Make Your Holiday Meals Healthier
By: Renee Kennedy

Eat holiday meals with moderation in mind, don't let
one meal set you back from your goals. If you overeat,
you will need to get yourself back on track immediately -
that means fighting the leftovers that call to you from
the refrigerator. If you can follow some of these
suggestions, even the leftovers won't be so fattening.

1. Steamed Veggies with spices rather than butter or cheese.
(Seasoning salt is an excellent spice for any vegetable.)
Go for green vegetables like broccoli, green beans, and
peas. Raw veggies are better for you, so don't cook them
until they are mush, keep them as close to raw as possible.
They should look bright green when you're finished
cooking them. They are more flavorful this way, too and
you're less likely to load them up with butter.

2. Light meat has fewer calories than dark meat. Also
trim fat and skin away, you'll save a few calories.

3. Cook the stuffing separate from the turkey, that way
it doesn't soak up the fat from the meat. Use whole grain
bread to make the stuffing. Skip the sausage stuffing this
year and go for a combination of these ingredients instead:
mushrooms, water chestnuts, roasted chestnuts, walnuts or
any nut, onions and celery, cranberry sauce. (1 can of
whole berry cranberry sauce to 15 oz of dry stuffing.)

4. Skip the mashed potatoes altogether. Try baked sweet
potatoes or squash instead. If you have to have a potato -
have a baked potato with low fat topping like nonfat sour
cream, non fat cream cheese, or plain yogurt.

5. Gravy - ok, we have to have gravy! Instead of
homemade, try a low-fat variety that they sell in jars.
(Heinz and Franco American both make a low-fat gravy.)
It's also one less thing to prepare!

6. Fruit dishes for dessert. skip the crust! Try fruit cocktail,
fresh fruit and chocolate fondue, fruit and sherbet parfait, or
fruit and yogurt dip.

Low fat substitutes for cooking and baking:

1. In baking recipes like cake, substitute half of any of the
oil in a recipe with the same amount of pureed fruit. For instance,
if the recipe calls for 1/2 cup of oil, use 1/4 cup of oil and
substitute the other 1/4 cup of oil with 1/4 cup of applesauce.

2. For low fat pie crust use 3 Tbsp. of shortening and 3 Tbsp.
of water for each cup of flour.

3. When making gravy, before using the broth, let it cool
down, skim off all the fat that forms on the top.

4. Tofu has a creamy texture that takes on any flavor.
You can puree it to use in dips, soups, and baking to replace
sour cream, cream, buttermilk or eggs. To replace liquid
ingredients use the same amount of pureed tofu as the
ingredient. To replace eggs, 5 Tbsp. of pureed tofu equals
one egg. Use the "baking blend" or the soft variety of tofu
for substitutions in baking.

Need help counting calories? http://www.NutriCounter.com
The NutriCounter is the right device for helping you monitor your
calorie intake. It stores and tracks nine nutrients including
calories, total fat, saturated fat, protein, carbohydrates, sodium,
cholesterol, sugar, and fiber. It's available in Palm OS and
Pocket PC software or as a hand held unit.

About the Author

Renee Kennedy is the editor of the monthly ezine NutriCounter
Update. Come and visit the NutriCounter web site at
http://www.nutricounter.com/news.htm for an extensive selection
of articles on health, nutrition and exercise.

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