Healthy New Year's Eve Drinks

I like to call New Year's Eve, "amateur night".  It's that time when everyone thinks you should drink in celebration.  Maybe you are looking to rid yourself of the memories of 2010 or you want to get 2011 started with a bang.  That's great, do whatever floats your boat - but don't drink and drive.

Now here's the dose of reality you didn't ask for - alcohol has calories.  (It's one saving grace is NO fat.)  Yes I know, you know, but do you know how many?  I bring you this handy calculator that the government has set up to discourage college binge drinking.  While I don't believe you have plans to get completely faced, you should still be aware, alcohol calories add up.

A couple of examples - 

Drink Ounces Calories
Light Beer            12                110
Martini 3.5               140
Manhattan 3.5               164
Margarita            4                  168
Champagne 4                  84
Red Wine   4                  80

I am laughing at those a bit, because other than the serving size and calories on the wine, the Manhattan and the champagne, these are likely inaccurate compared to what people may imbibe tomorrow night.  Beer is frequently 16 ounces now; that's a straight vodka martini, it doesn't account for juices or chocolate (my fave); and if you ever got a 4 ounce margarita, you would probably send it back as too skimpy.

With all of that said, there is nothing wrong with having a couple of drinks on an occasion.  If all else fails, it's a social lubricant so you can put up with your cousin Gary who decided to tag along.  The key really, like any other food, is moderation.  (Are you sick of being told that yet?)

I have rounded up a few drink recipes to add to your festivities.  If you drain the alcohol from them, most are kid friendly and all will be lower in calories.

Mojito Fresco
Poinsettia Mimosas
Golden Sparklers
Champagne Ginger Cocktail
Cava Cocktail
And this is a whole website of "Mocktails", so you don't have to worry about taking out the alcohol.
Just some ideas to mix things up for you.  My best advice is, when watching calories, this is not the time to try something new or do shots (which average 100 calories a piece).  This is a time to go with a favorite that you can savor and really enjoy, making every little drop count.

Tomorrow: New Year's Day recipes to bring you luck.

Yours in Health,
Kate

Healthy New Year's Eve Munchies

Here we are again, holiday food.  And here I remind you again, that 'healthy' is relative when it comes to anything labeled holiday.  With that said and my assuring you that one glass of bubbly, to toast the New Year, will not lay waste to your waist, I have come to share some snack recipes.


These are the little goodies that are placed on warming trays, in dishes, on platters, and even though healthier, will add up if you overindulge.  So, remember key things like - fill up on the veggie tray (without the dip), drink a glass of water once an hour to fill tummy space and choose one thing to really enjoy or you may run off the rails without intending to.


Since I am going to give you several, they will be in list and link form:

Mini Corn Bread Crab Cakes with Lemon-Caper Sauce
Spinach-&-Brie-Topped Artichoke Hearts
Tyler Florence's Bacon Wrapped Shrimp
5-Minute Guacamole Recipe
Black Bean Dip
Turkey Cocktail Meatballs
Alton Brown's Mulled Wine
Ginger-Shrimp Pot Stickers with Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce

Mini Greek Pizza Muffins

That should get you started and all of the websites I linked you to have many other recipes.  Tomorrow 'better for you' cocktails. :)

Yours in Health,

Kate

Super Bowl Food

I was listening to a story yesterday, on I forget what news source, about how Super Bowl Sunday has surpassed Thanksgiving as America's biggest "food" day. I didn't even have to think about it, they're right. The day of the big game has become an unofficial holiday in the U.S.

If you love football and I do, you will find yourself in front of a TV. If you don't have to go to bed at 7:30 (like I do) chances are that TV may be in the midst of a party or a bar. Either way, you will be staring down food demons that only come out once a year. I mean the amount of things that can suddenly be created with Velveeta is astounding.

So, I have two suggestions -

1. Make sure you workout that day, before the game. Getting physical will help curb your appetite somewhat. And remember, just because you expended a couple hundred calories through sweating, doesn't mean that justifies 15 hot wings - it doesn't.

2. Find healthy and tasty alternatives to your favorite snacks. Don't fall into that "it's only once a year" mentality and take a swan dive into the spinach-artichoke dip. We just got through the month and a half of that stuff and have started anew in January, don't blow it.

So, to that end, I have found a recipe from the American Heart Association (it's the beginning of Heart Month) that is a great stand-in for traditional hot-wings. Though you can find a number of other healthified favorites online.

Hot-Wing Chicken

Please note: "Real" hot-wings are breaded, fried and slathered in salt and sugar heavy flavorings. Basically that eliminates any of the good you can find in chicken. This recipe is a tasty and healthier alternative and while it doesn't address the rest of the stuff that makes it onto the table, it's a start.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons hot-pepper sauce, or to taste
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 4 ounces each), all visible fat discarded
Vegetable oil spray
1 cup cornflake crumbs (about 2 cups flakes)
1/4 cup fat-free or light sour cream
1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed, crumbled

Directions

In a large shallow bowl, stir together the hot-pepper sauce, lemon juice, and olive oil. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 8 hours, turning occasionally if longer than 30 minutes. Discard the marinade.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly spray an 8-inch square baking pan with vegetable oil spray.

Put the cornflake crumbs on a plate. Turn the chicken to coat both sides. Transfer to the baking pan. Lightly spray the top of the chicken with vegetable oil spray. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center and the coating is crisp. Transfer to a serving plate.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Spoon the sauce over the chicken or use as a dipping sauce.

Tip

Hot-pepper sauce made from cayenne peppers (a bit milder) or Tabasco peppers works well. Let your heat tolerance be your guide.

Nutrition Analysis (per serving) Serves 4 – Serving size - 3 ounces chicken and 2 tablespoons sauce per serving

Calories 220; Total Fat 4.0 g; Saturated 1.0 g; Polyunsaturated 0.5 g; Monounsaturated 2.0 g; Cholesterol 69 mg; Sodium 250 mg; Carbohydrates 16 g; Dietary Fiber 1 g; Sugars 3 g; Protein 29 g

Have fun and remember, you are not at the training table to be a 300 pound lineman, YOU are attempting to "Get Healthy".

Yours in health, Kate

Party Recipe #5 & Traci's Tips

We will start with trainer Traci's Tips for the week:

1. Drink some water every hour to help keep you alert.
2. Give yourself a posture check once a day. This will keep those back muscles from getting weak.
3. Listen to music while driving a little louder than normal. This helps decrease stresses in the body.
4. Add a little avocado to your diet. Great nutrients in it for the body and much healthier than mayo, or sour cream!
5. Exercise of week:
Side lunge---Front Raise with dumbbells 4 x 15

Our final party recipe of the week is one of my FAVORITE foods of all time. There used to be a little Chinese place in what is now the East Village that had the best ever. But this recipe is pretty darn good as well. It's from the Food Network.

Note that only makes 6 rolls, so for a party you will have to adjust for your number of guests.

Soft Asian Summer Rolls with Sweet and Savory Dipping Sauce

For the summer rolls:
2 ounces Vietnamese or Thai rice noodles
6 rice paper rounds
1/4 cup, or 12 fresh Thai basil leaves (or regular basil leaves), rinsed and dried
6 medium shrimp, cooked and halved
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/2 cup, or 12 whole large fresh mint leaves, rinsed and dried
3 red-leaf lettuce leaves, leaves, spines removed, leaving 6 halves

Bring water to a boil and cook rice noodles according to package directions. Drain, rinse and cool (makes about 2 cups).

Line up ingredients in small bowls before beginning to make rolls. Fill a large bowl or saucepan with very warm water. Place a rice paper round in the hot water. Soak for between 30 seconds and 1 minute, or until rice round is pliable and pattern on the round is barely visible. Remove and place on a clean, slightly damp kitchen towel.

Place 2 basil leaves on the inner edge of the rice round, about 1-inch from the edge and leaving about 1-inch on each side. Top with approximately 1/4 cup cooked rice noodles. Place 2 shrimp halves on top. Top with about 2 tablespoons carrots, then 2 leaves of mint. Fold 1 piece of lettuce leaf and place on top of pile.

Bring the edge over filling and tuck underneath. As you continue to roll, fold in the sides. Finish rolling, repeat with the other rolls, and reserve under a damp cloth or paper towel. When ready to serve, slice in half and serve, cut ends up, with dipping sauce.

Vinegar Dipping Sauce:
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons warm water
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 teaspoon chili sauce (recommended: Sriracha)
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon fish sauce or low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon finely shredded carrot
1 scallion, thinly sliced

Dissolve sugar in warm water, combine with other ingredients, and chill until ready to use.

Nutritional Analysis Per Serving Calories 90
Total Fat 0g Cholesterol 9mg
Sodium 100mg Carbohydrates 18g
Protein 3g Fiber 1g

That's it for another week of recipes. Next week healthy side dishes for the "big" meal coming on the 25th.

Yours in health, Kate

Party Dish #4 (Shalom) & She said it would be like this

LOL. I was just thinking back to my workout with Traci yesterday. She was really busting my butt, literally. I did tons of leg work, plus abs and stairs, etc. Well, at the third set of step-ups I was like, "I think you're going to get your way, I bet I really feel this tomorrow." She says, "No, you'll probably come in saying, 'Actually, I feel fine, not sore at all' and I will have to start plotting again."

She was right. Tee-hee. I like being in shape. I am looking forward to leaving here in an hour and get even more so. Seriously, Traci and Fitness World West - Rock the house!

Now, on to today's party recipe... I wish I had found this at the start of Hanukkah. I'm not Jewish, but well Latkes are my friends. I just can't eat the ones fried by the ladies at the synagogue anymore - too much being bad there.

This is a nice alternative with a few more veggies to kick them up.


Vegetable Party Latke

Use the shredding blade attachment on a food processor to shred the vegetables.

Ingredients:
1 pound shredded peeled baking potatoes
4 ounces shredded peeled sweet potato
4 ounces shredded zucchini
1 carrot, peeled and shredded
1/2 medium onion, shredded
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg
1 large egg white
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine the first 10 ingredients in a large bowl.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add potato mixture. Press mixture into an even layer in bottom of pan; cook 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Place a large plate upside down on top of pan, and invert onto plate.

Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to pan. Slide latke, uncooked-side down, into pan; wrap skillet handle with foil. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Cut latke into 8 wedges.

8 servings (serving size: 1 wedge)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 146(25% from fat); FAT 4.2g (sat 0.7g,mono 2.7g,poly 0.5g); PROTEIN 3.7g; CHOLESTEROL 26mg; CALCIUM 16mg; SODIUM 252mg; FIBER 2g; IRON 0.8mg; CARBOHYDRATE 24.1g

You could always cut the fat further by using less oil. This is from one of my favorite magazines: Cooking Light.

Happy belated Hanukkah, Shalom!

Yours in health, Kate

Party Dish #3 & The measure of a woman

When I was working my butt off, at work, yesterday (and don't we wish that was literally possible) people didn't understand my being disturbed by one day away from the gym. I don't want to come off as obsessive, but I do want to be diligent when it comes to my health - I spent many years ignoring it and I am still paying.

When I was last at Fitness World West on Monday, Trainer Traci and I did measurements again. It's been about 7 weeks since we did them last. My weight hasn't changed - 153. But my inches have - down by at least 1/2 inch everywhere and in my arms and my thighs, even more.

However Traci and I talked and I want more. I truly believe there is more fat to be removed from my body, I want to be leaner and more athletic. While I have made great strides in these areas, it's time to try some different tricks.

My food - Traci believes and I concur, I have gotten in a rut. Now I am going to do smaller snacks throughout the day and make my way to more whole foods. I have become too dependent on protein bars. While they are great for convenience and portion control, Traci thinks my body is used to burning them and isn't challenged to use extra calories for digestion. I can proudly say, I only had half a protein bar yesterday.

My workout - Traci thinks my body has become used to that as well. It's not that I don't trade out on cardio or that she doesn't give me a different set of exercises each time we train, it's that I am not surprising my body anymore. I guess it's like any relationship - you have to shake things up once in a while to keep the fire.

The fire is the key. I need to require my body to burn my stored fat to both get the most from my food and my workout. So, I am going to do more interval training. 5 minutes of cardio, some weights, 15 minutes of cardio, core work, etc. Each time will be different. I am looking forward to this next step. I want that silly scale to move.

Please note, while I have said that the number on the scale is not important, it is in so far as it taunts me knowing I am not getting at the last of the fat stores. Once I have my body shaped the way I want it, I truly will not care what that number on the little machine that provokes us all says.

As for a party dish, this is uber healthy and you can have half a cup!

Zesty Corn Salsa
Serve at a party or as a condiment with your favorite Mexican meal.

Servings: 4
Yield: 2 Cups

1 1/4 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons chopped seeded jalapeño chili

Combine all ingredients in bowl. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and chill.)

Per Serving: 53 Calories; trace Fat (6.3% calories from fat); trace Saturated Fat; 2g Protein; 13g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 3mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain (Starch); 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 0 Fat.

This is from Lowfatlifestyle.com

Yours in health, Kate

Party Dish #2 & Stupid Snow

Urgh. Third time in three weeks the snow has impeded me from going to the gym. I am disgusted. I want to be sweating right now. I want to be working out my aggression toward this precipitation by creating my own. Instead I am at my desk waiting for closings and delays. Good thing I love my job.

I do plan to do some core work when I get home; it's better than nothing. You see, you don't need equipment to get started, just an urge to make it happen.

Now, on to happier things like your holiday party. You need healthier dishes and I am here for you. Today it's White Bean Hummus. One way to make this even healthier is to cut down on the olive oil. On the other hand, olive oil is exactly the kind of fat we want in our diet. So maybe cut the fat for the day somewhere else. As Lori always says, "Hummus is yummus."

White Bean Hummus

Ingredients:

1 - can small white beans (drained)
1/4 c - extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp - lemon juice
2 - peeled cloves garlic
1/2 tsp - fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp - salt (always use sea or kosher, more flavor, less sodium)
1/2 tsp - fresh-ground pepper

In a food processor, combine all ingredients. Whirl until smooth.

Spoon into a bowl and set on a platter. Around hummus, arrange colorful vegetables such as sliced bell peppers, sliced carrots, and blanched asparagus spears and broccoli florets.

Makes 1 cup of hummus.

Per tablespoon hummus: 46 cal., 70% (32 cal.) from fat; 1 g protein; 3.6 g fat (0.5 g sat.); 2.7 g carbo (0.7 g fiber); 189 mg sodium; 0 mg chol.

This party option comes from Sunset magazine a couple of years ago. Enjoy.

Yours in health, Kate

Party Dish #1

All right, all cookied out? No? Me neither, in fact I am not entirely sure it's possible to be such a thing. However, I did actually get candied out this weekend. We had gone to Lori's Christmas party for work and it was a candy exchange and ended up bringing home to wholly addictive things: caramel corn and peanut butter balls with pretzels. Both came from her friend Rachel's kitchen and were WAY too damn good.

I looked at Lori last night over my handful of caramel corn and announced, "You can keep some of this candy for you, but I have to get it out of the house." It was a bit of a frustrating moment. To know I had come so far and was still staring down an old demon.

But you'll be proud to know, I did the right thing, I brought it all to work. Maxwell took the corn home to his 13 year old son and I passed the candies out one at a time, as not to overload anyone. I hate to be a food pusher, but seriously, it HAD to leave my house. My plan regarding self-respect needs to include honesty, sometimes I don't care enough to keep my hand out of the bag. I have to work on that.

Now, on to this week's project: Healthier options for party events. Whether it's an office potluck, a friend's buffet or an event at your place, finding healthier options can be hard. I am going to find you easy, tasty and yes, healthy versions of the classics.

Today, it's one of my all time favorites and it leaves out the ingredient I hate anyway - mayonnaise. Greek yogurt is the perfect substitute and oh so healthy.

Thick and Creamy Artichoke-Spinach Dip, with Big Pretzels

Ingredients:
1 (14-1/2 oz.) can quartered or whole artichoke hearts in water, drained
1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
1 (7 oz.) tub 2% fat Greek style yogurt, such as Fage or Trader Joe's
¾ cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
2 tablespoons light sour cream
1/8 teaspoon each: salt, freshly ground black pepper and freshly ground nutmeg
2 cups baby carrots or large carrot chips (packaged in the produce section)
1 head Belgian endive, end trimmed, separated into leaves
16 pretzel rods

Preparation:

Heat oven to 400°F.

Finely chop the artichoke hearts and place them in a medium bowl. Add spinach, yogurt, ½ cup of the cheese, sour cream, pepper and nutmeg.

Mix well and spread into a 9-inch pie plate or quiche dish. Sprinkle remaining ¼ cup cheese over dip and bake 20 minutes or until heated through.

Serve warm or at room temperature with carrots, endive leaves and pretzels for dipping.

Substitutions:

Baked pita chips or Kashi crackers may replace the pretzel rods if you prefer.

Nutritional Analysis:
Servings: 8 (Makes about 3 cups dip)

Total fat (g): 3
Fat calories (kc): 32
Cholesterol (mg): 8
Trans fatty acids (g): 0
Saturated fat (g): 2
Polyunsaturated fat (g): 0
Monounsaturated fat (g): 1
Fiber (g): 2.5
Carbohydrates (g): 24
Sugar (g): 4
Protein (g): 10
Sodium (mg): 580
Calcium (mg): 160

Mmm, this one is coming out for the next football game. This came from ChefMD, by the way.

Yours in healthy, Kate