The apron's on, the oven is heating, you're ready to get cooking and—womp—you realize you're missing an ingredient. Now's not the time to be taking extra trips to the supermarket, of course, but before you throw in the (kitchen) towel, consider getting creative. While not all ingredients can be replaced, these smart swaps can save the day and might even help you save some Points in the process.
8 clever cooking swaps
When you have no flour but want to make flapjacks...
Some mornings just call for pancakes, but if the flour is all gone, try making a batch with mashed banana and beaten eggs instead (the whole family will love this flourless pancake recipe). If you have a Mini Egg Bite Maker, these banana-blueberry pancake bites come out fluffy and delicious.
When you want to bake cookies but you're out of eggs...
Try aquafaba. Aqua-what? It's the liquid that's drained from a can of chickpeas, and it can (surprisingly!) be used as an egg white replacement. Whip the aquafaba like you would egg whites and then use it in this meringue recipe.
When you’re halfway through baking your fave sweet treat and realize you're low on butter or oil...
Swap in unsweetened apple sauce for up to half the butter in baked goods. You can also replace oil for unsweetened applesauce (1:1 ratio) in cake, brownie, and cookie batters, like we did with these mini brownie cupcakes.
When you’re In the mood for a sandwich but the bread box is empty...
Make your own two-ingredient dough using self-rising flour and nonfat plain Greek yogurt. Yep, that's all it takes. Or—if you can't wait that long for a bite—try sweet potato toast.
When you’re about to make a PB&J but realize someone finished the jelly...
Use thinly sliced fresh fruit such as pears, strawberries, or apples on your peanut butter sandwich instead. It adds sweetness and fiber.
When you’re out of spaghetti but really want a big bowl of Italian...
Spiralize some zucchini (or carrots, butternut squash, or beets) and use it just like pasta. You won't miss the noodles at all in this "zoodles" with tomato and basil cream sauce recipe.
When the mayo jar is empty but you're in the middle of making a tuna sandwich...
Reach for plain nonfat yogurt instead. You can swap in equal amounts for the mayo to make creamy chicken, egg, and tuna salad recipes.
When there’s no more tortilla chips but you need nachos and you need them now...
This colorful baby pepper version is a delicious and low-Points way to get your nachos fix.