Holiday Food

It’s almost that time of year where people are starting to think about dinner options for Christmas, Hanukkah, Festivus (for any Seinfeld fans) or whatever you choose to celebrate. The holidays can be a rough ride on your diet so here are some ideas for a healthy and happy holiday feast!

 

Tofurkey

 

It’s fake turkey – a loaf or casserole of vegetarian protein, usually made from seitan (wheat protein) or tofu (soybean protein). It can be oven-roasted or baked, and your meat-loving uncle probably won’t have a clue that it’s not real Turkey.

 

Low-fat eggnog

 

Let’s face it, most of us are going to be indulging in eggnog this holiday so try to make it a little bit healthier than the variety our grandparents used to drink. Try using mostly egg whites or egg substitute instead of whole eggs and use fat-free half and half or evaporated fat-free milk instead of whole milk. Also, you can substitute rum extract for the alcohol if you want the taste without the “wobbly” effect and empty calories. It’s still good, I promise!

 

Stuffing

 

Opt to make your own stuffing rather than buying the stove-top variety, which is less than nutritious (and not that delicious!). Instead of bread, you can use sweet potatoes or wild rice and mix with omega-3-rich walnuts, mushrooms, olive oil, celery, and garlic.

 

Cranberry sauce

 

Good news: this is already healthy so dig in. Cranberries are rich in antioxidants, compounds that have been found to fight various types of cancers and Alzheimer's disease. When making your own cranberry sauce, try not to add sugar and instead combine the berries with orange juice, dried ginger, cinnamon and cloves for a naturally delicious sauce.