Live It Articles June 2002

A common question asked of me is how to determine the exchanges of a new recipe or a family favorite that a member has converted to a First Place recipe. Summer is here and many First Place members may have more time to develop new recipes. I pray this article will encourage you to learn this process. It may seem a little complicated at first, but the more you use this chart the simpler it becomes.

We all have family favorites that can easily be converted to a First Place recipe. All you may need to do is remove excess amounts of sugar and fat from the recipe. An artificial sweetener of your choice or unsweetened applesauce can often replace sugar. The amount of fat can also be reduced or removed by using applesauce, yogurt, or buttermilk. I start with equal amounts of the replacement and will sometimes need to adjust those amounts, depending on other ingredients in the recipe. Keep powdered milk on hand; it can be added to many recipes to replace the bulk when you remove sugar. Experiment with your recipe, but keep pen and paper handy to list added ingredients so you will be able to correctly determine the exchanges.

When using ingredients not listed in the "Live-It" section of your Member's Guide, we determine the exchange using the information at the beginning of each Live-It Food Group, along with the information on the Nutrition Panel of the product.

Common sense is your best friend when determining exchanges. For instance, if I am adding powdered milk to a recipe, I know this is milk and 90 calories of any milk is a milk exchange. It is important to memorize the calorie amount of each exchange. Some items are lumped in the bread section, such as Cool Whip Free. Even though it may not be a great bread choice, it is similar to a bread exchange.

For example, if you use Cool Whip Lite, subtract the fat calories (5 grams = 45 calories) and the calories that remain are bread. These numbers do not have to be exact, just close.

On page 148 of the First Place Member's Guide is the Recipe Conversion Chart. Make several copies of this page. We use this chart each time we need to determine the exchanges for a recipe. On page 147 of the Member’s Guide is an example of how to use this chart. The technique on the sample chart is correct, but some of the exchanges are not. A corrected Conversion Chart is here. Step by step directions are given on the sample chart in the Member’s Guide.

There are many books available that give exchanges of products. Convenience Food Facts is a great one for First Place members who enjoy cooking; the Fast Food Facts is great for those who enjoy eating out. Both books come from International Diabetes Center at www.idupublishing.com. Another good site is www.diabetes.org or phone 1-800-232-6733, offering books that aid in good meal planning and exchange information. Both will send a free catalog.

You may choose to purchase software such as MasterCook Cooking Light, which allows you to enter the ingredients and the exchanges are calculated and given.

If experimenting with new recipes is not "your thing," First Place has two great recipe books that you can purchase: The First Place Recipe Book and First Place Favorites have the exchanges listed for each recipe.

LIFE THAT WINS BIBLE STUDY
Correction
Life That Wins Bible Study Week Five, Day 2 Psalm 119:10 should read Psalm 119:111

May God Bless Your Efforts,

Kay Smith
First Place Associate Director


Kay is the associate national director of First Place and has been on the First Place staff since 1987.

Kay is a popular speaker at retreats, seminars, Conferences, FOCUS Weeks and Workshops across the country. Kay is the First Place food exchange expert and writes a monthly article in the First Place E-Newsletter on nutrition. She also was a contributing writer to the Today Is the First Day devotional book. Her delightful personality and love for people endears her to everyone she meets, and they quickly become her new best friend.

Kay and her husband, Joe, live in Roscoe, TX. They have two children and five grandchildren. Two of the young grandchildren are making a name for themselves on the golf circuit. Two of the young grandchildren are making a name for themselves on the golf circuit, and the three oldest grandsons are all involved in numerous sporting events, which Kay and Joe attend as often as possible.