How Holiday Foods Can Be Good For Your Soul AND Your Waistline!

With the holidays and good food all around us, it’s a difficult time of year to maintain good eating habits. December often becomes a month when we let ourselves go as we are busy with holiday shopping, have little time to exercise, and would rather gain a few pounds and enjoy delicious foods, instead of forgoing them altogether. Since traditional favorites like pies, cookies, and eggnog are difficult to skip over, this year we would like you to try something different!

Instead of practicing resistance, practice substitution (and portion control)! There are many recipe substitutions that allow you to replace unhealthy ingredients with healthy ingredients without destroying the taste. See substitutions below.

Also practice the following ideas so your New Year’s Resolution doesn’t have to be so difficult to attain:

-   Moderation. We all know the saying, “Everything is good in moderation,” but the challenge is sticking to it. If there are many desserts to choose from, try one bite of each instead of eating a couple and then revisiting the dessert table later for another round.

-   Portion control. Use a salad plate when serving your meal instead of a large dinner plate.

-   Eat! Try to eat 5-6 small (and healthy) meals throughout the day instead of one or two really big meals. Choose easy snacks to eat between meals to curb your hunger. Visit the previous Smart Snacking post for ideas. http://scalivingwell.blogspot.com/2011/06/smart-snacking.html

-   Start or end each day with a brief workout. If your time is limited and you cannot make it to the gym or if it is too cold to walk outside, consider doing a workout video On Demand, Wii Fit, or a series of exercises that increase your heart rate (i.e. jumping jacks, running in place, etc).

-   Offer a fruit platter or fruit salad as a lighter and healthier dessert option.  

-   Recognize your hunger signals. If you plan to attend a gathering of family and friends and lots of food, consider having a small, healthy snack before heading over so that you do not over-indulge at the party. Pay attention to your hunger, not your cravings. Drink a glass of water for extra filling. Also consider bringing a dish that is healthy and delicious so that you and others have a healthy option to choose from.

-   Be aware of calorie content and make smart choices.

-   For additional holiday tips, visit “Healthy Holidays” http://scalivingwell.blogspot.com/2011/11/healthy-holidays.html.

Be creative and willing to experiment. Not all recipes will taste the same, but they still may taste delicious, and more importantly, they will be healthier for you and your family. So don’t be afraid to alter your traditions a bit….as generations to come with be thankful for it!

RECIPE CALLS FOR…	USE INSTEAD…
Oil	Applesauce (only when baking). Amount of oil can usually be reduced in other recipes.
Butter or shortening	Half butter and half applesauce or prune puree (also, 1 Tbs butter can be substituted with ¾ Tbs liquid canola oil or Smart Balance spread, which has similar calorie content, but lowers cholesterol).
Cream cheese	Low-fat unsalted cottage cheese pureed until smooth
Heavy cream (1 cup)	1 cup evaporated skim milk or ½ cup low-fat yogurt and ½ cup plain low-fat unsalted cottage cheese, pureed.
Egg (1)	2 egg whites, or egg substitute
Sugar (granulated)	Sugar substitute, such as honey, molasses, agave nectar, or Splenda. Or cut the amount of sugar by ¼ or 1/3. Also add extra vanilla or cinnamon to intensify the sweetness
Salt	Reduce the amount of salt and supplement with other seasonings
White flour	Whole wheat flour
Sour cream	Low-fat plain yogurt or fat-free sour cream
Whole milk (1 cup)	1 cup fat-free or low-fat milk
Unsweetened baking chocolate (1 oz)	3 Tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
Candied sweet potatoes or white potatoes	Fresh sweet potatoes
Pecan pie	Pumpkin pie
Dark meat	White meat
Fried	Grilled, baked, or steamed