We're only partially through the artery-clogging season, and while I am all about the overindulgence on your holiday of choice, it's nice to give the body a break between the feasts. We've seen so many great diaries on treats, traditions, and delightful excess! I thought I'd take tonight's WFD in a different direction and open a discussion about staying (somewhat) healthy through the season! Squeeze yourself on through to the body ... oof!
Since hitting my mid-30's a decade ago, I've definitely found that I am no longer one of those eat-anything-you-want-and-don't-gain-an-ounce girls. I'm not even an eat-whatever-you-like-you-can-burn-it-off-with-exercise girl anymore! Sadly, I've had to accept that if I want to avoid the 5-lb gain between November and January, I've got to engage in some form of calorie budgeting. Fortunately I don't have a big sweet tooth, so it's not so hard to resist the "temptation" of co-workers' holiday cookies (which inevitably taste like glue), fruitcake, candy wreaths made of green-tinted white-chocolate fudge, etc. Naw, for me it's the REAL food that buckles my knees. The smell of turkey or ham roasting, the aroma of gravy bubbling on the stove, rare roast beef with buttery mashed potatoes sitting seductively on a plate... yes! yes! a thousand times, yes!
With a little planning, it's not too hard to indulge in the rich, high-fat meals without having to buy new pants to fit into. My "method" isn't based on calorie counting, but is based on scientific and nutritional evidence. Basically, for every extravagant "splurge" meal I have, I plan a few days of high-fiber, colorful, veggie/legume-based meals. Lots of water throughout the day, plenty of fruit, and most importantly - tons of flavor!
I love starting the day with fruit, because the soluble and insoluble fibers have great health benefits. And, foods high in fiber keep you feeling full longer. A bowl of fresh berries with a dollop of fat-free Greek yogurt tastes delicious and makes me feel virtuous.
And what about the rest of the day? Ah, dinnertime...
Baked Potatoes
Going back to my college days, baked potatoes with a variety of low-fat toppings are a favorite quick and cheap dinner. The key is to exercise restraint with the higher-fat toppings (sour cream, cheese, butter). I nearly always have leftover chili or spaghetti sauce or something yummy in the freezer, and when there's not quite enough to make a meal... they make great potato toppings! Some of my favorites:
leftover chicken paprikash
leftover Indian curry
leftover bouef bourguignon
Of course, a simple topping of black beans, salsa, Greek yogurt and a little Jack cheese is great, too.
Stir Fries
A few years back, Mr. Kat picked up a fantastic book by Grace Young, The Breath of a Wok. I can't tell you how many times over the years we'd attempted to make a stir-fry only to wind up with a gloppy, sad-looking plate of overcooked vegetables. This book is fantastic, and we have not had a failure yet. Stir fries come together quickly and are great in that you can adapt the vegetables to whatever is seasonal and local. When we make stir fries, the protein component (whether it's beef, chicken, tofu, or shrimp) is simply an ingredient, not the star of the show.
Here is a link to Grace Young's website, which has some recipes (including stir-fried bok choy... yum!). I urge you to get her book, but at least check out her site. She is marvelous.
Vegetable-Based Soups
Soup is wonderful if you're trying to watch your weight. Studies have shown that people who eat soup meals tend to consume fewer calories, and gain less weight each year. Soups are also economical and delicious, and very comforting. While long-simmering chowders and stews can take some planning ahead, there are plenty of good options that can be done on the fly, too. For example, my Roasted Red Pepper and Butternut Squash soup.
I adore winter squashes. A few weeks back I wrote about this delicious squash gratin that makes a great vegetarian main dish. Squashes also make delicious, beautiful, and very easy soups. I still cannot figure out why so many recipes have the cook peel and cut up the squash, then boil it. I have never peeled a winter squash! I prefer to cut them in half, scoop out the seeds, and roast them. You're left with a silky, dense mash that can be used in so many different ways. My current favorite is the one pictured here...
After roasting a large butternut squash (cut side down, brushed with olive oil, at 350 for about 45 minutes) I charred a halved red bell pepper under the broiler. Pop it in a ziplock bag for a bit, then scrape off most of the skin. The squash and bell pepper went into the blender along with some onions and garlic I sauteed (1 medium onion, about 5 large cloves of garlic) and some vegetable stock. I Pureed the vegetables until smooth, then poured it into a soup pot. Spicing a soup like this allows you to get creative - I've done Southwest-inspired takes (lots of cumin, chili powder), as well as different herb combinations (sage & thyme, dill). This time I seasoned the soup to taste with a combination of smoked Spanish paprika and hot Hungarian paprika. Salt to taste, and that was it. I'd planned to add some half and half and make it a bisque, but the texture was so rick and silky it didn't need it. I simply served it with a dollop of 2% Greek yogurt and a bit of chopped parsley. Delicious!
As I'm typing this, a large pot of turkey stock is cooling on the stove. It will be used in this turkey barley soup. Barley is a great health food, and is such a great comfort food for chilly weather. I'm going to add a variety of mushrooms to this soup, though, because I love the combination of barley and mushroom.
Mulligatawny soup is another favorite that I like to make with turkey or chicken stock. There are thousands of recipes online, and tremendously varied! My "recipe" is in my head... and it's never the same soup twice. But, I always use lots of red lentils, sauteed onion and garlic and red bell pepper, and I make it quite spicy. A lot of recipes I've seen use coconut milk or cream, but I don't add any to mine. If you have a recipe you like, please share!
So, friends... What's For Dinner??