Syracuse Parent and CNY Family

Looking for lunch, breakfast, dinner and snack ideas? Here are recipes and columns our nutritionists have contributed. Since this is a recipe exchange we welcome you to contribute your favorite recipes too.

Healthy holiday happenings

Holiday eating....almost every month of the year you and your family are faced with the wonderful prospect of getting together for a happy and usually large holiday meal. And, with Thanksgiving and Christmas right around the corner, now is the time to begin planning a healthy menu, so we can avoid packing on those unwanted pounds usually associated with these holidays. Here are just a few healthy suggestions to help power up your menu without adding the undesirable calories.
Appetizers/munchies- Think fresh. Select or provide fresh fruit or cut vegetables. Display a rainbow of garden vegetables- green, yellow, red peppers, cherry tomatoes, carrots, bean sprouts, broccoli, mushrooms and so much more. Serve with low fat sour cream- based dip. For a special twist consider adding ground flaxseed to the dip for a nutty flavor. Flaxseed is a nutritional powerhouse rich in alpha linolenic acid (ALA) an essential fatty acid that benefits a variety of health conditions, heart disease and arthritis to name a few. Keep your fresh fruit from browning with a touch of calcium-fortified orange juice and serve with a low fat yogurt dip. Or, try putting out dishes of dried fruits and nuts- almonds and walnuts for their richness in omega-3. LEAVE the chips and cheese doodles in the cupboard, or better yet, on the grocery store shelf.
For the main meal- Try to select or provide one vegetable side for every starch served-fresh cooked green beans with almond slices, sautéed broccoli with fresh garlic, or a mixed greens salad with plenty of dark leafy greens are all good suggestions. By the way-salad dressings on the side. By far your best bet here is oil and vinegar. Select healthy oils such as olive, sunflower or walnut and mix with a balsamic vinaigrette for a sweet flavor. Also, add fresh herbs and spices, chucks of avocado or artichoke for extra flavor and nutrient value.
Now for the gravy- try substituting whole wheat flour when making your roux. A whole wheat pastry flour will produce smooth and creamy gravy. Instead of butter, find a soft margarine fortified in plant sterols and stanols. Plant sterol and stanols, or phytosterols can be helpful lowering cholesterol, especially the “bad” LDL cholesterol.
Lastly, dessert.....usually on everyone’s menu is pie. Again, try using whole wheat flour for the crust. And, instead of whole eggs- try 2 egg whites for each egg, 1/4 cup of egg substitute or 3 Tbsp water and 1Tbps of flaxseed for 1 egg. Use those healthy fats-monounsaturated and polyunsaturated, such as canola, olive, almond and walnut. Try to always use real fruit or unsweetened canned fruit and sweeten to taste.
Most of all have a safe, fun-filled holiday celebration with your family and friends.

Whole grain pie crust
1 cup whole-wheat or honey graham cracker crumbs (from 8 graham cracker squares)
1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
2 tablespoons canola or sunflower oil
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
2 tablespoons wheat germ or ground pumpkin seeds
2 teaspoons finely grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1 large egg (with high omega-3 content, as noted on label), lightly beaten
Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a 9 inch pie plate. Combine graham cracker crumbs, flour, oil, brown sugar, flaxseed, wheat ginger in bowl. Add egg; stir until moistened. Gently press mixture of prepared pie plate. Bake for 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack.
References: verybestbaking.com