Choose A Healthier Holiday Season Banquet & Bar

During the last few months of the year, most of us have a reason or two to celebrate. The holidays can include religious observances, gift giving, programs, music, and perhaps dancing. But, at the center of these festivities usually lurks a table piled high with all sorts of indulgences - we're talking food and drink galore!

Yes, it's a party and you want to join in and enjoy everything. However, if you're like most people, you have limits. How can you have fun and stay on track with your healthy living goals? Let's take a look at a few ideas to keep you focused while partaking in the celebrations.

The Banquet

Don't let those delicious dishes hypnotize you. You're in charge here! You have your dietary limits clearly defined, so take a deep breath and ask yourself; "What food on this table really suits my healthy goals?"

Approach the holiday table slowly, with caution. Help yourself to small portions of those foods that are a part of your healthy diet. Enjoy. Give yourself time before choosing another morsel from another offering. Chew slowly and savor each tasty bite. Keep choosing foods that you know are nutritious.

Choose healthier foods. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

After you've sampled the foods that are a healthy part of your diet, stop. Wait for these healthy foods to settle in and satisfy your appetite. If you're still hungry, go back for more foods that fit your diet. The idea is to fill your tummy with good, healthy foods before giving into temptation. If you have been practicing nutritious eating habits, you probably already have your body and digestive system trained to want good food. Giving your body the good food first may just satisfy your cravings.

But, we're only human.... The delicious aromas of certain not-so-healthy foods may just keep calling your name. Even after you've eaten a fair share of healthy foods, you may succumb to those forbidden goodies. Go ahead and take one. Or, better yet, offer to cut one in half, or thirds, or quarters, and share with someone. Chances are pretty good that you'll find someone going through the same holiday dieting struggle. They will be happy to share.

When it comes time for dessert, there really isn't much you can do to escape the indulgence. You don't want to offend Grandma and not join in the praise when she serves up her family's secret recipe. But, you can limit yourself. Even Grandma understands the phrase; "I'll just have a sliver." You may end up having more than you wanted, but if you planned for this by watching what you ate during dinner, you should count this as a victory.

The Bar

As you're strolling past the buffet filled with all those delicious appetizers, picking just those morsels that fit your healthy eating habits, someone hands you a glass of wine or a cocktail. Maybe you take another pass at the buffet and suddenly your glass is empty. But, the host is Johnny-On-The-Spot and before you know it, you have another drink in your hand - especially if it's New Year's Eve!

Martini. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The holidays are a time of rejoicing. Food and drink are two ways we celebrate. However, most of us want to keep our caloric intake, sugar intake, and alcohol intake to a minimum, for many reasons.

Just like the banquet, the bar offers opportunities to enjoy, but also to stay on track with our healthy diet. There are several ways to keep from overindulging at the bar.

Mingling with a drink in your hand is fun, but it is also a way to lose track of how many glasses you have had filled. While you're nibbling on hors d'oeuvres, your host is anxious to keep your glass filled. You may not even be aware of how often your glass is 'topped off' before it's too late. Instead of wine or a cocktail, mingle with a glass of sparkling water or club soda. Your host will be happy to keep your glass filled and you will not go over your limit.

If you drink wine, save it for the dinner table. Most sit down dinners will have wine specifically chosen to complement the meal. If you have already had all the wine you should drink before dinner, you miss out on the fun during dinner - or you overindulge. Either way, it's not worth ruining your meal, and your health.

If after-dinner drinks are offered, weigh the pros and cons. If you're having dessert, too, you may want to opt out and have plain coffee or tea. Remember; this is a balancing act. You know you will need to make choices before, during, and after dinner, so choose wisely.

At the end of the day, you can be happy if you tried to satisfy your appetite with healthy choices, and only gave in to a few delicious treats. After all, the holidays only come around once a year, leaving us plenty of time to get back on track. Enjoy a Happy & Healthy New Year!

Holiday Leftovers Recipe: Ham Potato Soup Cups

Still got some of that Christmas ham hanging around? Try this delicious recipe to give your leftovers a creative face lift! It is also a great way to use up leftover mashed potatoes, peas, dinner rolls, and some of that chicken broth that you didn't use last week while cooking Christmas dinner.

Ham Potato Soup Cups
(Serves 4.)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
1 cup diced smoked ham
4 sliced green onions
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups mashed potatoes
1 (14 oz) can chicken broth (or 1 1/2 cups)
1 cup milk
1/3 cup sweet green peas
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
salt and pepper
2 cups torn up dinner rolls
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions:

• Melt butter in a large saucepan; add diced ham, green onions, and minced garlic; cooking over low heat until garlic is fragrant.
• Add the mashed potatoes, broth, milk, peas, and thyme, stirring to combine.
• Turn heat up to medium and bring to a boil, immediately reducing heat to low, then simmer slowly for 10 minutes or until soup thickens, season with salt and pepper.
• Spoon into 4 broiler-safe bowls. Scatter the torn dinner rolls and sprinkle with the shredded Cheddar cheese. 
• Place bowls on a broiler pan 6 inches under broiler turned on high, and broil 1 to 3 minutes or until top bubbles and gets golden brown.
• Remove and let cool slightly before serving.

Creative Breakfast Ideas for Holiday Leftovers

Well, Christmas is behind us for another year, but we've still got to deal with the leftovers.... After a full day of cooking for friends and family, the last thing you want to do the next morning is to figure out what to make for breakfast. Not to mention, your refrigerator is already crammed full with leftovers, so there is no room to put anything else. Why not use what you already have on hand to make an unbelievable breakfast? Here are a few ideas to get your morning-after ideas flowing.

An omelet with ham, cheese, and a garnish of spices including oregano and parsley. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Classic Omelet

You wake up in the morning, struggling with the classic L-Tryptophan and high carb hangover and the last thing you want to do is get creative with your breakfast. Especially if you are in charge with feeding the same group you fed twelve hours ago. If you want to make a great breakfast, without a bunch of effort, you can always turn to a classic omelet.

As soon as you walk into the kitchen, unpack your refrigerator with all of the leftovers from the night before. Cut up some of your leftover turkey or ham, scramble some eggs and throw it all together with some leftover tomatoes, broccoli, and cheese from your salad. If you want to really give your omelet a kick, try incorporating a bit of cranberry sauce into your recipe. Throw in a scoop of leftover green bean casserole, too. The sky's the limit; or rather, the refrigerator's the limit.

The Simple Fritter

If you are not in the mood to scramble some eggs for the omelet, you can pull out two easy leftover  ingredients; mashed potatoes and stuffing. Combining your stuffing and your mashed potatoes in a ratio of 1 to 1 will give you an incredibly thick paste that you can mold and shape into patties. Once you have the mixture, you can fry them in a small amount of oil and prepare to be amazed.

Add some green bean casserole and a little diced ham or turkey to the mixture if you want to make your patties even heartier. Making this addition will give you a completely rounded meal and it will help you reduce the amount of leftovers that are just sitting in your fridge, which is always a good thing.

The Elegant Quiche

Quiche. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If you have your coffee and find you have a little more energy, you may want to show off a little. Impress your guests with the creative ways you can reuse your leftovers by making a quiche. A holiday quiche is like a holiday dinner all wrapped up in a fluffy egg! You will be able to enjoy the tastes you know and love while also having a healthy and delicious breakfast.

Your quiche can be the full spread, or just a few of your favorite leftover dishes. When you have a bunch of leftovers, you can include as many as you like. If you want to give this quiche a twist, try scrambling some pumpkin pie filling in with the eggs to give it that classic sweet nutmeg taste you love during the holidays. Just be creative. It all tasted good together on the table, so why not together in a quiche?

The morning after the big Holiday meal shouldn't be a lot of work for you, especially if you spent the entire day prior cooking food for an army. Use what you have, re-purpose it and give your family a new breakfast dish they can only get during the holidays each year. They will love it!  And to think, all you had to do was gather dishes from the refrigerator to appear in the morning sequel!

Recipe: Christmas Burgundy Sangria

 'Tis the night before Christmas, and all through the house, you and your guests are craving a glass of something sweet but without too many carbs.... This makes a great holiday beverage for Christmas Eve and tomorrow's festivities as well! Fresh juices keep it light, and the citrus flavors bring out the Christmas spirit in everyone - plus it's a beautiful drink that looks very festive in your glass!

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Christmas Burgundy Sangria
(Serves 4.)

Ingredients:

2 cups Burgundy wine
2 cups seltzer water
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 lemon, washed and sliced in thin circles
1 lime, washed and sliced in thin circles
1/4 to 1/2 cup stevia (more or less for taste)

Directions:

• In a large bowl or pitcher, put all the ingredients and chill in refrigerator.
• When ready to serve, pour over ice in tall glasses.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Low-Carb Holiday Appetizer Recipe: Sassy Bourbon Duck Bites

Looking for a low-carb, super-special appetizer to serve your guests this holiday? Try this unique and delicious recipe featuring rich flavors and tasty spices, without all the carbs, and make it a memorable occasion for all.

Sassy Bourbon Duck Bites

Ingredients:

1 cup almond flour or meal
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp cayenne powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dill weed
1/4 tsp ground thyme
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp paprika
4 to 6 boneless duck breasts, cut into about 1 inch cubes
3 slices bacon, diced
1 medium onion, cut into thin wedges
salt and pepper
olive oil for frying
1 tsp cornstarch
1/4 cup bourbon

Directions:

• Put the first 11 ingredients (the dry ingredients for coating) in a large ziplock bag, seal and shake to blend.
• Add cubed duck meat to bag and shake, making sure all is coated well; set aside.
• Put bacon in large skillet over medium heat and cook until almost browned, then add onion, continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until onion is lightly browned and bacon is fully cooked.
• Using slotted spoon, remove onions and bacon from the skillet and set aside.
• In skillet, pour in enough olive oil to be about 1/4 inch, and heat over medium heat until oil starts to sizzle a little.
• Remove duck pieces from bag, shake off excess coating, and drop carefully into skillet (making sure the oil sizzles.)  Keep adding pieces, but don't overcrowd the skillet. Cook for about 10 minutes or until duck browns, turning to brown all sides.
• Remove duck cubes to paper towel covered rack and add more duck until all is cooked.
• After all the duck is cooked, return the onion-bacon mixture to the skillet, toss in the cooked duck, and mix gently.
• Prepare bourbon sauce by first dissolving the cornstarch in the bourbon, then pour it into skillet, stir, and set skillet over low heat; cooking for about 2 or 3 minutes until liquid thickens.
• Pour duck mixture into a serving bowl and have hors d'oeuvre toothpicks ready for buffet style service. 

Hanukkah Leftovers Recipe: Healthy Applesauce Latke Topping

Got some leftover latkes? They are actually great cold for breakfast, topped with warm applesauce! Try this simple, tasty, and super healthy topping - my favorite way to eat latkes!

Healthy Applesauce Latke Topping

Ingredients:

5 lbs semi-tart apples
1 lemon, juiced
2 sticks cinnamon
2 drops vanilla extract
pinch kosher salt
water
natural honey or real maple syrup, to taste (optional)

Directions:

• Peel and core the apples, cut them in half, then place them in a large soup pot.
• Add the next 4 ingredients to the pot, stir together, then fill with just enough water to come up to half way up on the apples.
• Bring liquid to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until apples are soft and liquid has reduced. Stir often.
• Remove and cool slightly, then remove the cinnamon sticks. 
• Now add honey or maple syrup to sweeten if desired, and stir well.
• Mash the apples with a potato masher or run the mixture through a sieve if you want to remove some of the pulp.
• Let cool and serve with hot or cold latkes.

Hanukkah Recipe: Olive Oil Baked Potato Latkes

Happy Hanukkah! Of course, what is Hanukkah without latkes? This traditional holiday dish can easily be baked instead of fried to make it healthier and in keeping with the teachings of the Torah. This tasty recipe reminds me of how my mother used to make them when I was a kid!

Olive Oil Baked Potato Latkes

Ingredients:

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

2 lbs Russet (baking) potatoes
4 tsp olive oil, divided
1 small onion, diced fine
1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions:

• Peel potatoes, then grate them, or run them through a food processor to grate.
• Place grated potatoes in a bowl and cover with cold water and let sit for 15 minutes, then drain and put in a cheesecloth covered colander and let stand for another 15 minutes.
• Dump potatoes out into a clean towel and squeeze all the water out, then put potatoes into a large bowl.
• Now add 2 tsp of the olive oil to the potatoes along with the remaining ingredients and stir until blended well.
• Preheat your oven to 425 degrees, and with remaining olive oil, grease a baking sheet.
• Drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto the greased baking sheet, very slightly flatten with spoon, allowing space in between each one.
• Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until browned, then flip and bake another 10 minutes or until crispy and brown.
• Remove and let cool on a rack slightly before serving with an applesauce topping and/or a creamy topping.