Christmas is 5 days away!!! What's on your agenda to enjoy your day without the hassle of feeling guilty after the meal and festivities have ended? So, whether you like to indulge into unending amount of yummies or you do not like to indulge during the holiday season and cringe at the thought of fattening main meals and desserts. Well, here are some healthy tips for you to try!
Written by: DeNita S.B. Morris, Senior Health Producer of World Physique Magazine: I saw this and thought it was a great list of Holiday tips that I would like to share with you guys!! You can also read it yourself of there website--World physique.com great site and magazine!!! Enjoy!!!
10 Ways to Remix Your Holiday Recipes
Remix your favorite holiday recipes, keeping the traditional flavor but adding healthy tweaks to cut calories and fat. Try these 10 tips to makeover your favorite holiday recipes:
1. Dress Your Turkey Healthier
It is safer to cook and serve dressings and stuffings on the side. Instead of stuffing your holiday bird, garnish the serving platter with fresh fruit and herbs such as oranges, roasted garlic, fresh thyme, sage and parsley.
2. Save Green on Fresh Produce
Buy fresh collard greens, pumpkin, potatoes, etc. Fresh vegetables retain more of their nutritional value when they are cooked in a healthy way like steaming. You’ll also save money by buying fresh produce because canned varieties tend to be costlier. They also tend to be loaded with salt and sugar.
3. Homemade Is the New Healthy
Instead of buying store-bought broth, stuffing from a bag and macaroni and cheese from a box, it’s better on your budget and waistline to make your holiday recipes from scratch. For example, you can make your own broth for pennies. It’ll taste better, be fresher and it’ll allow you to control how much salt is added to your broth.
4. Sweeten the All-Natural Way
White, refined sugar is just not good for your health. Try replacing some or all of the sugar in your favorite recipes with Stevia, a zero-calorie, all-natural sweetener. Or, use apple-sauce, pureed bananas or prunes. Your sweet tooth won’t know the difference.
5. Separate the Yolk from Egg Whites
Many desserts call for whole eggs. In many cases, one or two egg whites will keep the dish together instead of the usual two-to-three whole eggs called for in traditional dishes. By separating the yolk from the whites of one egg, you’ll save 52 calories and 5 grams of fat, getting only 14 calories of muscle-building protein from one egg white.
6. Use Whole Grain in Your Recipes
There are a variety of whole grain flours, pie shells and breads in the supermarket these days. Always shop for whole grain options even in your baked goods. If your cake recipe calls for all-purpose flour, try substituting half the flour with whole wheat flour. Try whole or multigrain breads in your dressing, too. Whole grains are healthier because they contain more heart-healthy fiber.
7. Cutout the Full-Fat Milk
Use nonfat or low-fat yogurts (try Greek) and milks (go skim) to add creaminess to your favorite recipes instead of full-fat creams, milks and butters. This will help you cut down on calories and fat grams in your recipes.
8. Reach for Low-Fat Cheese
There are a variety of low-fat cheeses on the market. For example, reduced-fat, sharp cheddar and part-skim mozzarella will replace the full-fat varieties, saving you a ton of calories but not skimping on taste. Start replacing part or all of your cheeses with a low-fat variety. Use full-fat cheeses like parmesan sparingly just to finish dishes.
9. Make Fresh Fruit Versions Holiday Favorites
Instead of jellied, canned cranberry sauces, try making your own fresh fruit version that’s sweetened with a zero-calorie sweetener like Stevia. It’ll taste fresher and be healthier for you.
10. Cook with Heart-Healthy Fats
Butter is loaded with saturated (animal) fat which isn’t good for your heart. Margarines are loaded with trans fat which increases LDL or “bad cholesterol.” Opt for using heart-healthy olive oil and canola oil in your holiday recipes, particularly on veggies. Happy Holidays my friends!
