Appendix: Healthy Cooking Hints for the Holidays

Sweets

• Substitute ½ to 2/3 unsweetened applesauce instead of oil for your favourite recipe^{1 4}. I find the recipes are a little less fluffy, but just as moist. Normally, people do not know the food is low calorie. Don't bother to tell them. Pureed prunes can be used in chocolate recipes and give a fudge taste to the dessert ⁴.
• Experiment with quick bread and muffin recipes by using only 2 tablespoons of fat (margarine, butter or oil) and 1 tablespoon of sugar per cup of flour. Additional vanilla, nutmeg or cinnamon will help compensate for the lower sugar content⁵.
• For that special Christmas dessert, serve angel food cake which is low in fat. Top with fresh fruit² or a low calorie sauce made with light whipping cream, egg, and fruit juice.
• Make your pumpkin pie with evaporated skim milk, and eliminate high fat pastry by using crushed ginger snaps for the crust³.
• Try plain low fat yoghurt instead of sour cream in recipes¹.
• Use skim or low fat milk in your recipes².
• Use eggs substitutes instead of whole eggs to help lower cholesterol¹.

Main Course

• Use lean cuts of meat and trim off all excess fat.
• Remove the skin of turkey and chicken after cooking but prior to eating.
• To make gravies, place the drippings in the freezer. As the drippings get cold, the fat will float on the top for easy removal by spoon. Then use the remaining drippings to make tasty lower fat gravy.
• To lower salt level, use a plain turkey instead of a self basting bird³.
• Add more fish, especially cold water fish like salmon and tuna, to the holiday menu².
• To lower fat in stuffing, make your holiday stuffing with only half the meat or giblets. Substitute the remaining with dried fruit such as apricots, raisins or cranberries. Then cook the stuffing outside the bird in a casserole dish² .

Side Dishes and Appetizers

• Try using the new low fat cheeses and spreads for your dips².
• Candied yams can be made with apple or orange juice, and cinnamon while omitting the margarine, butter and marshmallows³.
• For those special mash potatoes, use skim milk, garlic powder, and a little parmesan cheese instead of whole milk and butter³. Finish with some fresh Parsley.

These helpful hints go a long way to making the Holiday season healthy. In addition, implement these ideas into your food preparation all year round.

Reference for Appendix: Low Fat Holiday Cooking Hints

1. Barke, S. 2002. 10 Eating Tips for a Healthy Holiday Season. Holiday Eating Survival Tips. www.studenthealth.ucla.edu/snac/pages/Resources/Handouts
2. Calgary Health Region. 2000. Your Health. Healthy Holiday Eating Tips
   www.calgaryhealthregion.ca/hlthconn/items/hapholiday.htm
3. CFFH Newsletter. 2001. Healthy Holidays. In The Holiday Resource Collection and Healthy Holidays Overhead/Powerpoint Show. Food and Health Communications Inc
4. Greiger, L. 1998. Healthy Holiday Baking with Applesauce.
   www.Heartinfo.org
5. Temple, J. Good Nutrition During the Holidays. Iowa State University Extension.

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