Monday, December 14, 2015

How to stick with tradition and still make healthier holiday meals

Holiday cookies
First off, nobody wants to mess with treasured holiday recipes. There are good reasons we treasure them. If they are perfect as is, why change them and risk disappointing all those tradition-loving eaters? I would never suggest fussing around with Grandma’s cherished holiday cookie recipe, so you can breathe easy.
However … not everything you serve at holiday time falls into that “most-loved” category. There are lots of things that are just served traditionally that don’t necessarily have a place in your culinary heart. Those are the items where you could probably make changes in the name of health and not really worry about how your guests will receive them.
In fact, making some healthy tweaks in those dishes might make the whole meal much more healthful. It will also let you feel better about serving all those big dinners and bountiful breakfasts. So, with all that in mind, let’s get started with a few ideas.

Which dishes would be easiest to“healthify?”

Not everything you make will take well to alterations. It makes sense to examine your menu or holiday recipe collection first and then make your plan. In general, recipes for baked goods are not the easiest to modify. Baking is like a chemistry experiment. Texture, leavening, flakiness, moisture level and more can all be tricky to maintain when you begin to juggle around ingredients and proportions.
A beef stew, a casserole, or grain or potato-based side dishes — these are all much easier to modify with good results. In fact, keeping the main dish as is while lightening everything around it is a pretty good dinner strategy. Another place to trim some holiday fat and calories with ease: beveragesClick here to continue reading.

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