November is also that yearly reminder … holiday season is just around the corner, and with that comes a variety of tradition, celebrations, entertainment and feasts.

This is not even factoring in all the holiday foods that are delivered to offices, making them readily available between printer, water cooler, reception and so on.  Consider the calories in some of the common holiday foods eaten during this season.

1. Reduce the portion of all the holiday foods that you eat – try to have a small taste of everything rather than filling up on all foods. This will reduce the amount of calories you eat and it will prevent you from feeling uncomfortable around the waistline at the end of the meal, too!

2. Limit yourself to one helping. Planning what you will eat before you sit down to a meal can help you resist the temptation to have a second helping.

3. Trim the skin and excess fat from your serving of turkey.

4. Try to avoid the foods that you don’t really care for – this way you can avoid consuming these calories and reduce your total intake. For example, if you don’t really like to have cranberry sauce with your turkey, don’t even put it  on your plate.

5. Avoid going to a holiday party hungry – this will help prevent you from making poor choices at the hors d’oeuvres or dinner table.

6. 6. Know your  triggers. If you know that you cannot have just one piece of Lindt chocolate, avoid eating them as much as you can. If you decide to have one, make a deal with yourself that you will have one at a particular time of day (end of the day may be best for you if it is at the office,  because then you are out of the office shortly afterward). Once you decide that you will have a candy, make it a deliberate event where your  complete attention is on eating. This will allow you to savor the chocolate and prevent you from eating food while being distracted (while you work or watch TV), which often leads to eating more than you want or  need.

REVISING RECIPES

Recipe calls for:                                                    Substitute:

1 whole egg                                                              2 egg whites

Sour cream                                                             fat free sour cream or plain light yogurt

Milk                                                                            skim or 1% milk

Ice cream                                                                 low fat frozen yogurt

Heavy Cream                                                          1:1 ratio of flour to or 1% skim milk

Whipping cream                                                   chilled evaporated milk, or coolwhip

Cheese, butter or cream of mushroom        All these come in lighter versions

If you cannot control the ingredients that go in to a dish, simply limit yourself to a smaller helping size.

Again moderation is the key.

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Quote for the month:

“Physical activity is the currency with which you pay for food.”

On that note….  Overeating on Thanksgiving…

Remember, it takes 3,500 calories to gain a pound. Most people almost or actually do gain 1 pound from just one meal. Sounds crazy, huh?

Thanksgiving food tends to be exceptionally high in fat, and body works differently with excess fat than it does with excess carbohydrate and protein.

When we overeat carbs and protein, the body’s initial response is to use the majority of the extra food for energy, storage, and building of tissues. Smaller amounts are stored as fat. Excess dietary fat is preferentially stored as body fat.

Also, fat consumption does not cause as great an increase in metabolism as carbs and protein as these calories are more easily stored.  But keep in mind that consistently overeating carbs and protein will also lead to weight gain.

FUN FACTS CORNER:

Did You Know??

• Almost 20% of all      cranberries consumed in theUnited Statesper year are      eaten on Thanksgiving.
• Over 85% of Americans      consume turkey on Thanksgiving.
• About $3 billion      dollars worth of turkeys are sold for Thanksgiving
• Benjamin Franklin      wanted the national bird to be a turkey.
• Turkeyscan drown if they look      up when it is raining.
• In 1621 the Pilgrim’s had their first successful      corn harvest, and a celebratory feast was organized. They invited the      Native American allies and had the first celebrated thanksgiving.
• Over 200 years ago President Abraham Lincoln      declared the last Thursday in November the national day to celebrate      Thanksgiving. In 1941 it became a national holiday.

Recipes of the Month:

A Calorie-friendly Thanksgiving Feast

Southern Peach Bourbon Turkey:

Ingredients

• 1  15-    Pound WHOLETURKEY     fresh or frozen (thawed)
• 1-1/2    Teaspoon salt
• 1/2      Teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2      Cup peach preserves
• 2         Tablespoons bourbon
• 2         Teaspoons Angostura bitters
• 5         pickled peaches for garnish

Directions

1. Remove  giblets and neck from turkey; reserve for gravy. Rinse turkey with cold  running water and drain well. Blot dry with paper towels.
2. Sprinkle salt and pepper in the cavities of the bird.
3. Fold  neck skin and fasten to the back with skewers. Fold the wings under the  back of the turkey. Return legs to tucked position.
4. Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a large shallow (no more than 2-1/2″ deep) roasting pan. Insert an oven-safe thermometer into      thickest part of the thigh, being careful it does not touch the bone.
5. Roast  turkey in a preheated 325 degree F. oven about 3-3/4 hours. Baste with the pan juices.
6. Meanwhile,  in a small saucepan, over low heat, combine preserves, bourbon and bitters. Cook until preserves are melted.
7. During  the last 30 minutes of roasting time, baste the bird with the bourbon      peach glaze. Continue to roast until the thermometer registers 180 degrees  F. in the thigh, or 170 degrees F. in the breast.
8. Remove turkey from the oven and allow the bird to rest for 15-20 minutes before      carving.
9. Place on a warm large platter and garnish with pickled peaches. Note: Provides      22 servings at 6 ounces per portion.

Turkey Gravy:

Ingredients

• 1/4      Cup cornstarch
• 1/4      Cup water
• 4         Cups  TURKEYBROTH and defatted pan juices (see below)
• Salt  and pepper

Directions

1. In   a large saucepan, over medium heat, bring turkey broth and pan juices to a boil.
2. Meanwhile,  blend until smooth the cornstarch and water.
3. Whisking  constantly, slowly add the cornstarch mixture and continue stirring until the gravy is thickened.
4. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Provides 16 servings at 1/4 cup per portion

Note:  To defat pan juices, pour poultry drippings into a glass measuring cup and refrigerate until the fat solidifies. Remove the fat layer and discard.

Nutritonal information Per serving: 12 calories, 1g pro, 10 mg sodium, 2 g carbs

Orange Sweet Potatoes:

Ingredients

• 2      pounds sweet potatoes, cooked
• 2      tablespoons margarine, melted
• 1/2   teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 16     apricot halves, dried
• Orange slices, fresh

Directions

1. Arrange the sweet potatoes in a shallow baking dish.
2. Combine the margarine and cinnamon.
3. Pour over the potatoes.
4. Arrange the apricot halves on top.
5. Cover  the dish and bake in a 425F oven for about 15 minutes.
6. Add the orange slices and serve.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving): 185 cals, 3g pro, 7g fat, 18g carb

Cranberry and Wild Rice Stuffing

Ingredients

• 1/2      cup wild rice, uncooked
• 1          cup water
• 1/4      cup raisins, dark or golden
• 5          scallions, chopped
• 1          tablespoon canola oil
• 1/2      cup celery, or fennel bulb, chopped
• 1          cup fresh cranberries
• 1          tablespoon orange rind-grated
• 1/2      teaspoon dried thyme

Directions

1. Put  the wild rice in a saucepan.
2. Add  the water and raisins and cook over medium heat for 1 hour, or until the rice is tender. Drain.
3. Saute the onions and celery (or fennel bulb) in the oil until tender.
4. Add the cranberries, orange rind, thyme and rice.
5. Serve as a side dish; this stuffing goes great with poultry dishes such as cornish game hen, as well as lighter pork dishes such as pan seared pork loin.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving):  135 cals, 111mg sodium, 1 mg cholesterol, 2g fat, 26g carbs

Indian Squash:

Ingredients

• 2      cups acorn squash (cubed)
• 2      teaspoons margarine
• 1      teaspoon orange rind
• 1/4   cup orange juice
• 2      teaspoons sugar substitute (alternative sweetener like Equal)

Directions

1. Cook squash in small amount of boiling water until crisp-tender and drain.
2. Melt margarine in saucepan.
3. Add orange rind, juice and sugar replacement.
4. Cook over low heat until sugar is dissolved.
5. Add squash; cover.
6. Continue cooking until squash is tender.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving): 60 cals, 2g fat, 5g carbs,

WISHING YOU AND YOURS A HAPPY, SAFE, PEACEFUL AND HEALTHY HOLIDAY SEASON !! 

ILANA