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Recipes

4 Ways to Make Your Favorite Junk Foods Healthier

This article is written by a student writer from the Spoon University at Emory chapter.

We all know the cravings. The late night urges to devoir a pint of ice cream, the stress-induced need for French fries, the need to fill the spaghetti-sized hole in your heart, and the Sunday morning hangover cure of pancakes. The problem with these cravings is the calories that come with them. There’s always been a struggle between fulfilling the craving and wanting your favorite skinny jeans to fit, but not anymore. Healthy versions of your favorite junk food, could it be? Have our prayers been answered? Yes they have, by me. 

Banana Ice Cream

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: minutesCook time: 5 minutesTotal time: 5 minutesServings:2 servings

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Blair Baker

    Put the bananas in a blender, blend until smooth. Be patient and scrape down the edges as necessary.

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    Add your favorite topping and enjoy!

Healthy Banana Pancakes

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 5 minutesCook time: 10 minutesTotal time: 15 minutesServings:2 servings

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Blair Baker

    Blend bananas and milk until smooth.

  2. Blair Baker

    Add the rest of the ingredients and blend.

  3. Blair Baker

    Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat and allow the batter to thicken.

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    Fry evenly spaced spoonfuls of the batter until golden brown. Add blueberries or chocolate chips if desired.

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    Serve warm with your topping of choice.

Sweet Potato Fries

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 10 minutesCook time: 25 minutesTotal time: 35 minutesServings:4 servings

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Blair Baker

    Preheat the oven to 400ºF and cut the sweet potatoes into fry-sized wedges

  2. Blair Baker

    Toss the wedges in the oil, then season with salt, pepper, and cinnamon.

    Spray a baking sheet and arrange a single layer.

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    Bake for 25 min or until golden brown. Toss throughout the baking time. Serve and enjoy!

Spaghetti Squash

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 5 minutesCook time: 45 minutesTotal time: 50 minutesServings:2 servings

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Blair Baker

    Preheat the oven to 375ºF and cut the spaghetti squash in half. Scoop out the seeds, drizzle with oil, and season with salt and pepper.

  2. Blair Baker

    Place squash face down on baking sheet and bake 35-45 min, until tender.

  3. Blair Baker

    Let the squash cool and scrape out the inside, going with the grain, to expose, long, spaghetti like strands.

  4. Blair Baker

    Add a cheese sauce for a mac and cheese dish or pesto for a healthier pasta dish. Serve while warm.

Small town, big appetite. Editorial Director