Whenever we speak about the topic of food, it's almost a sure thing that someone will bring up the topic of their favorite food or foods. Unfortunately, due to the seemingly continual rise of excess processing, additives and preservatives being a common part of so many of the foods we eat, choosing a favorite isn't always the healthiest choice, is it?

Thankfully, there are many ingenious ways to "Tasty Substitutes " your favorite (not-so-healthy) foods in ways that are good for you! That's what I'd like to discuss today. Plus, I want to give you some great recipes along the way!

First though, I would like to go over my 3 basic "ground rules" when it comes to choosing the foods you eat. Follow these and you really can't go too wrong:

RULE #1 - Whenever possible, make it yourself. If you are serious about losing fat, you also must get serious about eating healthy, natural "real" foods as much as possible. Go and get the fresh ingredients you need, spend food substitution quality time with your kitchen and start cooking.

RULE #2 - Never eat from a box or a bag. My only exception to this rule is pre-washed lettuce and other greens that are packed in plastic bags. Remember, if it's able to stay on a grocery shelf for weeks, months or even years, how many preservatives are in it, right? Look at the ingredients list; if you can't pronounce it, do you really want to eat it?

RULE #3 - Shop the perimeter of the store. You've heard this again and again. The best, freshest, most nutritious foods are located around the perimeter of the supermarket. So that's where you need to shop, period.

Remember these 3 simple rules, and half the battle is already won! Now, let's talk about some simple and tasty food substitutions.

I want to share three ways that I use natural, healthy ingredients in my cooking, in place of things that would normally be considered "Tasty Substitution ." Also, I'm including a couple of great simple recipes that you can try right away and prove that eating our favorite foods doesn't have to mean eating foods that aren't healthy (or tasty).

Beans, Beans, the Musical Fruit: Don't worry, I'm not going to finish the rhyme (you know the rest). Beans are one of the staples in my kitchen at all times. They are a great substitute for fat-laden ground meats, providing a terrific source of protein along the way. The other thing that beans can give you is the ability to cook and bake without gluten. Gluten is a naturally occurring protein which is usually found in wheat, barley, rye and other carbohydrates. Gluten itself is not necessarily bad for you, but many people do have difficulty digesting gluten (ie. those with celiac disease). By using ground bean flour in place of traditional wheat flour when baking, it is possible to make something "gluten-free." Now, I want to share a great recipe with you for gluten-free brownies with black beans: