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Baking tips tor a healthy and happy holiday season

by Dani Renouf, RD, MSc and Mikaela Kroeker, Student and Jennifer Snyder, Student

The holiday season can often pose a challenge for many of us, given our health goals and needs. Many factors are at play, including difficulty controlling portions at a buffet dinner, lack of availability of healthy foods at parties, and a sense of feeling overwhelmed about how to make healthier substitutions to those beloved family recipes.

The happy news is: yes, you can bake. By following these practical tips, you can ensure that your holiday treats will be a success among family and friends, while feeling confident that the food choices you make are also benefiting your health. It’s a whole new way of looking at holiday treats.

Start with the essentials

Most recipes call for baking powder, which contains sodium and phosphorus. To help limit the use of these ingredients, prepare your own phosphorus-free baking powder by mixing the following ingredients together: 4 Tablespoons cream of tartar 2 Tablespoons baking soda

Mix these ingredients together and use 1 Tablespoon of the mixture in place of 1 Tablespoon commercial baking powder. Store the remainder in an airtight jar for up to one month.

Although cream of tartar is a source of potassium, it is diluted greatly in a baking recipe, so baking with it will not significantly contribute to potassium intake if used in small quantities, such as a tablespoon. Fall 2022 / Kidney Living / 19

Switch it up

The best part about baking is that you have leeway to make creative substitutions. Try these easy switch-ups for kidney-friendly and delicious treats. • Instead of… Mashed bananas (high in potassium), Try…Unsweetened apple sauce • Instead of…White sugar (raises blood sugar), Try… Cinnamon or pureed pears • Instead of…Dried fruit (high in sugar and potassium), Try… Chopped pineapple • Instead of… Salt, Try…Holiday flavours such as rosemary, thyme, nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom and sage • Instead of… Butter or hydrogenated vegetable fat, Try… Plain non-fat yogurt and vegetable oil

Freeze

Even though baked goods can be made with nutritious ingredients, they are still a source of added calories. Try baking in smaller batches, freezing leftovers for another special occasion to help manage portions through the festive season a little more effectively.

Try this great recipe for shortbread from Kidney Community Kitchen as part of your holiday baking. 

Cranberry Shortbread Cookie Bars

1 cup butter, room temperature ¾ cup sifted icing sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour ½ cup finely chopped dried cranberries

Heat oven to 3250F with the rack in the centre. Combine butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and flour in a large mixing bowl. Beat with a wooden spoon until combined but not too creamy. Stir in dried cranberries. Pat dough evenly into an 8" or 9" square baking pan. Bake until just beginning to turn golden, about 20 minutes. Place pan on cooling rack until cool enough to touch, about 20 minutes. Run knife around edges, remove shortbread and transfer, right side up, to work surface. Use a sharp paring knife to cut into bars. Optional: Try using 1 tablespoon grated orange zest instead of the vanilla for orange cranberry bars.

RECIPES & INFO TO HELP YOU MANAGE YOUR RENAL DIET

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