Delicious edibles inundate us at this time of the year and the temptation is fierce. Each little treat you indulge yourself in can overwhelm you. With three weeks left in 2012 you may consider scaling down on what you are eating. A little here a little there may be insurmountable to burn off in 2013.
Eating healthy and being consciousness about how we fuel our bodies is a choice. Whatever we eat and drink is a true reflection of who we are and how we envision our bodies. As mentioned in previous articles, I enjoy a treat every so often. However, balance and awareness of what you are eating and how much is important. Being cognizant of what we digest serves a greater purpose. The purpose draws awareness to how we feel and function in our daily lives when we eat properly. Fresh fruits, vegetables, and protein provide energy in people. Food that is highly processed, high in sugar, high in carbohydrates often depletes one’s energy level.
You may notice with all the holiday cheer you are not eating as well as you usually do. This is normal for this time of year due to the multitude of engagements you are attending. Take control these last few weeks of the year. Forgo extra chips and desserts. Mitigate temptation.
Enjoy the following appetizing and satisfying dishes. Your palate will be placated. Plus, the recipes lend a festive ambience.
Red and White Salad ~ 8 servings, about 1 3/4 cups each. Active Time: 25 min. Total Time: 25 min. This recipe calls for Champagne Vinaigrette.
Ingredients
· 4 cups thinly sliced hearts of romaine
· 2 heads Belgian endive, cored and thinly sliced
· 1 bulb fennel, trimmed, cored, quartered and thinly sliced
· 1 15-ounce can hearts of palm, drained, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
· 1/2 head radicchio, cored, quartered and thinly sliced
· 1 red apple, cored and cut into matchsticks
· 1 cup thinly sliced radishes
· Champagne Vinaigrette, (recipe follows)
· Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Preparation
Toss romaine, endive, fennel, hearts of palm, radicchio, apple and radishes together in a large salad bowl. Add vinaigrette and toss to coat. Season with pepper.
Make Ahead Tip: Prepare salad without dressing, cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours. Toss with vinaigrette just before serving.
Nutrition
Per serving: 111 calories; 7 g fat ( 1 g sat , 5 g mono ); 0 mg cholesterol; 11 g carbohydrates; 2 g protein; 3 g fiber; 424 mg sodium; 324 mg potassium. Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (30% daily value). Carbohydrate Servings: 1 Exchanges: 1 1/2 vegetable, 1 1/2 fat
Ingredients
Broiled Mango ~ 2 servings. Active Time: 10 minutes. Total Time: 20 minutes
Preparation
1. Position rack in upper third of oven and preheat broiler. Line a broiler pan with foil.
2. Arrange mango slices in a single layer in the prepared pan. Broil until browned in spots, 8 to 10 minutes. Squeeze lime wedges over the broiled mango and serve.
Tips & Notes
· Tip: Cutting a Mango:
· 1. Slice both ends off the mango, revealing the long, slender seed inside. Set the fruit upright on a work surface and remove the skin with a sharp knife.
· 2. With the seed perpendicular to you, slice the fruit from both sides of the seed, yielding two large pieces.
· 3. Turn the seed parallel to you and slice the two smaller pieces of fruit from each side.
· 4. Cut the fruit into the desired shape.
Nutrition
Per serving: 69 calories; 0 g fat ( 0 g sat , 0 g mono ); 0 mg cholesterol; 18 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 1 g protein; 2 g fiber; 2 mg sodium; 167 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (50% daily value), Vitamin A (15% dv).
Carbohydrate Servings: 1
Exchanges: 1 fruit
Enjoy and remember you can indulge is special treats that are healthy. Cheers!
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