Your Holiday Cooking: Is it Naughty or Nice?

Milk and cookies for Santa. Sugarplums dancing in children’s heads. Sweets and treats in stockings. Dessert at Christmas dinner. Baked goodies and treats are going to be everywhere for the next few hours and the rest of the season to come. Below are some swaps for your holiday baking this season and the new year to come. Simple substitutions can really make the difference between adding on a few extra pounds, and watching your weight this holiday season.

Naughty: Shortening and lard. Nice: omega rich margarine and unsaturated oils like canola, safflower and sunflower. Both butter and margarine can substitute for shortening. Use one cup and two tablespoons for every one cup of shortening. Oils are best replaced for shortening or lard when a food is fried. When using butter or margarine as a substitute remember to use less salt. For a sweet and reduced calorie baked good, use pureed fruit in place of one quarter to one half of the fat. Peaches and pumpkin go well in muffins and spice cakes, prunes or avocado in chocolate based recipes, pears, bananas, or grated zucchini in quick breads and coffee cakes, and unsweetened applesauce goes well in almost any baked good. With any of these substitutions baking times may need to be adjusted ever so slightly.

Naughty: All-purpose white flour. Nice: fiber-rich whole wheat and whole grain flours. For a recipe that calls for all-purpose white flour, substitute one half of this with a whole wheat or whole grain flour. There is a difference between whole grain and whole wheat, but that’s another topic for another day, and either way, substituting some of this for the all-purpose white will bump up your fiber, B vitamin, and antioxidant content of muffins, cakes and cookies.

 

  

 

Naughty: Cream. Nice: Evaporated skim milk or fat-free half and half. Evaporated milk tends to have a bit more sugar but the major drop in fat and calorie content is worth the trade. Even light creams can be around 20% fat! Swap cream in a one to one ratio for a lower calorie evaporated skim milk or half and half mixture and your jeans will thank you in the new year.

Naughty: Sugar. Nice: Sweet spices, fruits, and artificial sweeteners. In most baked goods you can reduce the amount of sugar by one quarter without even noticing.  Sweetness can be intensified by adding sweet spices like vanilla, nutmeg or cinnamon. Cutting sugar in half and adding a teaspoon of vanilla as a replacement can give just as much flavor with significantly fewer calories. Unsweetened applesauce can also be used in place of sugar. Swapping one cup of sugar for one cup of unsweetened applesauce can save a whopping 650 calories. Artificial sweeteners like sucralose and stevia can also be used to cut calories and replace sugar. Many of these sweeteners can be several hundred times sweeter than natural sugar, so keep in mind the amount used will depend on the sweetener you use, and likely be less.

 

 

Naughty: Unsweetened baking chocolate. Nice: Cocoa powder, carob or dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa. For a one ounce substitution use three tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder, or carob, plus one tablespoon of a polyunsaturated oil like canola, or margarine. Dark chocolate can be replaced in a one to one ratio.

 

 

Eggs don’t make the naughty list, but if you’re looking to replace a whole egg there are some equally healthful substitutions. Two egg whites or one quarter cup egg substitute can be a replacement for one whole egg. Ground flax can also be used in replacement of eggs. One tablespoon of ground flax seeds whisked with three tablespoons of warm water will replace one egg. Let this sit a few minutes to gel and then add to your recipe.

As seen in The Telegram December 24, 2012

Hip and Healthy Holiday Gift Ideas

With only a week left until Christmas, the time is ticking to get those remaining gifts bought. Whether it’s a gift for your parents, kids, sibling or significant other, kitchen items are great gifts to give. Slow cookers, grills, and Keurig machines are passé, and besides, many kitchens are already filled with one or more of these items. The following kitchen ideas are sure not to be re-gifted, and great for getting a head start on new years resolutions.

Cast iron cookware. This cookware has a couple benefits. First of all, it uses less oil than other similar standard cookware, like pans. Cast iron cookware can also add iron to your food. For those looking to boost iron content, or reduce fat in their diet, a cast iron frying pan or casserole dish, is the perfect gift. If you are to give this gift, do remind the recipient that handling and washing cast iron cookware is different from other kinds of cookware. You’ll likely pay a little more for this type of pan or dish, but it’s well worth it, as it lasts a lifetime.   

 

 

‘Healthy deep fryers.’ Yup you heard that right! There is such a thing. The newest frying machines can fry, or perhaps the better words are mist and mix, foods like fish, stir-fries, and veggies with little to minimal oil. Some can even cook up to two pounds of crispy French fries by using one tablespoon of oil. That’s about four servings of fries, each with less than a teaspoon of oil, and having three percent fat (a far cry from the regular deep fried French fries of about 43% fat).

Silicone baking ware. Traditional pans often need to be greased with margarine or oil before, whereas silicone does not. For the baker or loved one watching calories on your list, consider purchasing some silicone baking utensils or cookware, like muffin cups and pans, liners and molds, circular and rectangular pans. Muffin cups and molds have the added bonus of being good for the environment as they are reusable.  

 

Kitchen scales. Scales have officially moved from the bathroom and now into the kitchen. There are many small portable scales on the market which serve the purpose to measure food weight. What’s convenient is that many food servings (including the food guide) are also illustrated in weight. That makes this is a neat gift for those looking to improve eating habits and prevent disease. Using a scale can keep food portions, the weight of your food, and body, in check.

Plates. Nine inches to be exact. In the past few years the size of average dinner plates has grown to about twelve inches. Nine inches is actually the size of today’s salad plate. It’s clearly demonstrated the larger our plates the more food we’re likely to put on them. Smaller plates plus small portions, equals healthier waistlines and saved food costs for the new year.

Oil misters. Fill these with canola or olive oil and mist away. Use them instead of measured spoonful's of oil, and pouring oil over a pan, and save, save, save. Save in oil yes, and calories even more so. Even if healthy oils are used in excess, they can increase weight as oils are very caloric. Consider the fact that a tablespoon of oil has around 120 calories. On average, oil spritzers and misters will pump out about five calories a spray.

Bento style lunch boxes. Presentation is everything. This is essentially a box containing small compartments for different food items, ultimately keeping lunch items organized and separate from each other. This is a great gift idea to help promote healthy food choices and increased fruit and veggie servings for the picky child, or perhaps adult on your list.

As seen in The Telegram December 17, 2012

The Twelve Days of a Skinny Christmas

We all know too well how the joyous twelve days of Christmas can be followed by a New Year battling any bulge we’ve accumulated through too many French hens or partridges in a pear tree. So to keep you healthy and trim while still enjoying the holidays, below are twelve days of tips for eating well and staying lean during December and beyond. 

1. On the first day of Christmas, the dietitian said to me… keep the rum in the eggnog at one point five ounces or less. The standard serving size for a drink is one and a half ounces for spirits, five ounces for wine and twelve ounces for beer. The calories here can add up faster than Santa’s sleigh.

  2. On the second day of Christmas, the dietitian said to me… have two glasses of milk a day, and no this can’t include eggnog! Some research suggests sticking to two low fat cups of milk (2% milk fat or less) each day can help with weight, especially around the waistline.

3. On the third day of Christmas the dietitian said to me… have a minimum of three meals a day. You can even try four to five smaller, more frequent meals. The idea here is not to skip meals and ‘save room’. Skipping meals is like playing Scrooge with your metabolism. It’s doesn’t work to your favor, and over time a once speedy, healthy metabolism can end up working to your disadvantage.

4. On the fourth day of Christmas, the dietitian said to me…eat from all four food groups each day and  each meal. I.e. holiday breakfast pancakes topped with fruit, vanilla yogurt and sliced almonds are better than just pancakes with syrup. Eating foods from each at every meal, and every day, ensures you get a mix of nutrients through the day to keep you healthy and full.

5.  On the fifth day of Christmas, the dietitian said to me… be like the nine ladies dancing. In addition to eating well, be active for a minimum of thirty minutes five days a week.

6.  On the sixth day of Christmas, the dietitian said to me… eat well and according to the food guide six to seven  days a week, but be sure to give yourself day or two for treats as well. Plan ahead so you can fit in ‘treats’ around your healthy eating menu.

7. On the seventh day of Christmas, the dietitian said to me… be realistic! Research tells us new year resolutions rarely last longer than a seven days. Plan to eat smart over the holidays and choose ‘treats’ and ‘extras’ wisely. Take into account day six with this, and that way there is no guilty feeling provoking you to make a new year’s eating resolution.

 
8. On the eighth day of Christmas, the dietitian said to me… Ensure eight hours a night of sleep minimum to keep the metabolism clock in check. There are many interesting links between sleep and weight, but on average, people who sleep a minimum of eight hours, tend to fare better on the   
 scales.

9. On the ninth day of Christmas, the dietitian said to me… drink enough fluids. That’s eight to nine cups of fluid a day for the ladies. Men will need two to three glasses more. Any fluids, including water, milk, juice, tea and coffee can count, just not alcohol.

10. On the tenth day of Christmas, the dietitian said to me… don’t forget those fruits and veggies. Adults need anywhere from seven to ten servings of fruit or vegetables a day. These colorful low calorie foods fill us up and keep the waistline trim.
 

11. On the eleventh day of Christmas, the dietitian said to me… try a naturally sweet low calorie treat. Eleven festive options include: clementines, pomegranates, dried figs, dark chocolate, dried cranberries, baked apples with cinnamon, hot cocoa, chocolate dipped strawberries, biscotti, roasted or spiced nuts, and Santa hats (strawberries upside down with a hat of whipped cream). All jammed packed with nutrition, and have a naturally sweet taste minus the extra calories.

12. On the twelfth day of Christmas, the dietitian said to me… make small changes. Cutting 120 calories a day can equal a one pound weight loss per month. 120 doesn’t seem like a lot in the run of a day, and over time it can really add up. What does that look? Six Hershey kisses, thirty Reese’s pieces, two small York peppermint patties, a medium sized cookie, or about twelve potato chips.

As seen in The Telegram December 10, 2012

NL Holiday Food Safety 101

As we enter into the month of December, the season of holiday cooking and gift giving, food safety is something we need to keep in the forefront of our minds. So much to do with this time of year has to do with food.  Entertaining with food and drink at home, attending work parties and socials, and buying and receiving delicious holiday gifts. If one thing is for certain, it is that December is a month for food, and plenty of it.

When preparing your own food, keep in mind foods which can be potentially hazardous. If making holiday eggnog with raw egg, be sure to cook the mixture thoroughly to a minimum temperature of 63 degrees Celsius. There’s no amount of Screech that can kill any bad bacteria like Salmonella! When using raw eggs, cooking to a minimum internal temperature is really the only way. Give ample time for that turkey to defrost too. Thawing on the counter is not a good method as room temperature is an ideal breeding ground for microbes. The fridge is the ideal thawing mechanism for this sort of large food. A general rule of thumb is to allow one day for every four pounds of meat. Stuffing has the potential to be a hazardous food for bacteria growth as it insulates the bird and may prevent it from reaching a proper internal cooking temperature (85 degrees Celsius). Cook stuffing separate from the bird to ensure maximal food safety. Be mindful of bacteria buffets. A lot of food can float around during the holidays. If food is kept out and unrefrigerated for more than two hours it should be thrown out. If refrigerated leftovers aren’t used or frozen within three days, it’s wise to discard these too. A food borne illness can keep you near the bathroom for days, and worse yet, in the hospital. Either way, neither is a fun way to spend the holidays.

Be mindful of homemade holiday gifts. Although it be healthy, and have that extra though put in, a homemade oil and garlic mixture can in reality be downright deadly. In their separate states, oil and garlic aren’t considered to be hazardous, but when combined they have potential to be a recipe for disaster. Garlic, which is grown in the ground, has the potential to have specific microorganisms which when added to an environment without air (e.g. oil) can create a breeding ground for a deadly food borne intoxication known as botulism. If you are in the practice of home canning goodies to give to friends and family, be sure you are aware of safe food handling practices for canning. Botulism can be an unwanted visitor in home canning as well. Should you decide to mail a perishable gift, make sure the food is frozen solid or refrigerator cold. Use an insulated cooler with gel ice packs, label the package as ‘perishable, keep refrigerated’. Don’t forget to notify your gift recipient of their impending package too.

If restaurant and take-out gift certificates are an item on your holiday shopping list, be sure to check out the new government site which now features food safety inspection reports from all eating establishments across the province. Here you can find information on critical and non-critical safety and compliance for preferred eateries, from routine inspections, consumer complaints, and inspections for food recalls or food borne illness and infection outbreaks.  Before you purchase that gift card, take a moment to locate the report on that favorite eating establishment. Visit http://www.servicenl.gov.nl.ca/inspections/index.html for more information.

As seen in The Telegram December 3, 2012