Lightening up the Holidays

Lightening up the Holidays

Lightening up the Holidays

After reading the title, some of you may be wondering what my secret is for tender, fat-free pie crust and low-sodium gravy. The rest of you are ready to bury me alive in giblets for even suggesting such a terrible thing.

Let me tell you right now, I am not planning to scrimp this holiday season, and I’m not going to suggest you do either.

What I am going to suggest is that you practice mindful eating, so you can enjoy the first sugar cookie and not waste time wallowing in remorse after the seventh one. And when it comes to favorite dishes, don’t make sacrifices.

At least, not ones anyone will notice.

Considering the many “brownies” I’ve made , I have definitely pulled the wool over a few eyes. They may be on to my tricks now, but there are some you can still get away with. And if my family wasn’t so darn suspicious they would realize that my sneakery is still delicious. I feel a Thanksgiving poem coming on…

Anyhow, there are some substitutions you can make that won’t disrupt anyone’s expectations. Mix in a few of these and you can enjoy that full-fat slice of pecan pie without indulging in guilt as well.

Lighten Up!

Low fat cream cheese, low fat sour cream/Greek yogurt

Subbing Neufchatel cheese for cream cheese in recipes cuts about 30 calories per serving when used instead of regular cream cheese. That may not sound like a whole lot, but a slice of cheesecake contains several tablespoons of cream cheese. That savings could add up to well over 100 calories.

In many recipes you can get away with using fat-free or low-fat Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, cutting significant calories. Even if you used whole milk Greek yogurt you would save over 150 calories per cup. Of course, low-fat sour cream is an option too, but it doesn’t come with the protein found in Greek yogurt, and sometimes includes other ingredients like thickeners.

Cut a bit of sugar

Don’t go overboard here.

Pecan pies can often use less sugar. Even if you cut the sugar by just 1/4 cup, that’s shaving about 190 calories from the whole pie. Again, don’t reduce it too drastically or it won’t be the same. Do that for a Tuesday in July, not a Thursday in November.

Add fiber where you can

Put down the Metamucil. I’m referring to fruits and vegetables. If you can add a nice salad, some sweet potatoes, or even just leave the peels on the mashed potatoes, significant fiber will be added to your meal. Fiber is filling and usually comes in a lower-calorie package than fiberless foods.

Opt for water

Unless your family will ostracize you, suggest having water at holiday dinners instead of other drinks. A glass of juice or punch can carry well over 100 calories, and in the midst of all the goodies this time of year, chances are you aren’t even going to enjoy that drink all that much. It is easy to get dehydrated during the holidays when our schedules are unusual, so choosing water over a beverage that would dehydrate you more, like alcohol, would be especially helpful.

Other tips

Prioritize things for yourself

You can’t always control what is offered at a family dinner, but you can control what you do or don’t eat. If you would rather have more sweet potatoes (always), skip the dinner roll. If punch doesn’t speak to you as much as pie, forgo the punch and enjoy the pie. Focus on enjoying your food, and only eating the food you truly enjoy.

Wait for pie

I used to always polish off my (third) helping of sweet potatoes and start hovering over the pies. Give your stomach a break before dessert. The pie will taste much better if you have a few hours to digest the rest.

Take a walk

My family has taken to going for walks after big holiday dinners, even in the dead of winter. This is an excellent way to spend time together while a.) not eatingĀ more and b.) getting some exercise.

Have other activities planned

It is way too easy for me to pick away at crusty bits of stuffing and pull strings of marshmallows off the sweet potatoes in the kitchen after Thanksgiving dinner. We try to have a puzzle set up or some kind of (minimally organized) activity planned. This helps take the focus off the pie we are all waiting to eat. Sometimes we watch a Christmas movie together or go ahead and put up the tree. I personally enjoy strategizing for Black Friday shopping.

Maybe you aren’t planning on big family dinners this season. If not, go ahead and pass these tips on to friends, patients, clients, and anyone else that could use some tools for not getting off course during the holidays.

What are your tips for lightening up the holidays and staying healthy this season?