Adding Bacon Flavor To Recipes

I used to cook green beans with bacon. Recently though, my husband's doctor suggested we cut back on this kind of processed meat. But we LOVE the flavor of foods cooked with bacon.

A very easy and yummy way to keep the bacon flavor in your cooking is by sauteing a sprinkling of bacon bits (the kind you buy in packets or jars made from real bacon) in a small amount (about 2 Tbsp. or less) of olive oil. Then cook your beans in the same skillet.

I do the same thing for scrambled eggs, only I use a bit of butter instead of olive oil. You could also use butter alternatives like Smart Balance when you saute the bacon bits. Then cook your eggs in the same pan. You'll have your "bacon and eggs" without the greasy meat.

This works well with other recipes, such as quiche and corn bread. No sauteing needed for these unless you like a crunchier bacon bit.

Using olive oil for your sauteing has the added benefit of a heart-healthy ingredient as well.

By ~gloria from Western NY