'LOW
FAT TIPS FOR HOLIDAY FEASTING'
Being
the cook and watching your families waistlines isn't any easy task. Feasting on
holidays is an age old tradition
and everyone has their favorites- usually loaded with fat and calories. So how
do we feed our families and not stuff them like the turkey? In days past a day
of feasting was not a problem. When the day was over we returned to a more
meager fair, home cooked meals with lots of fresh produce.
Cutting
the fat and calories in today's holiday dinner doesn't mean doing without, or
serving a meal devoid of taste. In fact quite the opposite. Here are some
things that will help keep the favor yet cut the calories.
Starting
with the bird. Today's turkeys are pre-basted so why add calories with oil or
butter based fats. To enrich the flavor of the bird and the gravy without the
fat add several sprigs of fresh rosemary, sage and 2-3 bay leaves. When it's
time to make the gravy pour off the drippings and allow then to cool to warm.
Pour the drippings into a zip lock plastic bag. Snip open a bottom corner of
the bag and allow the juices to
drain and leave the fat in the
bag.
Use
clarified butter instead of butter or margarine to dress vegetables. Clarifying
butter cuts out the milk solids and reduces the calories by 10 percent. To
clarify: heat butter slowly. When the butter separates skim off the foamy top
and use the buttery flavored oil left behind.
Oven
roast your vegetables on a cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray or greased
with olive oil. Sprinkle with an herb blend or Mrs. Dash. These vegetables
won't need dressing with butter.
Boil
potatoes in one half water and one half chicken stock. When done pour off the
liquid- save it and then add it back to reach the consistency desired. Add
pressed garlic and a small amount of clarified butter. Yogurt instead of milk
reduces calories and adds a rich flavor to mashed potatoes.
Make
your own salad dressings with pure olive oil and fresh vinegars. Two
tablespoons, (the average serving size) of a bottled dressing contains 2-3
times the calories compared to a simple oil, vinegar dressing.
Use
pure maple syrup to sweeten pies, yams, cookies & breads where the recipe
calls for sugar or brown sugar. Maple syrup is a natural whole food that
contains only 32 calories per 2 ounce serving. Be sure to reduce liquids when
substituting dry sugars for maple syrup.
Try
using ready made sheets of phylo-dough for individual fruit turnovers instead
of pie crust. Phylo- dough is high in calories but it is less dense and therefore
has fewer calories per serving.
Happy
and healthy Thanksgiving everyone! Till next time, Rebecca.