy Swaps Cookbook Easy Substitutions to Boost the Nutritional Value of Your Favorite Recipes

To my husband, Deano,

WHO ENCOURAGED ME TO START A FOOD BLOG.

WITHOUT YOU, NONE OF THIS WOULD BE POSSIBLE.

The Swap: Lean proteins instead of high-fat, calorie-dense meats.

When I was growing up, my mom made dinner for us every night. Eating home-cooked meals as a family was a sacred tradition that we did Monday through Friday. My parents, three brothers and I would share stories from our days as we enjoyed a delicious meal together. My mom is an amazing cook, and some of my favorite meals were tacos, spaghetti and meatballs, chili and chicken tenders.

These meals, though comforting and nostalgic, werent always the healthiest. As was the custom in the 90s, my mom used full-fat and sometimes processed ingredients to aid in her cooking. For instance, for taco night, she used fatty ground beef and packaged, processed taco seasoning.

As an adult, I keep the tradition of sitting down and eating dinner with my family every weeknight alive. I also still eat the meals I loved as a kid. The only difference is that I make these meals much healthier by incorporating a few simple swaps, particularly by using healthier, leaner proteins to make my favorite meals nutritious too.

In this chapter, I will show you how to make delicious and healthy main dishes using cleaner proteins and less-processed ingredients to make every dish shine. Taco night is still a staple in my house, but I use leaner pork, slowly cooked to perfection in a smoky homemade pineapple marinade and served with a fresh pineapple salsa, to make .

These nutritious and flavor-packed meals are sure to keep your loved ones full and healthy while making family dinners memorable too.

Ground turkey is a great alternative to beef because its low in fat and high in protein. Turkey gets a bad rap for lacking flavor, but these Thai Turkey Meatballs are anything but boring. Theyre tender, juicy and bursting with big flavors from fresh herbs and spices like garlic and ginger. The meatballs soak up a spicy and creamy coconut curry peanut sauce. Its all served over a bed of warm, fluffy brown basmati rice. Its the perfect combination of cozy and healthy. This delicious and satisfying dish will turn you into a ground turkey lover!

YIELD: 4 TO 6 SERVINGS

Thai Turkey Meatballs

1 lb (454 g) lean ground turkey

1 large egg, beaten

cup (45 g) whole-wheat panko breadcrumbs

1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce

1 to 2 tsp (5 to 10 ml) Sriracha

tsp salt

tsp black pepper

cup (25 g) coarsely chopped green onion

cup (12 g) coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

cup (35 g) coarsely chopped water chestnuts

2 tsp (6 g) minced ginger

2 tsp (6 g) minced garlic

Coconut Curry Peanut Sauce

1 tbsp (15 ml) extra virgin olive oil or sesame oil

medium white onion, thinly sliced

1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced

to 1 tsp salt, divided

1 tbsp (9 g) minced garlic

1 tbsp (9 g) minced ginger

2 tbsp (30 g) red curry paste

1 (15-oz [444-ml]) can light or full-fat coconut milk

cup (65 g) smooth peanut butter

3 tbsp (45 ml) honey or agave

2 tbsp (30 ml) fish sauce

2 tbsp (30 ml) soy sauce

tbsp (8 ml) rice wine vinegar

tbsp (5 g) cornstarch

1 tbsp (15 ml) cold water

Juice of small lime

For Serving

2 cups (370 g) brown basmati rice, cooked

cup (24 g) finely chopped fresh cilantro