Delicious, Healthy Substitutes for 'America's Most Wanted Recipes'

July 29, 2009— -- Ron Douglas, author of "America's Most Wanted Recipes," dropped by "Good Morning America" today to share copycat recipes from the country's top restaurants.

Dishes on his list include IHOP's banana-nut pancakes, Applebee's fiesta lime chicken, Olive Garden's fettuccine alfredo and Outback Steakhouse's marinated steak.

One reason to try preparing these recipes at home: When dining out, people tend to consume more calories than they do when they make foods at home. Children, especially, tend to take in more calories at restaurants, Douglas writes.

To reduce the calories in a recipe, the preface of his new book suggests the following substitutes:

If the recipe calls for salt, substitute herbs, spices or salt-free seasoning mixes or herb blends.