A healthier holiday meal doesn't have to mean a big plate of raw carrots and kale – not that there's anything wrong with that. Instead, it can amount to a small change here, a small change there, and maybe a tweak beyond that.
Dietitians at City of Hope, which promotes a healthful lifestyle as a way of reducing cancer risk, suggest these substitutions for your holiday favorites.
These tips are so smart, your guests might not even notice them.
| If your recipe calls for: | Use instead: |
|---|---|
| Whole milk | Fat-free milk or 1% low-fat milk |
| Heavy cream | Evaporated skim milk, whole milk or light cream |
| Whole eggs | 2 egg whites or 1/4 cup egg substitute or 1 tsp. oil and 2 egg whites, whipped lightly |
| Sour cream | Nonfat cottage cheese with lemon juice, fat-free sour cream or nonfat plain yogurt |
| Cream cheese | Fat-free cream cheese |
| Mayonnaise | Nonfat plain yogurt or fat-free mayonnaise |
| Whipped topping | Sugar-free whipped topping mix, nonfat vanilla yogurt, or light or fat-free nondairy whipped topping |
| White flour | 1/2 white flour + 1/2 whole wheat flour or oat bran |
| Salt | Fresh herbs and spices, lemon juice or hot pepper sauce |
| Sugar | Reduce amounts, using non-nutritive sweeteners |
| Shortening | Canola oil (3/4 cup oil = 1 cup shortening) |
| Meat, fish, poultry | Use limited quantities; remove skin and all visible fat |
Here's a favorite holiday drink using substitutions.
Egg Nog
Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 6 ounces)
Ingredients
- 4 cups fat‑free milk
- 1 cup egg substitute
- Sugar substitute to equal 4 Tablespoons of sugar
- 3 teaspoons rum extract or 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Combine milk, egg substitute, sugar substitute and extract.
- Beat with rotary beater or electric mixer until well blended.
- Chill thoroughly. Stir before serving and sprinkle with nutmeg.
Nutrient analysis per serving
- Exchanges: 1/2 carbohydrate exchange (1/2 milk)
- Total Carbohydrates: 6 grams
- Calories: 50
MedLinePlus, offered by the National Institutes of Health offers more information on the connection between a healthy diet and lower cancer risk.
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