After all the holiday parties, cookies and cheese balls, we could all use a little more focus on balanced meals and healthier choices.
The binge is over — and thank goodness for that!
Get started by visiting ChooseMyPlate.gov, where you can determine what and how much you should be eating. This free government site is an all-in-one nutrition headquarters. You will find small steps to ease into a healthier lifestyle, recipes and community support. The SuperTracker will help with electronic journaling of food and fitness. Brand new this week is the five-week MyPlate New Year's Challenge, in which you can invite friends to compete.
Whatever your path, do not consider “healthy eating” as a depressing lifestyle change. There are plenty of ways to still enjoy the foods and recipes you love by adjusting ingredients and methods to achieve a healthier dish, without losing flavor.
In “Amazing Recipe Makeovers” (Oxmoor House, $21.95), the editors of Cooking Light magazine have reduced the fat, calories, salt and sugar by half in more than 200 recipes.
Their suggestions:
⢠Choose a more flavorful cheese. Aged cheese like Parmigiano-Reggiano pack a punch, so less is required to build flavor.
⢠Substitute panko, extra-crisp Japanese breadcrumbs, for ordinary bread or cracker crumbs. Doing so can reduce the crust's fat, calories and sodium by half.
⢠Puree vegetables to add body. Mash some of the beans in a chili or the potatoes in a chowder.
⢠When you need to use oil, use canola, which has nearly half the saturated fat and more healthful, unsaturated fat than other oils.
We've gathered additional tips to help make your transition into healthy habits a little easier.
Snack smart
Get more from your between-meal eats with these tips from Shape magazine:
Pack in the protein: Research shows that high-protein bites keep you fuller longer.
Think beyond the chip aisle: The refrigerator case hold lots of healthy options. Try sliced deli turkey rolled up with hummus and pickles.
Make a mini meal: A small portion of soup, oatmeal or half a sandwich makes a balanced snack.
Eat healthy fat: Skip fat-free cottage cheese or yogurt and choose full fat instead. Studies show that fat in dairy keeps you slimmer and healthier.
Raise the bar: Watch nutrition bars for clean ingredient lists, and skip those with more than 8 grams of sugar.
Think like a chef
A study from John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that people who cook most of their own menus consume fewer calories — even when eating at restaurants — than those who do no cook.
Get saucy
These alternative sauces from Women's Health add healthy vegetables and nutrients to a pasta meal. Each makes 4 servings.
Spinach pesto: In a food processor, pulse together ½ cup spinach; 1 tablespoon each olive oil, lemon juice, grated Parmesan and walnuts; and 1 bulb garlic until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss with angel hair or rotini.
Butternut Squash “Cream” Sauce: Puree 6 cups roasted butternut squash with ½ cup pasta water. Sprinkle with Pecorino Romano, and thin with more pasta water, if needed. Toss with rigatoni.
Salsa Cruda: Chop 3 ripe medium tomatoes, 1 small onion, 1 clove garlic, and ¼ cup chopped basil. Season with salt and pepper. Heat ¼ cup olive oil until sizzling, and pour over tomato mixture. Toss with penne.
Party smart
Just because the holidays are over doesn't mean there won't be tempting events ahead — like Steelers playoff and Super Bowl parties. Here are tips from Men's Health on how to cope:
Kill the buzz: Skip the energy drink, suggests a study from Northern Kentucky University. Those who drank alcohol mixed with a caffeinated beverage had a greater desire to drink more alcohol than those with a decaf cocktail.
Eat in peace: Researchers at Brigham Young found people who ate while listening to loud music consumed about 49 percent more food than people who could hear themselves chew.
Wine less: Choose a smaller wine glass. A new study in the BMC Public Health journal reports that people who sipped from a standard 300-ml glass were less likely to have another glass than those who imbibed from a 375-ml glass.
Nosh away: When choosing foods from a buffet lineup, prioritize two key components — protein (shrimp, meatballs, deviled eggs and lean cold cuts) and fiber (vegetables, fruit). The more of these you eat, the faster you will feel full, which will lead you to eat less overall.
Skip the entree: When dining out, go for your favorite appetizer and treat it like an entree. A Drexel University study reports that people who ate a delicious appetizer rated their entree as less enjoyable than people who had a mediocre appetizer.
Orange youglad you asked?
A large orange provides 100 percent of the daily requirement of the antioxidant vitamin C, plus plenty of potassium, calcium, B, vitamins and fiber. Dr. Oz The Good Life magazine offers these creative ways to use the super food:
Do a zingy dressing: Whisk together orange juice, vinegar (apple cider, red wine or balsamic), minced garlic, a squeeze of honey and a splash of olive oil. Goes great with an arugula salad.
Make a citrusy guac: Mix up a chunky guacamole with mashed avocados, diced red onion and hefty chunks of chopped orange. Spice lovers can shake on hot sauce or stir in finely chopped jalapeno.
Have a sweet snack: Zap chocolate chips in the microwave, dunk peeled orange segments, and refrigerate on parchment paper until the chocolate hardens. Bliss!
Sally Quinn is a Tribune-Review contributing writer.
‘Amazing Recipe Makeovers'
From “Amazing Recipe Makeovers” (Oxmoor House, $21.95), by the editors of Cooking Light.
Pasta alla Carbonara
Classic recipe: Calories per serving: 814, Sat Fat: 16.3g, Sodium: 1420mg, Sugars: 4g
Makeover: Calories per serving: 398, Sat Fat: 4.8g, Sodium: 671mg, Sugars: 4g
Classically, this dish is made using egg yolks and starchy, salty pasta water to make a creamy, rich sauce. Here, we eliminate the extra step and make this a one-pot pasta. The sauce becomes creamy from the natural starches in the pasta.
Like a traditional carbonara, this dish needs to be eaten immediately, or the sauce will congeal. We left out peas for the sake of tradition, but by all means add as many veggies as you'd like.
4 ounces diced pancetta
2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 (16-ounce) package uncooked linguine
1 1⁄2 cups water, divided
2 ounces grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (about 1⁄2 cup)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Grated lemon rind (optional)
Additional cracked black pepper (optional)
Cook pancetta in a large deep skillet over medium heat 5 minutes or until crisp. Remove pancetta from pan, reserving drippings in pan; drain pancetta, and set aside.
Add broth and next 3 ingredients (through pasta) to drippings in pan. Bring to a boil; cook 14 minutes or until pasta is al dente, tossing constantly with tongs. Add 1 cup water as needed, 1⁄4 cup at a time, to keep pasta from drying out. Reduce heat to medium-low.
Combine cheese, 1⁄2 cup water, egg, and lemon rind, if desired; add to pasta, tossing constantly with tongs 2 minutes or until creamy. Sprinkle with pancetta and additional pepper, if desired.
Makes 6 servings ( 1⁄6 of pasta and 1 1⁄2 teaspoons pancetta): Calories 398; Fat 9.8g (sat 4.8g, mono 0.9g, poly 0.2g); Protein 18g; Carb 58g; Fiber 3g; Sugars 4g (est. added sugars: 0g); Chol 50mg; Iron 3mg; Sodium 671mg; Calc 94mg
Meat and Cheese Lasagna
Classic recipe: Calories per serving: 1183, Sat Fat: 30.9g, Sodium: 1407mg, Sugars: 9g
Makeover: Calories per serving: 395, Sat Fat: 7.3g, Sodium: 540mg, Sugars: 7g
Trim saturated fat and calories by using fat-free ricotta cheese, part-skim mozzarella, and extra-lean beef. Bump up the beef with finely chopped mushrooms.
3 cups fat-free ricotta cheese
12 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 3 cups)
6 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
6 cloves garlic, minced and divided
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1⁄4 pounds ground sirloin
1 (8-ounce) package cremini mushrooms, chopped
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1⁄2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
4 1⁄2 cups lower-sodium marinara sauce
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray
12 lasagna noodles, cooked
2 ounces grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (about 1⁄2 cup)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Combine ricotta, 4 ounces (about 1 cup) mozzarella, 4 tablespoons parsley, butter, oregano, 2 garlic cloves, and eggs; set aside.
Place beef and mushrooms in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; sprinkle with peppers and 4 garlic cloves. Cook 6 minutes or until beef is browned and mushrooms are tender, stirring to crumble; drain. Return beef mixture to pan; stir in marinara sauce and salt; remove from heat.
Spread 1 cup meat sauce in bottom of a broiler-safe 13-by-9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with 3 noodles; spread with 1 1⁄2 cups meat sauce, and dollop with one-third of ricotta mixture (about 1 1⁄4 cups). Repeat layers twice, beginning with noodles and ending with ricotta mixture. Top with 3 noodles and 1 1⁄2 cups meat sauce. Sprinkle with 8 ounces (2 cups) mozzarella cheese and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Cover with foil coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes or until bubbly.
Preheat broiler (keep lasagna in oven).
Broil lasagna 1 to 2 minutes or until cheese is golden brown and sauce is bubbly. Remove from oven; let stand 10 minutes. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons parsley; cut into 12 pieces.
Makes 12 servings: Calories 395; Fat 14.8g (sat 7.3g, mono 4g, poly 0.7g); Protein 30g; Carb 32g; Fiber 2g; Sugars 7g (est. added sugars 2g); Chol 99mg; Iron 3mg; Sodium 540mg; Calc 391mg
Creamy Chicken Salad
Classic recipe: Calories per serving: 748, Sat Fat: 8.1g, Sodium: 1161mg, Sugars: 14g
Makeover: Calories per serving: 339, Sat Fat: 1.9g, Sodium: 525mg, Sugars: 9g
Poaching the chicken keeps it moist and succulent, so you'll need less dressing to bind the salad.
Secret to Success: We dress, not drown, the meat so you can actually taste the chicken.
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1⁄2 cup light mayonnaise
1⁄2 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1⁄3 cup chopped celery
1⁄3 cup sweetened dried cranberries
7 tablespoons (about 2 ounces) coarsely chopped smoked almonds
6 cups mixed salad greens
Add water to a Dutch oven, filling two-thirds full; bring to a boil.
Wrap each chicken breast half completely and tightly in heavy-duty plastic wrap. Add chicken to boiling water. Cover and simmer 20 minutes or until a thermometer registers 165°.
Remove from pan; let stand 5 minutes. Unwrap chicken; shred. Refrigerate 30 minutes or until cold.
Combine mayonnaise and next 7 ingredients (through black pepper) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk until combined. Add chicken, celery, cranberries, and almonds; toss well to coat. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour. Serve over salad greens.
Makes 6 servings (about 1 cup chicken salad and 1 cup salad greens): Calories 339; Fat 13.6g (sat 1.9g, mono 5.1g, poly 5.1g); Protein 40g; Carb 15g; Fiber 3g; Sugars 9g (est. added sugars: 2g); Chol 95mg; Iron 2mg; Sodium 525mg; Calc 54mg
