Eating Well Over Christmas
At the risk of sounding like Scrooge, it is possible to eat in a healthy way even though you are celebrating Christmas. Here are some tips:
Give the canapés a wide berth – or take a plate of your own – even better!
You don’t have to go without finger food. Just wrap lightly steamed asparagus in slices of lean ham, add a sprinkle of sesame seeds, a splash of lemon and voila! Or wrap them in a slice of smoked salmon.
Salads – give the potato and pasta a miss!
Prepare a prawn or seafood piece salad. It’s easy – mixed greens with char-grilled tiger prawns, radish, snow peas or Spanish onion. Flavour with a mixture of lemon juice your choice of herb.
Mix Asian greens, chopped cherry tomatoes, Lebanese cucumber slices, bean sprouts, thinly sliced lean, char-grilled meat and mix with a low fat, spicy dressing.
Go exotic – spoil yourself with the freshest produce you can! Watermelon and pineapple are in season. Slice into finger-sized pieces, combine some Equal and ginger in a pan over low heat, cook for 2 minutes until thickened, cool, add mint and spoon over the fruit.
Eat the turkey, ham or chicken – just avoid the potato, stuffing, crackling and gravy!
Eat lots of turkey and chicken breast. Seafood like grilled salmon, snapper, or shellfish is also a fantastic choice. What about a mixed seafood platter? Just avoid the creamy dressings and load up your plate with those salads we just made. Drain the fat from any oven baked foods.
If it’s a barbecue, why not build skewers – alternating chicken or seafood with pieces of fruit or fresh vegetables? Tasmanian salmon – alternate portions with pieces of shallot, grill and cover with light soy sauce and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Slice vegetables like eggplant and zucchini thinly and barbecue!
Finish with a flourish!
Instead of Christmas pudding or mince tarts, try a platter of mango, cherries, strawberries, blueberries and kiwi fruit dusted with a tiny bit of icing sugar. Use low fat ricotta or yoghurt as a substitute for cream.
Bend the rules slightly but don’t go completely off the rails! Choose one yummy treat and really relish it!
