# Healthy butter/margarine alternative I found at the store today.



## Banana Brain (Jul 7, 2006)

Its made from olive oil, is seventy calories a tablespoon, and tastes honestly a lot better than milkfat AND vegetable fat spreads. It tastes like super rich premium butter and spreads like margerine. Its still fat, but its actually the healthy kind. Like margerine, its cholestorol free. I really love the taste.


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## unmuzzleme (Jul 7, 2006)

*Smart Balance?*

So, what is the product name?  I have been enjoying Smart Balance as a healthy alternative.  The light version (made with flaxseed oil) is super spreadable and tastes delicious.  It's not so great for baking or cooking, however...


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## Banana Brain (Jul 8, 2006)

Fleischmann's premium blend made with olive oil. I'm not sure how it would bake (probably not very well to replace butter), but its tasty enough to me that I like licking it right of my finger. I'll probably make a grilled cheese sandwhich with it tomorrow (traditional grilled cheese sandwhiches are after all made with EVOO, NOT butter). It would also probably make better garlic bread and just be good on morning toast.


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## erinmself (Jul 10, 2006)

I got some stuff today called Smart Balance light. It is pretty low sodium and it is made mostly from soybean, olive, and canola oils. 45 calories per tablespoon. I have yet to try it though so we'll see how it tastes and cooks.


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## Yakuta (Jul 10, 2006)

I use smartbalance and it's great.  I use it on english muffins or plain toast or cinnamon toast and you seriously don't miss the butter.  It still has oils but it's a great alternative to margarine and other spreads that are high in trans fat.


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## jennyema (Jul 10, 2006)

Tub spreads have a lot of water in them (compared to stick butter/margerine), so they are hard to bake with.


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## jpmcgrew (Jul 10, 2006)

You can cook and bake with regular Smart Balance but can only use the light as a spread.


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## erinmself (Jul 11, 2006)

I made some chowder today and used the smart balance light to sautee some stuff and it worked pretty well.


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## SierraCook (Jul 12, 2006)

unmuzzleme said:
			
		

> So, what is the product name? I have been enjoying Smart Balance as a healthy alternative. The light version (made with flaxseed oil) is super spreadable and tastes delicious. It's not so great for baking or cooking, however...


 
I have been using Smart Balance for a couple of years now and love it. I once put it on the table when my family was visiting and my brother who can be picky about food used it and liked it.  

When I bake or cook I use real butter.  I rarely bake for myself, so what little I eat of the baked goods I feel that I can indulge in using real butter.


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## Michael in FtW (Jul 12, 2006)

Depending on which page you look on ... 1 Tablespoon of fat is 110-120 calories. If you have a "butter substitute spread" that has less calories - it's volume is either pumped up from water or whipped to include a lot of air, or both.

Fats from animal sources contain cholesterol - fats from non-animal sources don't. 

While it will not make any difference when spreading on your bread, sautéing some vegetables, etc - the air/water/fat content _*WILL*_ make a difference in baked goods. For example: Crisco uses air to replace the water in butter on a per-volume basis. So - if you use Crisco to replace butter in a recipe - you have to make a 20% adjustment in the water content of the recipe.

If you're going to bake with these _artificial_ spreads - check the package for substitution instructions.


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## DinaFine (Jul 20, 2006)

I have been using Earth Balance which can be found in natural food stores, and Trader Joe.  It is GMO free and hydrogenated and trans fat free.  I used in baking without any difference in taste or texture.  Since I wont use margarine or any hydrogenated vegetable fat, and cant use butter most of the time due to the need to keep kosher.  This has been ideal.


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## vagriller (Jul 20, 2006)

Good find Brian!


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## QSis (Jul 20, 2006)

jpmcgrew said:
			
		

> You can cook and bake with regular Smart Balance but can only use the light as a spread.


 
Correct, jp.  Therefore, I buy only Smart Balance regular and use it for everything.  It's really good, and I'm a butter snob!

Lee


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## Banana Brain (Jul 20, 2006)

vagriller said:
			
		

> Good find Brian!


Okay, okay, enough with the jokes people...


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## Banana Brain (Jul 20, 2006)

And to respond to what everyone else is saying about its pumped up with water, etc, etc, yes it is DEFINATLY pumped up with water. If you buy this, get ready for something slippery and not thick at all like butter or even spreadable margerine.


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## lunch (Jul 23, 2006)

*vegan butter alternatives*

hello.

any ideas on vegan waffles/butter alternative that doesn't taste too much of coconut?


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## DinaFine (Jul 23, 2006)

lunch said:
			
		

> hello.
> 
> any ideas on vegan waffles/butter alternative that doesn't taste too much of coconut?
> 
> [Use Earth Balance which is not the same as Smart Balance. The water content is lower, and you can use it in any recipe without any difference in taste.


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## TATTRAT (Jul 23, 2006)

I can't believe it's NOT butter!


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