Transformations' Helpful Holiday Hints

You don’t have to give up all your favorites so you can be “good” on our program! With a few fat free or sugar free substitutes, you and your family can enjoy great food for the day while you still lose weight! The following suggestions can help you de-fat your recipes, but remember, calories still count. Try them and enjoy !!

Hint:

Serve salad dressing on the side and then dip your fork before spearing the food. This makes a little go a long way!

GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE:

Give it the creamy taste by using Healthy Choice® ready-to-serve cream of mushroom soup.
For the topping use fat free croutons (crushed coarsely) and mix with onion flakes (not the fried onions in the can!)

MASHED POTATOES:

Use fat free margarine instead of butter or regular margarine.
Low sodium fat free chicken broth is a great substitute for regular milk or cream. Skim milk works well too.
Leave the skin on the potatoes! It adds more flavor and nutrients!
Because the skin of potatoes does absorb pesticides, please ask your grocery store to stock Organic potatoes.*
Fat free cream cheese can add a great flavor.

STUFFING:

For extra flavor use reduced sodium fat free chicken broth instead of water.
Fat free margarine makes a fine substitute for butter, and it doesn’t take away from the flavor...the herbs give stuffing flavor!
Use Egg Beaters® instead of whole eggs to save on fat and calories.
Use whole grain dried bread or stuffing mix because it takes longer to break down and it burns calories in the process.

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE OR PIE (A HOLIDAY TREAT):

Use fat free margarine instead of butter.
To cut down on the calories, use half the amount of brown sugar, and then use Splenda® for the rest. (It tastes like sugar!).

GRAVY:

Take the turkey drippings and refrigerate until the fat separates and congeals (oh, yummy!). Skim it off and throw it out! Add water as needed, then blend with flour or cornstarch to thicken.
The “lazy cook” method: Buy fat free ready-make gravy in the jar and spend more time with your family.

TURKEY:

If you usually baste the turkey with oil or melted butter, use melted fat free margarine instead.
Eat only breast meat (dark meat is way too high in fat!).

APPLE PIE:

For homemade pie: Use fat free margarine instead of butter in the crust, and sweeten with Splenda® instead of sugar.

*	Organic potatoes are healthier due to lack of pesticides and chemical fertilizer residual in the skins. Also, the flavor in organic products is usually better because of the “healthy” soil they grow in! Ask your grocery to stock them in their organic section.