Healthy Holiday Eating Tips

Healthy holiday eating does not mean you have to deprive yourself of all your favorite goodies.

The last thing most of us want to think about over the holidays is dieting or watching what we eat. After all, Thanksgiving and Christmas starts the party festivities that last well into the New Year.

The pressure is always on during the holidays with family and friends baking all kinds of yummy treats. Or maybe you're baking batches of cookies for your kids to take to school.

Whatever it may be, it's definitely a time to be tempted to over-eat and put on those extra pounds.

So what do you do to avoid all that?

First, use healthy cooking substitutions in your cooking and baking for healthy holiday eating.

Tips for Healthy Holiday Eating

    - Use 2 egg whites in place of 1 whole egg
    - Use apple sauce in place of oils when baking
    - Choose skim milk in cooking and baking - you really can't taste a difference.
    - Replace ice cream with frozen yogurt
    - Use low-fat cheeses in your recipes
    - Use low-fat sour cream or low-fat plain yogurt in place of sour cream
    - Instead of using baking chocolate, substitute one square of baking chocolate with three tablespoons of cocoa mixed with 1 tablespoon of apple sauce.

Meat Dishes
Choose lean meats such as turkey or chicken.

Stuffing
If you prepare stuffing using giblets, try using dried fruits such as apricots, raisins, and cranberries in place of half of the giblets. It's delicious and makes a pretty dish on the table. You'll also have less fat and calories if you prepare the stuffing separately from the turkey.

Gravy and Sauces
Instead of using the meat drippings to make your gravy or sauces, use fat free or low-fat broths.

Pumpkin Pie
Change your filling a little to reduce calories and fat. Use skim milk or evaporated milk, for more flavor replace half the white sugar with brown sugar. Also, add more spice than normal. The spices really do make the taste and you can cut the sugar back a little more!

Eggnog and Other Drinks
When you make egg nog, use skim milk and low-fat or fat free half and half instead of cream and egg yolk. If you buy egg nog, you'll find both fat free and low-fat available.

For a different treat, mix one quart low-fat eggnog with one can of orange juice concentrate until its smooth. Then add twelve ounces (one can) of ginger ale and blend stirring gently.

How to Maintain Healthy Holiday Eating Habits at Parties and Dinners

With all the special holiday food and treats around, it can be very tempting to over-indulge. Especially if you've been dieting and exercising to lose weight.

So...what can you do to maintain your focus on healthy holiday eating and not over-indulge over the holidays?

- Focus on maintaining your weight versus trying to lose weight over the holidays.

- Don't think about "dieting" during the holidays or in the New Year. Too often we start making ourself promises of "as soon as the holidays are over" and this allows us to over-indulge knowing we can "diet" later.

- Maintain physical activity, take an extra walk, go jogging, or do some aerobics. This not only helps with your weight maintenance, but if you have any stress over the holidays, it can help relieve the stress.

- Don't skip meals. No matter what time you may be going somewhere to eat, eat regular meals and even have a healthy snack like fruit before you go.

- Limit your alcoholic drinks... they are loaded with calories. Dry wines and drinks made with diet mixer have fewer calories.

- Enjoy what you do eat and don't drive yourself crazy when you really want to eat something special. Moderation is the key!

Keep these healthy holiday eating tips in mind but do enjoy your family and friends. Make them the focus of the parties and you won't think about food as much!

I have a special treat for you! Zel Allen, the author of The Nut Gourmet: Nourishing Nuts for Every Occasion has given me permission to post some of the recipes from The Nut Gourmet. These recipes aren't only delicious, but they are very healthy, easy to make, and will make a special dish on your holiday table!

The photos are the actual dishes and are provided by Zel Allen.

Healthy Holiday Eating Recipes from The Nut Gourmet

This kettle, enriched with not one but two nut butters, can fall into two categories: an appetite teaser that will serve twelve to fourteen guests, or a wholesome entrée for six hearty appetites. Offer guests a small starter by serving the soup in attractive teacups. As a main dish, begin with a salad and serve a generous portion of soup along with whole grain bread. This is a great healthy holiday eating tip!

Yam and Nut Butter Soup

Yield: 6 servings as an entrée; 12 to 14 servings as an appetizer

    - 1 medium onion, chopped
    - 1/2 C. water
    - 1 t. ground cumin
    - 1 t. ground coriander
    - 1 clove garlic, minced
    - 1/2 t. salt
    - 1/4 t. ground black pepper
    - 4 cups regular or low-fat soymilk
    - 3 cups peeled and chopped yams
    - 1/4 cup unsalted creamy or chunky peanut butter
    - 1/4 cup cashew butter
    - 1/2 teaspoon salt
    - 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Garnish

- 1/2 cup canned corn, drained
- Paprika

Combine the onion, water, cumin, coriander, garlic, salt, and pepper, in a 6-quart stockpot. Cook and stir over high heat, uncovered, for about 5 minutes, or until the onions are softened.
Lower the heat to medium-high and add the soymilk and yams. Cook and stir for about 10 minutes, until the yams are softened.
Transfer to the blender and process in batches until smooth and creamy. Return the soup to the stockpot, leaving about 1 1/2 cups in the blender.
Add the nut butters, salt, and crushed red pepper flakes to the blender and process until creamy. Add to the stockpot and gently warm through.
Carefully spoon the soup into teacups, small dessert bowls, or soup bowls, and garnish with a spoonful or two of corn and a dash of paprika.

An ideal salad for a hearty family meal or the buffet table, this medley of quinoa, broccoli, black beans, and fresh dill counts on toasted pecans to add the finishing touch. Serve it warm, immediately after preparation, or chill it and serve later.

Cool Quinoa Salad

Yield: 7 to 8 servings

    - 4 cups water
    - 2 cups quinoa
    - 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Cool Quinoa Salad     - 2 broccoli crowns, cut into small florets
    - 1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
    - 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
    - 1 sweet onion, thinly sliced vertically
    - 1 red bell pepper, diced
    - 1 cup toasted pecan halves or coarsely chopped pecans
    - 2/3 cup chopped fresh dill weed
    - 3 to 4 tablespoons organic canola oil
    - 2 to 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
    - 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
    - Salt and pepper to taste

Combine the water, quinoa, and salt in a 4-quart saucepan, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn the heat down to low, and steam for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Cool until just warm, then transfer to a large bowl.
Fill a 4- or 6-quart saucepan two-thirds full with water and bring to a boil. Add the broccoli florets, and when the water returns to a boil, blanch the broccoli for 1 minute. Drain in a strainer and rinse under cold water. Add the florets to the bowl with cooked quinoa.
Add the remaining ingredients and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately or thoroughly chilled.

An ideal vegan Thanksgiving dish, this elegant torte features the pleasing textures and savory flavors of wild rice, mushrooms, nuts, and sage. Served with a robust mushroom sauce on the side, it makes a lovely presentation, while adding a hearty main dish to the meal.

Thanksgiving Torte

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

    - 2 cups water
    - 2/3 cups wild rice
    - 3/4 teaspoon salt
    - 3/4 pound red or white rose potatoes, unpeeled, scrubbed, and cut into 1-inch cubes
    - 1 cup water
    - 1/8 teaspoon salt (optional)
    - 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecan pieces
    - 1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnut pieces
    - 1 (14-ounce) package vegan ground sausage
    - 3/4 pound portabella mushrooms, chopped (about 4 large mushrooms)
    - 1 large onion, diced
    - 1/3 cup water
    - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    - 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
    - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    - 1/2 teaspoon hickory liquid smoke
    - 1 1/4 teaspoons salt or to taste
    - 2 ripe tomatoes, sliced

Mushroom Sauce

    - 1/2 pound sliced button mushrooms
    - 1 3/4 cups plus 3 tablespoons water
    - 1/4 soy sauce
    - 1/4 cup dry red wine
    - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
    - 3 tablespoons cornstarch
    - 3 tablespoons water

To make the torte, lightly oil a 9-inch springform pan, line the base with parchment paper (for easier cleanup), and set it aside. Combine the water, wild rice, and salt in a 2-quart saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn the heat down to medium-low and steam for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Drain off excess liquid and set the rice aside.
Combine the potato cubes, water, and salt in a 2-quart saucepan. Cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn the heat down to medium and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the potatoes to a medium bowl, mash them, and set them aside.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Toast the pecans and walnuts in a 10-inch skillet over high heat, stirring constantly for 1 to 2 minutes. Immediately transfer them to a dish to cool.
Combine the vegan sausage, mushrooms, onion, the 1/3 cup water, olive oil, poultry seasoning, and pepper in a large, deep skillet. Cook over high for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the onion is transparent, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon or paddle to break up the sausage chunks. Drain and reserve any excess liquid. Add the salt and hickory liquid smoke to the sausage mixture and mix well.
Add the mashed potatoes to the skillet along with the toasted nuts and cooked wild rice. Mix well to combine the ingredients thoroughly. Adjust seasonings if needed.
Press the mixture firmly into the prepared springform pan, and attractively arrange the tomato slices over the top, covering most of the surface. Bake uncovered for 1 hour. Allow the torte to stand for 15 to 20 minutes before removing from the pan.
Prepare the Mushroom Sauce while the torte is baking. Combine the mushrooms, water, soy sauce, red wine, and lemon juice in a 2-quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn heat down slightly and simmer for 5 minutes.
Combine the cornstarch and water in a small bowl and stir with a spoon to make a runny paste. Add the paste to the bubbling sauce, a little at a time, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute, until the sauce has thickened to the desired consistency.

Notes: To ease the feast-day preparations, make the torte the day before, store it in the refrigerator, and reheat it at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes just before serving.

The preparation comes together more quickly if you cook the wild rice before beginning the torte.

Add a gourmet touch by serving the torte on a footed cake plate and garnish the edges with sprigs of fresh herbs and orange slices.

More Healthy Holiday Eating Recipes from The Nut Gourmet

Prepare an all-out showstopper that has both savory and visual appeal for special occasions like Christmas. Arrange these golden timbales in a circle on a large platter and fill the center with steamed vegetables. Spoon the Bell Pepper Relish over the tops of the timbales and around the outer edges of the platter. To ease the holiday stress, prepare these a day ahead.

Curried Christmas Timbales With Bell Pepper Relish

Yield: 6 servings

Timbales

    - 1/2 cup Brazil nuts or whole almonds
    - 1 pound firm tofu, rinsed and drained
    - 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon rice vinegar
    - 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
    - 2 cloves garlic
    - 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
    - 1 teaspoon salt
    - 3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
    - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
    - 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
    - 1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
    - 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

To make the timbales, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a 6-section, nonstick standard-size muffin pan with paper baking cups. Grind the Brazil nuts into a coarse, chunky meal in the food processor.
Add the tofu, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, curry powder, salt, coriander, onion powder, turmeric, pepper, and dry mustard to the nuts in the food processor and process until moist, creamy, and well blended. If the mixture is too dry or crumbly, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of water to moisten, then process again thoroughly.
Fill the muffin cups with the tofu mixture. Pack it down to fill any air spaces, and smooth the tops. Place the muffin tin on a baking sheet for easy removal. Bake the timbales for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool 15 to 20 minutes. Invert the muffin pan to release the timbales, and remove the muffin papers.

Bell Pepper Relish

    - 1 red bell pepper, chopped
    - 1 green bell pepper, chopped
    - 1 cup chopped onions
    - 1/4 cup black raisins
    - 2 tablespoons pistachios
    - 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    - 1 tablespoon water
    - Dash cayenne
    - Dash hot sauce
    - Salt and freshly ground pepper

To make the relish, combine the peppers, onions, raisins, pistachios, olive oil, water, and cayenne in a large, deep skillet. Cook and stir over high heat for about 10 minutes, or until the peppers and onions are almost browned.
Add the hot sauce and season lightly with salt and pepper. Set aside until ready to use. The relish makes about 2 cups

Note: For advance preparation, make the timbales a day ahead and reheat them in a preheated 350 degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes.

Although lentils are tasty, nutritious legumes that can be simply prepared as a soup or casserole, I find them much more appealing when enhanced with pine nuts and spooned into hollowed out tomato halves. Serve them along with a whole grain such as quinoa, buckwheat, or wheat berries, and add a salad and a steamed vegetable to complete the meal.

Red Lentil Stuffed Tomatoes

Yield: 6 servings

    - 3 large ripe tomatoes, cut in half horizontally
    - Salt and freshly ground pepper
    - 2 1/2 cups water
    - 1 cup red lentils
    - 1/2 teaspoon salt
    - 1 red bell pepper, chopped
    - 1 onion, chopped
    - 1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped
    - 1/2 poblano pepper or green bell pepper, diced
    - 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    - 1/2 cup pine nuts

Using a curved, serrated grapefruit knife, remove the pulp and seeds from the tomato halves and put the pulp into a 1-quart saucepan. Cook over high heat for about 5 minutes, or until the pulp is broken down. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and set aside.
Lightly sprinkle the tomato shells with salt and pepper and set them aside
Combine the water, lentils, and the ½ teaspoon salt in a 4-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Turn the heat down to medium and simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mixture breaks down into a puree.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and have ready a baking sheet or shallow baking pan. Combine the red bell pepper, onion, yellow bell pepper, poblano chile, and olive oil in a large deep skillet, and cook and stir over high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, or until tender. Add the pine nuts and the cooked lentils and toss well. Adjust the seasonings if needed.
Fill the tomato halves with the lentil mixture. Place them on the baking sheet or in the baking pan and warm them in the oven for 15 minutes. Spoon the warm tomato pulp over the stuffed tomatoes and serve.

Warning! These delicacies are addictive! One taste and you’ll agree they’re irresistible. These can be prepared several days ahead or even a week ahead. In past years, I've prepared these treats as gifts at holiday time. An ideal gift for special friends at holiday time or simply an extra-special treat to serve on a dessert table, these nutty delights can be made well in advance of the holiday rush. They’re good keepers if you store them in airtight containers.

The success of this recipe depends on measuring all ingredients in advance of assembly. It actually comes together quickly once you have everything ready.

Sugar Plum Spiced Nuts

Yield: 3 1/2 cups

1/2 cup powdered sugar

Spice Mixture

    - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
    - 2 teaspoons ground cloves
    - 2 teaspoons ground allspice
    - 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
    - 2 teaspoons ground cardamom
    - 2 teaspoons ground ginger
    - 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
    - 1/4 teaspoon salt

Coating

    - 1 tablespoon organic canola oil
    - 1/3 cup evaporated cane juice
    - 3/4 cup apple juice or rum
    - 3 cups coarsely chopped raw walnuts

Place the powdered sugar in a medium bowl and set it aside.
To make the spice mixture, combine the cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, cardamom, ginger, cayenne, and salt in a small bowl or cup. Stir the mixure well and set aside near the stove.
To make the coating, pour the canola oil into a large nonstick skillet. Place the evaporated cane juice, apple juice, and walnuts in separate cups or bowls and set aside near the skillet. Now you’re ready to begin.
Heat the canola oil over high heat for about 1 minute. Add the evaporated cane juice and stir another minute until hot and bubbly.
Pour in apple juice and stir constantlyfor about 1 minute, until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Quickly stir in the walnuts and continue stirring over high heat until all liquid evaporates and the mixture becomes sticky and shiny. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes longer, or until all the liquid is absorbed.
Sprinkle in 2 tablespoons of the spice mixture and toss to coat the walnuts, stirring for 1 minute. Turn off the heat and add the remaining spice mixture, tossing continuously.
Pour the spiced walnuts into the bowl with the powdered sugar and toss to give them a white dusting. Spread the walnuts in a single layer on a large dish or baking sheet to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. Sugarplum Spiced Walnuts will keep for up to 1 month.

The Nut Gourmet is a great book for any cook. You will be able to boost nutrients and protein in your diet with these incredible recipes.

Over 150 gourmet, plant-based recipes showcase nuts in everything from sauces, soups, and spreads to entrees, salads, dressings, and desserts. You'll even learn how to make nutmilks, a delicious alternative to both dairy and soy milk for allergy diets.

Enjoy the holidays, keep these healthy holiday eating tips in mind, enjoy these wonderful recipes, and enjoy a visit to Zel's Vegetarians in Paradise Web site.