Hit 100 recipe swaps in my notebook and had to sit down

I was flipping through my old spiral notebook last night and counted up. I have 100 different ingredient swaps written down from the last 3 years. Stuff like using Greek yogurt for sour cream in dips or swapping half the oil in muffins with applesauce. It started because I was broke and refused to go to the store for one missing thing. Now I feel like a food ninja when I can make a meal work with whatever's in the cupboard. Anyone else keep a running tally of their kitchen hacks or am I just weird?

3 comments

3 Comments

milacraig23d agoMost Upvoted

The Greek yogurt swap is definitely a classic, I use it all the time in dips too. One that really saved me recently was using mashed banana instead of eggs in a boxed brownie mix, just watched the bake time since it stays a little fudgier. For stuff like chili or stews where you're out of broth, plain water with a splash of soy sauce and a pinch of garlic powder works way better than you'd think. Also, if a recipe calls for buttermilk and you have none, a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar in a cup of regular milk does the trick after sitting for five minutes. You're not weird at all, this kind of resourcefulness is cookbook gold.

harpery4723d ago

Solid tip with the banana swap, @milacraig, gonna try that next time I want fudgy brownies lol.

wesley_adams23d ago

The banana in brownies trick is smart and all, but people sleep on using canned pumpkin for the same thing. It adds zero banana flavor and keeps them even more moist, plus you get a little vitamin A boost lol. Another thing I've done with @milacraig's buttermilk trick is using plain yogurt thinned with a little water instead, since most people already have that in their fridge. The soy sauce in water for broth is genius too, but I'll add a tiny squirt of sriracha if the recipe can handle some heat. This whole thread is making me realize how many pantry items can moonlight for each other, it's like culinary improv or something.