Healthful Holiday Substitutions
SENIOR NUTRITION NEWS S e n i or E x t e ns i o n Nu t r i t io n P r o g r a m
December 2011
Healthful Holiday Substitutions You don't have to feel guilty about splurging on your favorite dishes and goodies this holiday season. You can enjoy all those special holiday recipes - prepared healthier with these simple substitutions: Applesauce or Plums: Substitute applesauce or plums in holiday cookies, cakes and pies as a healthier alternative to butter and oils. Pumpkin: Canned pumpkin makes more than just great pies. Instead of using heavy cream or butter in mashed potatoes, mix in a can of pumpkin filling and a few dashes of your favorite herb. Broths: Try steaming meat & veggies in ½ cup of low sodium vegetable, chicken or beef broth. Low sodium chicken broth also can be used in place of butter to moisten the mashed potatoes on the holiday dinner table. Cranberry Sauce: Go easy on the gravy and opt for cranberry sauce on your turkey for a nutritious and fat-free option. Vegetables: Replace some of the bread in your holiday stuffing with chestnuts. To lighten stuffing and add valuable nutrients, use lots of chopped vegetables. Cocoa: When holiday baking recipes call for chocolate, you can substitute 3 tablespoons of cocoa for every one ounce of chocolate. Evaporated Milk: Substitute ½ cup evaporated milk & ½ cup of water for 1 cup of sweet milk - an easy way to make holiday baking a bit healthier. Yogurt: To top off holiday pies, try using frozen or low-fat yogurt instead of whipped cream or ice cream. Also, when holiday recipes call for sour cream, use plain yogurt instead to create holiday snacks that are delicious and healthy.
Gingerbread Pancakes ½ cup all-purpose flour ½ tsp. salt 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice 2 Tbsp. molasses 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
½ cup whole wheat flour ½ tsp. baking soda 1 egg 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. In another bowl, beat egg. Stir in molasses, oil, and buttermilk. Pour milk mixture into dry ingredients; stir together lightly. Bake on a hot, lightly greased or buttered griddle. Store the leftover batter in refrigerator for up to 1 day. Hummus Cucumber Bites 2 pieces pita pocket bread (6 inch) 1/3 of a cucumber (about 4 inches) 16 fresh dill weed sprigs
2/3 cup roasted red pepper hummus ½ tsp. smoked Spanish paprika
Cut each piece of pita bread into 8 wedges. Spread about 1 tsp. hummus on each wedge. Cut cucumber in half lengthwise. Cut each half crosswise into 16 thin slices. Place 2 half slices of cucumber on the hummus on each bite. Sprinkle with paprika and garnish with dill weed. Sources: Canned Food Alliance; http://healthyrecipes.oregonstate.edu; www.eatbetteramerica.com retrieved 11/22/11
Ask For the Nutrition Advisor In Your County: The Senior Extension Nutrition Program is an educational service FREE to you! Benewah Boundary Idaho Latah Nez Perce
245-2422 267-3235 983-2667 883-7161 799-3096
Bonner Clearwater Kootenai Lewis Shoshone
263-8511 476-4434 446-1680 937-2311 446-1680
Kali Gardiner, R.D., ENP Coordinator Shelly Johnson, M.S., ENP Administrator E-mail – [email protected] Email— [email protected] Phone: 208-446-1680 This material was funded by USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and North Idaho Area Agency on Aging. The University of Idaho is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, provider and educational institution.
December 2011
Healthful Holiday Substitutions You don't have to feel guilty about splurging on your favorite dishes and goodies this holiday season. You can enjoy all those special holiday recipes - prepared healthier with these simple substitutions: Applesauce or Plums: Substitute applesauce or plums in holiday cookies, cakes and pies as a healthier alternative to butter and oils. Pumpkin: Canned pumpkin makes more than just great pies. Instead of using heavy cream or butter in mashed potatoes, mix in a can of pumpkin filling and a few dashes of your favorite herb. Broths: Try steaming meat & veggies in ½ cup of low sodium vegetable, chicken or beef broth. Low sodium chicken broth also can be used in place of butter to moisten the mashed potatoes on the holiday dinner table. Cranberry Sauce: Go easy on the gravy and opt for cranberry sauce on your turkey for a nutritious and fat-free option. Vegetables: Replace some of the bread in your holiday stuffing with chestnuts. To lighten stuffing and add valuable nutrients, use lots of chopped vegetables. Cocoa: When holiday baking recipes call for chocolate, you can substitute 3 tablespoons of cocoa for every one ounce of chocolate. Evaporated Milk: Substitute ½ cup evaporated milk & ½ cup of water for 1 cup of sweet milk - an easy way to make holiday baking a bit healthier. Yogurt: To top off holiday pies, try using frozen or low-fat yogurt instead of whipped cream or ice cream. Also, when holiday recipes call for sour cream, use plain yogurt instead to create holiday snacks that are delicious and healthy.
Gingerbread Pancakes ½ cup all-purpose flour ½ tsp. salt 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice 2 Tbsp. molasses 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
½ cup whole wheat flour ½ tsp. baking soda 1 egg 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. In another bowl, beat egg. Stir in molasses, oil, and buttermilk. Pour milk mixture into dry ingredients; stir together lightly. Bake on a hot, lightly greased or buttered griddle. Store the leftover batter in refrigerator for up to 1 day. Hummus Cucumber Bites 2 pieces pita pocket bread (6 inch) 1/3 of a cucumber (about 4 inches) 16 fresh dill weed sprigs
2/3 cup roasted red pepper hummus ½ tsp. smoked Spanish paprika
Cut each piece of pita bread into 8 wedges. Spread about 1 tsp. hummus on each wedge. Cut cucumber in half lengthwise. Cut each half crosswise into 16 thin slices. Place 2 half slices of cucumber on the hummus on each bite. Sprinkle with paprika and garnish with dill weed. Sources: Canned Food Alliance; http://healthyrecipes.oregonstate.edu; www.eatbetteramerica.com retrieved 11/22/11
Ask For the Nutrition Advisor In Your County: The Senior Extension Nutrition Program is an educational service FREE to you! Benewah Boundary Idaho Latah Nez Perce
245-2422 267-3235 983-2667 883-7161 799-3096
Bonner Clearwater Kootenai Lewis Shoshone
263-8511 476-4434 446-1680 937-2311 446-1680
Kali Gardiner, R.D., ENP Coordinator Shelly Johnson, M.S., ENP Administrator E-mail – [email protected] Email— [email protected] Phone: 208-446-1680 This material was funded by USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and North Idaho Area Agency on Aging. The University of Idaho is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, provider and educational institution.
