Plenty of Reasons (And Recipes) To Party (NAPSA)—Special occasions can makeit difficult for even a faithful dieter to stick to a weight-loss regimen. Fortunately, for the millions of Americans who want to avoid those holiday and party pitfalls, a new cookbook offers delicious and nutritious ways to take part in the festivities without compromising your weight-loss plan. “The South Beach Diet Parties & Holidays Cookbook” (Rodale Books, $25) offers up more than 20 menus and 150 all-new recipes, along with prac- tical entertaining tips and UK MROMiny Cooking tech: niques, BAC.0om don’t Nitiwvrniomen mise a compro- texture, color, flavor or presentation, so you can enjoy any party or holiday deliciously and nutritiously. “Depriving yourself of delicious foods is a thing of the past,” says cardiologist Arthur Agatston, M.D., developer of The South Beach Diet. “This cookbook has a variety of healthy dishes prepared with good fats, good carbohy- drates, lean sources of protein, and plenty of fiber to keep you satisfied and allow you to celebrate any party or holiday withoutguilt.” This mouthwatering recipe can be a great addition to any holiday occasion or enjoyed at any time: Sweet Potato-Feta Rounds (Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes) 3 long, thin sweet potatoes, peeled (about 14 pounds) 1 Thsp. plus 1 tsp. extravirgin olive oil 1 garlic clove, minced 4 ounces reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled (% cup) 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives Freshly ground black pepper Heat oven to 450F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Cut potatoes Mitch Mandel/Roda “The South Beach Diet Parties & Holidays Cookbook”offers plenty of suggestionsfor party foodsthat fit into a healthylifestyle. into 30 (%-inch-thick) rounds. With a melon baller, carefully scoop a pocket into each potato piece, being careful not to scoop through bottoms; discard scooped-out portion. Combine potato pieces, 1 Tbsp. oil and garlic in a large bowl and toss to coat. Spread potatoes on baking sheet, scooped-out side up, and roast until just tender and edgesstart to brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, mash feta, chives and remaining oil to- gether in a small bowl. Season with pepperto taste. Remove potatoes from oven and fill each pocket with a heaping % teaspoon cheese mixture. Return to oven and bake until heated through, about 5 minutes. Serve warm. Makes10 (3-piece) servings. Nutrition per serving: 80 calo- ries, 2.5 g fat, 3 g protein, 11 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 150 mg sodium. The recipe is from “The South Beach Diet Parties & Holidays Cookbook” by Arthur Agatston, M.D., with permission from Rodale, Inc. The book is available where books are sold or at (800) 848-4735. To learn more about The South Beach Diet and related cookbooks, visit www.southbeachdiet.com.
