Why angst over your holiday dinner menu when help is just a mouse click away. Last year, we hosted the PBS special, RECIPE RESCUE. In it, we worked with a family to create a healthy and delicious holiday feast. Click here to watch our cooking videos and print recipes for Rosemary Roasted Turkey, Spinach Mashed Potatoes, Cheesey Broccoli Casserole, Maple Pecan Carrots, and Chocolaty Coconut Party Torte.
Happy Cooking!
This morning, we watched a segment on the Today Show featuring tips for avoiding holiday weight gain. The Today guest suggested that one of the best ways to curb your holiday cravings is to eat before you go to a party. We’ve heard this advice numerous times and every time, it makes us chuckle. We prefer to go to a party hungry, saving up our calories for the fun foods that await us! After all, eating and enjoying a delicious variety of appetizers and treats is part of what the holidays are all about.
While we don’t recommend gorging on platefuls of Brie cheese and rich chocolate fudge, we would never advise anyone to deprive themselves either. Here are a few tips to help keep weight gain in check during the holiday season:
- Increase your exercise (walk, walk, walk!): It will help reduce your stress level and burn off extra calories.
- Start your party nibbling with low-calorie choices: Fill up first on things like shrimp cocktail, veggies with hummus or lowfat dip, and fruit. Once you feel satisfied, enjoy a tiny taste or two of the more caloric options. Then, move away from the food table!
- Beware of beverages: The calories from beverages can add up before you know it. Stick with water or seltzer (we like the lemon and lime flavors), choose lowfat eggnog if available, limit party punch to one glass and watch your alcohol consumption.
Life is short. So get out there and enjoy eating and drinking (in moderation!) with family and friends over the holidays. Cheers!
Now that Thanksgiving is behind us and the holiday season is in full swing, you may be dusting off your old recipe box as you plan for a month of baking your favorite festive treats. If that’s the case, we hope you’ll try some of our hot-off-the press cookie recipes featured in this month’s issue of Kiwi magazine. There, you’ll find five of our best-ever cookie makeovers. Perfect for cookie swaps, neighborhood parties, and family gatherings, you’ll love our sweet, better-for-you confections. Click here to check out the article (hey, we even made the cover with our Chocolaty Coconut Mini Tortes recipe).
Chocolaty Coconut Mini Tortes
Makes 2 Dozen
These super fudgy, hard-to-resist nibbles get a healthy makeover with a few smart switches. For starters, we use whole wheat flour instead of white. For the clincher, we swap the usual stick or two of butter for a healthier fat: canola oil. By using omega-3 eggs, we also up the ante on nutrition.
8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips (about 1 1/4 cups)
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
5 large omega-3 eggs, beaten
Confectioners’ sugar
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil or coat 24 mini muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. Stir the chocolate chips and canola oil in a medium saucepan over low heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Whisk the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, and coconut in a large bowl until well combined. Whisk in the eggs until well blended. Add the melted chocolate mixture and stir to combine. Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared muffin cups. Bake about 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool for 5 minutes. Remove the tortes and cool. To add “snow” to the tops of each torte, sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar.
Nutrition Information per Serving: 150 calories, 9g fat (3g saturated, 0.5g omega-3), 15mg sodium, 18g carbohydrate, 1g fiber, 2g protein
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