Healthy holiday menu planning

Published 4:27 pm Saturday, December 12, 2009

December is the time of the year we are busy preparing for the holiday season.

If you are planning on having friends and family over for holiday meals and parties, I am sure that you are  already planning your holiday menus, gift shopping, decorating your home and beginning your baking. This is a very special and exciting, yet stressful, season.

It is important for you to be sure to get enough sleep, eat a nutritionally balanced diet and continue to exercise  in order for you to stay healthy, happy and less stressed this time of year. Planning ahead of time and carefully thinking about all your options will help you stay organized. Start by planning your menus for your holiday meals and parties. Think about favorite family foods that have become holiday tradition that you would like to include as well as including a variety of healthy foods to include such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Make a detailed grocery list from your menus.

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Organize the list into categories such as  produce, dairy, meat, frozen food, bakery and nonperishables. Think about making some substitutions in your recipes such as reduced-fat sour cream and mayonnaise or evaporated skim milk to cut some calories and fat in your meals. If you are on a carbohydrate-reduced diet, such as a diabetic food plan, you may want to purchase sugar substitutes for your holiday baking or packaged sugar-free cocoa mix and other sugar-free beverages.

If you are going to relatives’ or friends’ homes for meals and parties, carry along the sugar-free beverages or packaged sugar-free hot chocolate as well as a healthy side dish or appetizer to accommodate your special dietary needs. Since we tend to be rushed this time of year, it is easy to rationalize that we can skip the exercise for now. Try to work your exercise into mini units of 10 minutes, two or three times daily. Take a brisk walk around your neighborhood or the perimeter  of the mall when shopping. Hop on your exercise bike for 10 minutes while your Christmas cookies are baking.

The following holiday menus and recipes may be helpful as you are planning  your meals.

Christmas Eve supper: Turkey Rice soup, spinach and berry salad, fresh fruit and cheese tray, whole grain crackers, hummus dip, assortment of frosted sugar cookies, cranberry Christmas punch.

Christmas day brunch: Fresh fruit cup with yogurt topping, scrambled eggs, orange gingerbread squares, Canadian bacon, hot apple cider with cinnamon, assortment of flavored coffee and teas.

Enjoy the following recipes.

Hummus Dip

16 oz. can chickpeas, drained

1 1/2 tsp. onion powder

3/4 tsp. garlic powder

1 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice

1/4 tsp. ground caraway

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

2/3 c. tomato sauce

2 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro

1/8 tsp. pepper

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Cover and refrigerate several hours before serving. Good with crackers, pita bread or tortilla chips.

Serves eight. One serving = 65 calories, 1 gram fat, 2 grams carbohydrate, 0 mg. cholesterol, 3 grams dietary fiber, 319 mg. sodium. (To lower the sodium content, cook the dried chickpeas, drain and mash for the recipe.)

Cranberry Christmas Punch

4 c. white grape juice

2 c. no sugar added cranberry juice, such as Ocean Spray Lite

2 c. raspberry or black cherry flavored no-sugar-added sparkling water

Refrigerate ingredients until serving time and place all ingredients in a punch bowl and stir gently. Makes 14 (6 oz.) servings. Each serving equals 60 calories and 15 grams of carbohydrate.

Orange Gingerbread Squares

3/4 c. white flour

3/4 c. whole wheat flour

2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 c. applesauce

1/2 c. brown sugar or 1/2 cup of Splenda brown sugar substitute

1/2 c. orange juice

1/3 c. dark molasses

1 egg or 2 egg whites

3/4 tsp. brandy extract

1/2 c. chopped dates

2 Tbsp. ground flaxseed

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Combine flours, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and baking powder in a medium bowl and mix well. Combine remaining ingredients except dates in a large bowl and beat with a mixer until well blended. Gradually pour the flour mixture into the bowl with the other ingredients and stir in until well moistened.

Fold in dates. Spread batter into the prepared baking dish and bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool 10-15 minutes. Cut and serve warm. If desired, add whipped topping.

Serves 12. Each serving using Splenda brown sugar substitute = 116 calories, 27 grams carbohydrate, 0 grams fat, 66 mg. sodium, 0 mg. cholesterol if using 2 egg whites.

Becky Goodell is a licensed and registered dietitian at Albert Lea Medical Center — part of Mayo Health System.