Weight Management and Holiday Color

I totally enjoy the holidays and have learned to stay healthy and manage my food and beverage choices. The memories attached to comfort foods not longer control me and you can break their grip as well. I want to empower you to bring health to yourself and others as your holiday gift this year.

When the party is rolling and so is the alcohol and snacks make sure at regular meal times you are getting what you need to maintain health. Fatigue and the other symptoms that come from over consumption of beverage and snacks can be avoided if you remember to keep your regular meals and holiday foods colorful. The colors I am referring to are not the colorful cookies full of food coloring and the very sugar and lard the will cause the before mentioned symptoms. Fruits and veggies come in a variety of colors thanks to phytochemicals, natural compounds found in plant-based foods. Researchers believe that phytochemicals have profound effects on health, and can play a role in preventing chronic diseases.

Add some strawberries and blueberries to your breakfast, some tomatoes to your salad at lunch and dark green spinach as a side for dinner. At the after office party choose the best quality snacks they have. It may be that the choices are fun but not so fruitful. Be the one that brings the nutritious snack.

Go to Whole Foods Market and get the whole grain pastries you will be surprised how good they are. Most importantly is they won't be made with Trans fats but good quality oils and unprocessed sugars.

An easy and good choice for party foods is Humus; create a Lebanese theme. Humus and steamed whole grain pita bread to dip in the humus. A salad of parsley, rice, garlic, and lemon called Tabooley can be included. You will have created a great balance and an interesting table as well. Both Tabooley and Hummus are available already prepared in every city in the deli of the grocery stores. To treat the crowd this year you can cook in advance the below dish and they will love it;

LEBANESE CABBAGE ROLLS
1 lg. head cabbage
1 lb. coarsely ground turkey
1 c. brown rice
2 tsp. salt
Juice of 2 lemons
1/2 tsp. allspice
3 cloves garlic
2 c. canned tomatoes or 1 can tomato paste
Wash rice and drain. Add meat and 1 cup tomatoes or 1/2 can paste. Add salt, pepper and spices. This is the filling. Separate cabbage leaves and drop separately in salted boiling water and cook a few minutes until limp. Cook all leaves then let drain. Trim leaves of heavy stems. Reserve stems and put in bottom of saucepan. On each leaf place 1 heaping tbsp. of filling and roll firmly. Place cabbage rolls neatly in rows making several layers. Place garlic buds among leaves as you roll. Add 1 cup tomatoes and enough hot water to cover rolls. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp. salt over all. Cook 45 minutes to 1 hour. During last 15 minutes of cooking, add the juice of 2 lemons.

Every one loves corn chips and salsa be sure you are getting chips made with whole grains and no hydrogenated oils. Try three different salsas mild , hot and an original Mexican with guacamole and pinto bean dip, be sure the bean dip does not contain lard or other hydrogenated oils.

Shopping at your local Health Food market will help you find these products with higher quality ingredients.

Phytochemicals come from bright colors in the foods you consume. (Sorry - orange cheetos and M&M's don't count!)Try to promote health; give the gift of health. Show your friends how to have a great time, delicious food and keep their health during and after the holidays.

Make sure you're eating good, quality carbohydrates too, not cakes and white bread. Good carbs are whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables. The phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals thay your body needs will be provided by these food choices.

Be sure you include some form of protein at each meal. The protein found in chicken, fish, lean beef, turkey, beans, tofu, and nuts will help keep your blood sugar stable, keeping you more full between meals.

The occasional party will not take such a strong hit on your health if you take care of what your body needs daily. Look at you plate for variety and color...How many different colors do you see? Get creative and be the host or guest with the most interesting foods that benefit everyone.