Happy, Healthy, and Delicious

The holiday season is a great time of year to enjoy the company of our friends and family.  Yet whether we’re hosting a party or attending one, it can sometimes be difficult to stick to our healthy routines.  We always hear, “everything in moderation,” which can be great, but unfortunately for me it often means taking in too many calories and feeling sluggish the next day. 

I’m always looking for ways to enjoy the festivities without deviating too much from my regular fitness routine.  A friend of mine at work, who had been trying to lower her cholesterol, said she faced the same situation.  Rather than complain or give in, she attends parties with a prepared healthy dish for everyone to enjoy.  The “everything in moderation” approach is definitely easier when healthy drinks and appetizers are available.

Here are some great items to bring or serve at your next holiday function:

Aromatic Roasted Nuts

A handful of roasted nuts will do wonders to keep a person feeling happy and full at a party.  Another friend recently shared her recipe for roasted almonds. Thanks to the healthy oils found in the nuts, one experiences a feeling of fullness, which means there is much less temptation to indulge on other empty calorie snacks.  Her basic recipe consists of preheating the oven to 350 degrees, spreading the almonds in a single layer on a cookie sheet, and baking them for approximately 12-15 minutes. Once the almonds are removed from the over, they can be sprinkled with cinnamon sugar or sea salt. (For an interesting variation, she’ll often add some orange zest while the almonds are baking.) 

Colorful Vegetable Platters

Snacking on veggies at a party can be a great way to keep energy up, give skin a healthy glow, and keep temptation at bay.  A beautiful vegetable platter can be assembled in no time at all. We use the small containers made by Ziploc and fill each one with baby carrots, celery, peppers, or cherry tomatoes (or any fresh vegetables of choice).  Once the containers are spread around an oval tray, a healthy dip can be placed in the middle.  An easy nutritious dip can be made by mixing together 1 cup of greek yogurt, 2 TBSP of dill, 1 TBSP of lemon juice, 2 TBSP of garlic, and 1 cup of diced cucumber. This recipe and it’s nutritional info can be found at  http://www.food.com/recipeprint.do?rid=449657  

Sparkling Spa Cucumber Water

Staying hydrated with healthy beverages is important when it comes to attending multiple holiday parties. I was introduced to cucumber water last year while on vacation. I could not get over how refreshing it tasted and how it gave me a nice revived energy boost.   To make the water, use English cucumbers whenever possible. (They’re the long, skinny ones in the produce section.)  Simply peel and slice the cucumber and add it to a pitcher of water; using approximately one cucumber per one gallon of water.  The water will be ready to serve within 2 hours.  We found a decorative water dispenser in the supermarket and add a few unpeeled cucumber slices to the container before serving, which creates a little holiday spa effect. Enjoy!

Happy and Healthy Holidays!