If visions of sugarplums dance in your head no matter what the time of year, the holiday season can be dangerous to your waistline. But there's no need to abandon your traditional holiday favorites for healthier helpings.
It's entirely possible to entertain and offer healthy holiday snacks that in no way resemble carrots and celery sticks. Follow these suggestions from chefs and nutritionists for slimming down your treasured personal recipes as you get ready to entertain this year.
� Don't go without nuts. Can't imagine your holiday brownies without the walnuts? Or your fruitcake without the pecans for texture? Weight Watchers suggests reducing the total amount of nuts called for in a recipe by one-third, then toasting the nuts before mixing them with other ingredients to further reduce this hidden fat.
� Chill out. No one can eat pumpkin pie without that dollop of whipped cream on top. If you substitute chilled fat-free evaporated milk or fat-free half-and-half for regular cream before you bring out the beaters, you should be able to whip up a topping that packs less of a wallop.
� Step up to the plate. Use a time-honored restaurant trick to get your guests to stick to smaller portions of your indulgent goodies. Supplying small plates, like those fancy dessert plates you never take out of the buffet, will allow guests (and you) to get a sampling of your goodies without overloading.
� Butt(er) out. For favorite holiday dips that call for sour cream, use nonfat yogurt instead in a 1-to-1 ratio. You can make the same switch with mayonnaise; that trick is a favorite of Oprah's chef. For creamed soups, a vegetable puree can be substituted for butter and cream. Applesauce can work instead of butter in baked goods.
� Meat your match. Consider using turkey products for recipes that call for fattier meats, such as bacon. While you won't get the drippings you need to make a bacon salad dressing, you will cut down on fat and calories without losing taste.
� Spice it up. Adding garlic, ginger root and other fragrant spices � or even citrus flavors, such as lemon � can pack a powerful punch, allowing you to reduce the use of salt, sugar and less healthy seasonings. Don't be afraid to experiment.
� Get properly dressed. Using olive oil (instead of other oils) in salad dressings is still a high-calorie choice, but olive oil's monounsaturated fats are better for your arteries than others.
