Slim Down Your Holiday Dishes by Mindy Hermann, R.D. (NAPSA)—I love holiday foods like pumpkin pie and candied sweet potatoes. But as I get older, I’m noticing that I have to pay more attention to what I eat during the holidays—gaining weight is all too easy. That is why I love tips for slimming down holiday dishes without giving up flavor or tradition. Here are a few of my favorites: * Cut back on butter. Many vegetable dishes, muffins and quick breads taste just as : good when you use Hermann half or two-thirds the amount of butter, margarineoroil in the recipe. Go crust-free. Bake pumpkin or apple pie filling, without crust, in individual ramekins. With the calories you save, you can enjoy a dollop of whipped cream on top! * Trade away the heavy cream. Low-fat milk, or even whole milk, has far less fat and fewer calories. Choose holiday recipes that were tested using lower-fat milk rather than cream or half-and-half. Lighten up gravies. Skim the fat off of pan juices before using them to make gravy. For easy defatting, pour the juices into a measuring cup and place in the freezer until the fat rises to the top and starts to harden. * Unstuff the stuffing. Bake stuffing in a separate pan—it’s lower in fat when cooked outside the bird. To further cut calories, add extra vegetables and reduce the amount of butter and bread in the recipe. Note to Editors: This is Series VI—5 of 26. Keep the crunch.Top casseroles and desserts with crum- bled cereal, like Whole Grain Total, instead of marshmallows, chopped nuts or streusel topping. The cereal adds great taste, crunch and nutrition without the extra fat and calories. Total Cereal-Topped Sweet Potatoes and Apples 4 servings 1 can (23 oz) sweet potatoes in syrup, drained 1 cup thin apple slices 2 tablespoons apple juice or water 1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar 1 cup Whole Grain Total cereal, coarsely crushed 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped pecans 1. Heat oven to 350F. In ungreased 8-inch square baking dish, place sweet potatoes, apple slices and apple juice. Coverwith foil. 2. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until apples are tender. 3. In medium bowl, stir together butter and brown sugar; stir in cereal and pecans until well coated. Uncover sweet potato mixture; sprinkle with cereal mixture. Bake uncovered 10 minutes. Serve immediately. 1 Serving: Calories 240 (Calories from Fat 50); Total Fat 6g (Sat Fat 2g, Trans Fat Og, Poly Fat 1g, Mono Fat 2g); Cholesterol 10mg; Sodium 130mg; Total Carbohydrate 45g (Dietary Fiber 5g); Protein 3g
