Part of the reason holiday recipes are so appealing is that they are rich in fat, calories and full of flavor. If you are on a diet, or even trying to avoid holiday weight gain, this richness can spell disaster for your efforts. The good news is that just a few modifications can get recipes ready for a slimmer and healthier holiday meal.
Step 1
Replace sugar with stevia, a natural sweetener that does not have an aftertaste like other sweeteners. Do keep in mind that flavors may change if you skip the sugar completely, so test the recipe in advance. If you do not like the flavor, try using half the sugar and replace the other half with the sweetener.
Step 2
Get rid of the butter. Nothing adds more calories to a dish than butter. This is especially true in holiday dishes like pies, cookies stuffing, which tend to call for lots of butter. An alternative is to use light whipped butter, which has about half the calories than regular butter. You can also skip the butter entirely and instead use pureed cottage cheese, pureed banana, unsweetened applesauce or plain yogurt.
Step 3
Do not butter the turkey. Instead, use a light mix of olive oil and herbs. Brush the mix (instead of pouring it) over the turkey. If you usually baste with oil or heavy sauces, switch to a fat-free stock or broth. The stock is better than the turkey's own drippings.
Step 4
Use substitutes or egg whites instead of full eggs when you bake. It will cut down on calories and get rid of the cholesterol content.
Step 5
Use flour alternatives. You cannot eliminate all-purpose flour completely from your recipes, but you can substitute up to 1/4 of the amount called for in the recipe for whole wheat flour, ready-to-eat bran or ground oatmeal.
Step 6
Use puréed pumpkin (fresh or canned) to replace both oil/butter and eggs in a recipe. This works especially well in brownies, pies and chocolate cakes, as the pumpkin adds texture and kicks up the chocolate flavor at the same time.
Tips and Warnings
- Using spices and herbs instead of salt can make the recipe not only heart healthy, but it can also reduce the bloating that come with large holiday meals.
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