It's a quick trick to experiment with ingredients and spices for split-second copies of fast foods you can make at home. Often, just a few tweaks like that are all it takes to create a dish reminiscent of the original, like gourmet pizzas that are prepared with chicken breast, cilantro and a sweet and spicy sauce or burgers stuffed with low-fat pepperjack cheese and olives that get part of their bounce from pinto beans and Mexican spices.

Homemade touches also can mean healthy ones. Cooking can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun and fast, as the following savvy substitutions prove. The dishes are delicious evidence that everyone — including you and your kid helpers — has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family time in the kitchen that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook since there are no right or wrong amounts. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows" at the table.

FRIENDLY, RATHER THAN FRIED, CHICKEN

Dredge chicken pieces in a mixture of egg and low-fat buttermilk and then in whole-wheat breadcrumbs that's been seasoned with curry powder and ground ginger. Bake at 425 F for about 20 minutes, until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 F.

PIZZA WITH PIZZAZZ

Turn on broiler. Top whole-wheat English muffins with low-sugar ketchup that's been mixed with sugar-free apricot jam. Top with shredded, drained canned chicken breast, shredded fresh spinach, fresh cilantro, ground cumin and cardamom and white cheddar cheese and broil until cheese is melted and bubbling.

BETTER BURGERS

To lean ground beef or lean ground chicken breast or lean ground turkey breast, add drained, ground pinto beans and jarred Mexican or Italian seasoning blend, to taste (these tend to have no salt, compared to packets, which tend to have a lot of it). Create a well in the middle of each burger and stuff with small pieces of low-fat pepperjack cheese and finely diced black olives before cooking to an internal temperature of 160 F.

CHINESE FOOD WITH EASE

Get prepackaged wonton wrappers in supermarket refrigerator case and fill with the cabbage mix in a packaged coleslaw mix. Sprinkle with cooked diced baby shrimp, freshly ground black pepper and peach chutney before sealing according to package instructions. Brush skins all over lightly with olive oil and bake at 425 F for about 10-15 minutes, or until lightly browned.

TOSTADA THAT'S THE TOTAL PACKAGE

Brush whole-wheat tortilla on one side with olive oil and place that side down in a skillet and heat until it gets a bit crispy and puffy. Carefully remove with a utensil and place on a paper towel to absorb oil. Top with chunks of tofu you've sauteed (in olive oil that's been seasoned with cumin, cilantro, garlic and onion powders), shredded soy cheese, cooked pinto beans, cooked brown rice, salsa and chopped black olives. Top with guacamole and vegan sour cream.

AFTER-WORK GOURMET COOKBOOK SHELF

Trying "cleansing" recipes even when you are not on a cleanse can be a healthy touch to a regular, everyday diet. The concoctions generally rely on energizing, antioxidant-filled ingredients. One of my favorite books for such cherry-picking is "Super Cleanse: Detox Your Body for Long-Lasting Health and Beauty" by Adina Niemerow. It's a good way to check into the raw food trend, which comprises one of the cleanses, by trying everything from a green juice including celery, rainbow chard or beet greens and an apple for sweetening, to a green apple porridge, to a red bell pepper, collard greens and raw macadamia nut wrap. If you do want to check out a full cleanse, instructions are well covered.

Lisa Messinger is a first-place winner in food writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the author of seven food books, including "Mrs. Cubbison's Best Stuffing Cookbook" and "The Sourdough Bread Bowl Cookbook." To find out more about Lisa Messinger and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com