Focus on the “Stars” for your Holiday Cooking!
Ashley Svaty, Nutrition, Food Safety and Health Agent
Many favorite holiday main dishes, sides, and desserts are filled with added fat, sugar, and sodium. There’s good news though, we can do something about it! Focus on the healthy “star” ingredient of each dish and cut out the extras that usually bring on the added unnecessary calories and little nutrition. For example, there is a recipe featured below for a fall apple crisp. Compare the nutrition facts with a traditional apple pie and you save 180 calories, 11 fat grams and 18 carbohydrates per serving! I challenge you to make changes in some of your holiday dishes. Here are some everyday tips to enhance nutrition to meals.
Fall Apple Crisp
7 cups cored, sliced apples, about 2 pounds or 5 large apples
For more information about healthy holiday cooking, view our Focus on the Stars Cooking Healthy for the Holidays publication here.
For more nutritious recipes, view pages 4-6 of the leaders guide!
- When using canned vegetables, purchase “No salt added” or “Reduced sodium” options to reduce your salt intake. If these are not available, drain and rinse your canned vegetables to decrease salt by about half.
- When choosing canned fruit, purchase those labeled “No sugar added” or “Packed in 100% juice” instead of “Heavy syrup”.
- While baking instead of using white flour, use half white & half 100% whole wheat flour.
- Use unsaturated oils instead of margarine.
- Use whole-grain breads, rice and pasta instead of white.
- Bake, grill or steam vegetables and protein foods instead of frying.
- Substitute low-fat or skim milk instead of whole or heavy cream.
- Balance your plate with fruits and vegetables.
- Read food labels to ensure that your ingredients fit in a healthful diet.
Fall Apple Crisp
Makes 9 servings
7 cups cored, sliced apples, about 2 pounds or 5 large apples
⅓ cup 100% apple juice
½ cup whole wheat flour
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup rolled oats
5 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
3 tablespoons slivered almonds
Directions
1) Preheat oven to 375°F. 2) Peel apples, if desired, slice, and toss in a mixing bowl with apple juice to coat. 3) Combine flour, both kinds of sugar, and oats in another mixing bowl. Cut in butter using two knives until mixture is crumbly. Stir in almonds. 4) Spray a square 8-inch by 2-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Pour apples into baking dish and sprinkle with crumb mixture. 5) Bake 45 minutes or until topping turns golden brown.
Directions
1) Preheat oven to 375°F. 2) Peel apples, if desired, slice, and toss in a mixing bowl with apple juice to coat. 3) Combine flour, both kinds of sugar, and oats in another mixing bowl. Cut in butter using two knives until mixture is crumbly. Stir in almonds. 4) Spray a square 8-inch by 2-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Pour apples into baking dish and sprinkle with crumb mixture. 5) Bake 45 minutes or until topping turns golden brown.
For more information about healthy holiday cooking, view our Focus on the Stars Cooking Healthy for the Holidays publication here.
For more nutritious recipes, view pages 4-6 of the leaders guide!
