Connecting with Family

The holidays’ are a time for sharing and connecting with family and loved ones. However, during the holiday season, food often takes center stage. My suggestion: Don’t focus on large meals or complicated desserts. Instead, keep the menu simple and simply enjoy being together with the ones you love. 

Feelings of Comfort and Joy


Spending time with family helps us reconnect, and improves our well-being.  A great way to spend time with children is to teach them to help in the kitchen. Children are more likely to try a new recipe if they helped make it. Even little kids can help by setting out ingredients, measuring and mixing.



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When the whole family sits down at the table together, what's on their plates is a distant second to what's in their hearts. So, in addition to making positive memories,  feelings of togetherness can improve your mood that leads to overall better health.

If family members are far away, the holidays are a great time to reach out to friends, co-workers, or perhaps an acquaintance you would like to get to know better. During meal time, focus on the conversation and keep in mind it's a celebration, not an excuse to overindulge.

Creating family rituals is another way to bring everyone together during the holiday season. The ritual doesn’t need to be grand. Maybe light a candle at meal times. Or use nice linens or china to make the meal special. Taking a team approach is not only helpful, but can create lasting memories. For example, someone is in charge of cooking, while one sets the table, and the others clean-up. Even if you do not have a meal time ritual, think of something holiday related your family could make a tradition. Maybe a favorite holiday movie you all watch together each year?


What to do Besides Eating? 

Many people use baking during the holidays as a time reconnect with loved ones. If you are trying to avoid fatty and sugary desserts, there are lots of other activities- you could make a holiday wreath, build a gingerbread house, or make ornaments for the tree. Getting everyone involved will bring comfort and joy, and the fun of handmade decorations will provide happy memories for years to come. 

On my tree at home!
Glitter Ornament Directions: Add a few drops of Murphy’s oil into a glass ornament. Swirl oil to coat the inside. Add glitter into the ornament and shake until all sides are covered with glitter. Done!

Check out the link below for other easy ornament ideas. 

Hosting a holiday gathering and feeling like you're obligated to serve a dessert

Everyone feels this same stress, but keep in mind that some guests might also be struggling with weight issues. And since guests may feel like they have to eat dessert so as not to upset the host, make something easy and forgo the fatty desserts.  Look for something a little healthier. 
Plan Calorie Spending and Reward Yourself Accordingly

If you do plan on adding that extra dollop of whipped cream to your pie, keep the extra calories in mind. Adding a few extra here and there is okay, as long as exercise time is planned. You may need to spend and extra 10 minutes at the gym each day to compensate. Suggest going on a walk after eating a large meal with the family. This helps with digestion and promotes bonding time. If walking outside isn’t an option during the dark chilly days of winter, suggest a family game night. Chose a game that requires you to get up and move a bit: Charades, Catch-Phrase, Twister, or a Nintendo Wii competition.

Don't forget to reward yourself for healthy behaviors. Set a small goal for yourself such as: skip dessert, eat 5 servings of fruit/vegetable in one day, get 80 grams of protein everyday for a week, or drink at least 64 oz of fluid each day. After reaching one of these small goals, reward yourself with something that is non-food related. One option for rewarding yourself might be to set aside a pre-determined amount of money each week until your goal is met. This will help you save up for a big ticket reward (dream vacation) or a few holiday bills.









Recipe Corner

 Fall Spice Latte - For a high protein drink with fall flair
Ingredients:
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 cup brewed decaf coffee
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger

Directions:
  1. Heat skim milk in a microwave safe mug, do not allow it to boil. (About 1 minute)
  2. Stir coffee into warm milk
  3. Slowly add 1 scoop of vanilla protein and stir until dissolved.
  4. Sprinkle cinnamon and ginger and mix well.


Secretly Good For You Brownies- Get your daily serving of veggies with these flourless, zucchini brownies
Ingredients:
1 cup almond butter

1 1/2 cup zucchini (about 3) shredded in the food processor
1/3 cup honey
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  2. Combine all the ingredients into a large bowl and mix together
  3. Pour into a greased 9x9 baking pan. 
  4. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 
Pumpkin Whip- no cooking required! Simple Easy, and Affordable
Ingredients:
1/2 pint heavy cream
1 oz package Sugar Free Instant Jell-O in Butterscotch or Vanilla Pudding flavor
1 cup milk- use cow’s milk for the mousse to set properly
1 cup Pumpkin puree
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

Directions:

  1. In a small deep bowl, whip the cream using a hand mixer until stiff- set aside
  2. In a large bowl, beat together the pudding mix, milk, pumpkin puree and spices until think and smooth
  3. Fold in the whipped cream with a rubber spatula.
  4. Cover and Chill. Scoop into dessert dishes and serve with additional whipped cream. 


Toasted Seasoned Pumpkin Seeds- to help curb salty snack cravings and increase protein
Ingredients:
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds (buy in bulk from Clark’s nutrition or follow link below for directions on getting the seeds out of the pumpkin)
Olive oil 
Season Choice #1 salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika
Season Choice #2 salt and pepper
Season Choice #3 salt and curry powder
Season Choice #4 Chili Powder

Directions: 
  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees
  2. Lay dry seeds on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper
  3. Toss seeds evenly to coat with olive oil and your choice of seasoning
  4. Toast in oven for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. 
  5. Serve warm of store in airtight container to add to salads or cottage cheese.


Garden Minestrone Soup- great dish for when you are feeling chilled. Make a large batch on the weekend and take for lunch throughout the week.
Serves 8 (1 1/2 cup soup with 2 tablespoons of cheese)
Ingredients:
2 Teaspoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano (I used 1 tsp dried oregano)
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups chopped yellow squash (about 2)
3 cups chopped zucchini (about 2)
1 cup frozen corn kernels
4 cups chopped tomato, divided
3 (14oz) cans fat-free low sodium chicken broth, divided
1/2 cup uncooked ditalini pasta (short, tubed shaped macaroni: I used orecchiette)
1 (15.5 oz) can Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
6 oz fresh spinach
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 oz grated Asiago cheese
Coarsely ground black pepper (optional)

Directions:
  1. Heath a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until softened, stirring frequently. Add oregano and garlic, sauté 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in squash, zucchini, carrot, and corn; sauté 5 minutes or until vegetable are tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. 
  2. Place 3 cup tomato and 1 can broth in a blender, process until smooth, Add tomato mixture to pan; return pan to heat, Stir in remaining 1 cup tomato and remaining 2 cans broth; bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 20 minutes. 
  3. Add pasta and beans to pan; cook 10 minutes or until pasta is tender (I had to cook 13 minutes because pasta was not done after 10) stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in spinach, salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Ladle soup into bowls; top with cheese. Garnish with coarsely ground black pepper if desired. 
Note: if you plan to take this to lunch throughout the week, do not add spinach to the entire dish. Add it as you serve it so the spinach stays fresh. 

Nutrition: Calories:217, Fat: 6.1 g, Protein: 12.6 g, Carbs: 30.5g, Fiber: 7.0 g






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