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Surprising ingredient swaps to make your favourite recipes healthier

We're putting beans in chocolate cake, chickpeas in cookies and making risotto with cauliflower! And yes, they taste amazing!

By Weight Watchers
Last updated 27 October 2023

Imagine making a rich chocolate cake with that sought-after fudgy texture without using a ton of butter. Or how about a lemon meringue pie with no egg? Thanks to these recipes that use unexpected, healthy ingredients, you can enjoy the foods you love whenever the mood strikes.

It might sound crazy, but we're using pantry goods like cannellini beans, silken tofu and everyday vegetables to add creaminess and texture to desserts, bakes, soups, and more, all while cutting down on fat and making these crowd-favourite dishes more nutritious. From chickpea cookies to aquafaba ice cream, here are our best recipes broken down by their I-can't-believe-it ingredient.

Recipes that use unexpected ingredients