December 2003

Happy Holidays! You may still be feeling the lingering effects of your Thanksgiving Day feast. Perhaps a little bloated around the middle? If so,  why wait until January 1st to make those healthy resolutions, let's get started  now. You can avoid gaining  those extra pounds this holiday season by getting a jump-start on the "healthier you". By practicing moderation, you will feel great when New Years Day rolls around. Don't let this holiday season roll over you!

In this holiday edition of the Sara Ryba Nutrition Newsletter, you'll find many helpful strategies to eat, drink, and be merry, the healthy way. As always, we'll uncover delicious foods that are "fresh at the market", and I'll share some wonderful winter recipes that are great for holiday entertaining. So, enjoy the season and remember that your "healthy resolutions" can start today!

December Nutrition Tips: Eat, Drink, & Be Merry!

Choose to  Indulge! As you have probably heard,  most Americans gain weight over the holiday season. With an abundance of holiday parties and home entertaining, scrumptious holiday treats are waiting to tempt us at every turn! So let's talk strategy. How do we enjoy this holiday season without ending up with those unwanted pounds?

I find that the biggest mistake people make is taking the "all or nothing" route. They either abstain from all of the delicious treats that the season has to offer, or they dive in headfirst and indulge in as many decadent treats as they possibly can. Practicing moderation when it comes to holiday foods does pose a major challenge, but I find that it is the best way to go. If you try to be too perfect, you may fall off the wagon in a big way, and find yourself with a lot of cleaning up to do on January 1st!  Therefore, I recommend that you choose to indulge - a little!

You should surrender to the notion that the holiday season is not the best time for weight loss (really, just avoiding weight gain is a coup). It is better to be realistic and simply make a plan that will promote weight maintenance. We can get back on the weight loss wagon in January. For now, let's talk moderation.

I have found that being "calculated", when it comes to food, is a good way to go. So let's talk math. It takes 3500 extra calories to gain 1 pound of fat. That said, we want to keep your grand total of holiday indulging to about 3500 calories, or less. A simple way to do this is to plan to have less than ten, 350 calorie treats, during the holiday season. You can try to track them in your head, or grab a piece of paper and keep score. Remember, about 10 treats over the season, coupled with a bit of extra exercise, should promote weight maintenance.

Now let's talk about what constitutes a "treat". You may be surprised at how easy it is to catch an extra 350 calories! (Keep in mind, you can double these and have five 700-calorie treats, and still achieve weight maintenance.)

Single food items for about 350 calories:
Slice of apple pie (about 1/8th of a 9-inch pie)
Slice of cheesecake (about 1/8th of a 9-inch pie)
Brownie 1/3 inch piece, with 1 cup of vanilla ice cream
One 8-ounce cup of eggnog
Three medium-large holiday sugar cookies, or other cookies
One cup of candied yams
Ù cup of stuffing
Cornbread, 2 Ï-inch square with butter
Appetizers: about 5 assorted appetizers. For example: 3 crackers with cheese, 1 cheese puffs and 1 mini quiche.

A few treats mixed together to equal 350 calories:
Glass of champagne and half of a slice of pumpkin pie
Ï slice of apple pie with Ï cup of vanilla ice cream.
1 cup of mashed potatoes with gravy, 1 holiday cookie
2 ounces of sweet liquor, such as Creme de menthe , with a cookie
Ï cup of candied yams, 2-inch brownie
2 medium candy canes, 1 slice of ice cream cake (about 1/8 of a 9-inch cake)

Think ahead about how, and when, you want to include your indulgences. If you are unsure about how many calories are in some of your favorite foods, check out the website www.calorieking.com, they have a great database of holiday treats!

Drink to Your  Health!
While the holiday season tempts us with delicious food, festive drinks are making our spirits bright. Although current research indicates that moderate drinking of ~1 drink per day may reduce your risk for heart disease, more indulgent drinking of 2-3 drinks per day may increase your risk for cancer. If you are not really a "drinker," but rather a "holiday indulger," then you may wonder about the short-term effects that these drinks have on your waistline. Will drinking cause you to gain weight? The simple answer to that question is yes, drinking may cause weight gain, especially if you chose the wrong drinks! Therefore, the key is learning which drinks to choose, and how to moderate yourself when you go through a season of increased drinking.

Before we provide this season's drink list, here's a few quick tips to keep in mind:

• Eat before you drink. Drinking on an empty stomach makes you more likely to over-indulge on high calorie, high fat foods that you might normally avoid when not "under the influence"!
• Alternate water and alcohol. Having 1 glass of water in between alcoholic drinks keeps you well-hydrated and less likely to drink as much!
• Drink moderately, and switch to water 2 hours before going to bed. If you go to sleep "drunk" you may wake up with a sour stomach (i.e. hangover!). One of the symptoms of a hangover is low blood sugar, which will cause you to crave high fat and high sugar foods!
• Choose low calorie drinks. Look for low calorie drinks (see list below), and try to cut out some calories somewhere else in your diet. Alcoholic drinks are chock full of empty calories, leading to higher overall calorie consumption by the day's end.

Say "Cheers" to:

• Champagne, this delicious bubbly is fairly low in calories. At 85 calories for a 4-ounce glass, you can indulge without feeling too guilty.
• Wine, both red and white wine, is fairly low in calories. A 4-ounce glass delivers 88 calories. To lower the calories even further, opt for a white wine spritzer (white wine with club soda) - this will cut the calories in half!
• Spiked fruit punch does provide a lot of sugar, but if you keep the portions under control, the calories will not add up that quickly. A 6-ounce glass will serve up about 100 calories.
• Apple cider, a big holiday favorite, will also provide a good amount of sugar, but the calories are not all that bad. At about 120 calories per 6-ounce cup, you can feel comfortable indulging in this warm delicious drink!

• Eggnog - at 360 calories per cup, this drink can outweigh a dessert when it comes to fat and sugar content!
• "Blender" drinks - while daiquiris and margaritas are fun, they are also high calorie treats. At about 330 calories per cup, these drinks are chock full of sugar!
• Liquors, such as Creme de Menthe, pack a heavy calorie punch! A mere 3 ounces of this alcohol will deliver 373 calories!
• Sweet dessert wine - although not that common, this is one to watch out for. It has way more calories than regular wine. At about 275 calories per glass, it should be sipped very cautiously!

Fresh at the Market:

Oranges
Why not share in some warm Florida sunshine this winter by grabbing a few oranges next time you're at the market? Florida produces 70% of this sweet and juicy treat that packs a huge nutrition punch in each bite! This wonderful fruit has more to offer nutritionally than just its infamous amount of vitamin C. It also packs a nice amount of folate, calcium, potassium, thiamin, niacin and magnesium.

When selecting oranges, look for firmness, weight, and fine-textured, bright skin. Avoid fruit with bruised, wrinkled or discolored skins; this indicates the fruit is old or has been stored incorrectly. Also, thickness of the skin varies, but as a general rule: the thinner the skin, the juicier the orange. Citrus fruit can be stored at room temperature, in the refrigerator without plastic bags, or in the crisper drawer for up to 2 weeks. They do not ripen further after harvest.

Brussels Sprouts
Brussels Sprouts, which look like miniature heads of cabbage, were named after the capital of Belgium where it is thought that they were first cultivated. They are similar to cabbage in taste, but they are slightly milder in flavor and denser in texture. These vegetables contain significant amounts of the antioxidants vitamin C and beta-carotene, as well as nitrogen compounds called indoles, which may reduce the risk of certain cancers.  With only 22 calories per 1/2 cup serving, how could you pass up this healthy dish at your next holiday meal?

When selecting, choose firm compact sprouts that are bright green in color. Fresh Brussels sprouts should be chilled, if they are kept at room temperature, their leaves will turn yellow quickly. Select sprouts that are similar in size, this will allow them to cook more evenly. Do not wash or trim sprouts before storing them, but yellow or wilted outer leaves may be removed. Fresh sprouts will keep for 3?5 days in a perforated plastic bag.  Before you boil, steam, or microwave your sprouts, be sure to trim stem ends. Be careful not to trim stems flush with the bottoms, or the outer leaves will fall off during cooking. To making cooking time easier, cut a shallow "x" in the base with a small, sharp knife. This will allow the heat to penetrate the solid core so that it cooks as quickly as the leaves.

December Recipes: Holiday Hits

Un-creamed Spinach
Makes about 2-3 servings This spinach dish tastes as creamy as the real deal (well maybe not quite as rich), and with a fraction of the calories and fat, you can enjoy this side dish without any guilt. You can double or triple this recipe easily ? it re-heats very nicely in the microwave and makes for a great side dish when entertaining.

Ingredients:
1 10-ounce box of frozen whole leaf spinach defrosted
Non-stick cooking spray, such as Pam
2 garlic cloves, sliced into thin rounds
1 cup of chicken both or chicken stock
3 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese
Salt
Freshly ground pepper

Remove spinach from box, and squeeze out all water (this can be easily done by shaping spinach into a round ball and wrapping with a paper towel, squeeze a few times until most of the water has been removed). 

Place a non-stick skillet over medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Add garlic slices, and allow to cook until they just begin to brown (about 3 minutes). Place ball of spinach in the pan, over the garlic, and pour Ï of the chicken broth over the spinach. Mix the garlic, spinach and chicken broth together. Reduce heat to medium-low, and allow to cook for about 5 minutes, until most of the liquid evaporates. Add the rest of the chicken broth, the parmesan cheese and about Ï teaspoon of black pepper. Mix well and allow to cook for about 5-10 more minutes, again until most of the liquid evaporates. Taste spinach and season with salt and pepper as desired. 

Note: If time permits, you can put the finished spinach in an ovenproof dish and place in the oven until you are ready to serve it. I find that the longer I cook this dish, the creamier and tastier it becomes!

Nutrition Information per serving:
58 calories
5.5 grams of protein
5 grams of carbohydrate
2.5 grams of fiber
2.4 grams of fat

Beef  Tenderloins with  Rosemary Mushroom Gravy
Serves 4

This steak dinner is a huge crowd pleaser, and is a cinch to prepare. It also tastes as though it has many more calories than it does. The filet mignon is very low in fat and the sauce is almost fat-free, but it doesn't taste that way!

Ingredients:
4 5-ounce filet mignons
Non-stick cooking spray, such as Pam
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp butter
2 garlic cloves, sliced into thin rounds
Ï cup of chicken both or chicken stock
1/3 cup of dry red wine
2 cups of button mushrooms, stems removed and sliced into quarters
4 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
Salt
Freshly ground pepper

Remove filets from the refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes. Spray a broiler pan with non-stick cooking spray. Then generously season each filet on both sides with freshly ground black pepper. Place filets on the broiler pan, and turn the oven temperature to broil. Place the steaks into the oven ? about 5-6 inches away from heat source. Cook filets for about 5-6 minutes on each side for "medium" (less for medium-rare, or longer for well-done). 

While steaks are cooking, prepare the rosemary mushroom sauce. Place a non-stick skillet over medium heat and melt the butter. Then add the garlic slices and allow to cook for about 2 minutes, until they almost turn brown. Then add the chopped rosemary, and allow to cook for another minute, until rosemary begins to wilt and soften a bit. Then turn the heat up to medium-high and add the red wine and half of the chicken broth. Allow to simmer for about 3-4 minutes until it reduces to about Î cup. Then add remaining chicken broth, reduce heat to low, and bring to a low simmer. Taste sauce and season with salt and pepper as desired. Turn off heat.

Remove the steaks from the oven when they have cooked to your  liking. Place steaks on a serving dish, or on individual plates, and spoon mushroom sauce over steaks. 

Nutrition Information per serving:
318 calories
35 grams of protein
6.5 grams of carbohydrate
1.5 grams of fiber
15 grams of fat

I hope this holiday season brings you happiness, peace, and joy! Focus on the good times with family and friends and remember the holidays can often be more enjoyable when you stay on track with your health and fitness goals. Happy Holidays and Enjoy!

Healthy Regards,

Sara
Sara Ryba Nutrition