Holiday Feasts the Healthy Way

The period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve is a time of family, fun, and food. I place an emphasize on food because it is also the time when most of us gain five to ten pounds (or more).

Turkey is not the issue, as it is a healthy, low-fat protein source. The problem is in the choice of accompaniments such as stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potato pie—all of which are usually made with a lot of fat. And let’s not forget the number of desserts also on the table. In some cultures Christmas would not be Christmas without a seven-course seafood feast (plus all the trimmings!). New Year’s is known for its overabundant drinking and gorging oneself on too many appetizers.

I say it is time to trade in the holiday tradition for a more realistic approach to celebratory eating. You can still design a delicious and wholesome meal around turkey as long as you stay away from those already injected with butter and other high-fat seasonings.

If you want a vegan way of celebrating, you can purchase Tofurkey, which is made of soybeans. Regardless of your choice, don’t overdo the stuffing.

Traditional stuffing is predominately made out of starchy carbohydrates, full of fat, and high in salt. Yes you may add carrots and celery, but don't let them be overtaken by the sticks of butter and hydrogenated crackers. You can make the stuffing healthier by using crackers or bread crumbs without hydrogenated fat, delete the butter and add a small amount of olive oil and apple juice, and double up on the vegetables.

Another healthy alternative to high-fat desserts is one of my favorites, and it's so simple to make. It is a combination of apples, chopped walnuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, a pinch of sea salt, and a little bit of honey. It satisfies most of your oral needs as it is crunchy, chewy, sweet, and salty (and maybe sour, depending on the apples).

Please don’t believe it when you hear that it is healthy to replace high-calorie foods with sugar substitutes and margarine. I would rather eat the natural way of using sugar and butter in moderation than to put something that is overly processed into my body.

• Instead of sugar substitutes (which have their own share of problems), try organic raw sugar and mix with honey, which has twice the sweetness of regular sugar.

• Instead of margarine, use olive oil or prepare a healthier mix of butter and olive oil.

• Learn to have less. That way you can enjoy almost anything (in moderation). For example, have a smear rather than a glob of butter on that dinner roll.

• Instead of using all the drippings from the turkey in your gravy recipe, use ½ of the drippings and then add a fat-free turkey consommé.

• To reduce overeating, drink a glass water before the meal to fill you up. If you don’t like the taste of water, then add the juice of one lemon or orange.

• Another trick is to eat the greens first, like the salad and vegetable choices; then you won’t be as hungry for the starch and fattier dishes.

A savvy consumer can always find healthier alternatives without giving up flavor and substance.

Dr. Linda Mundorff