A Healthy Holiday Feast

By Brenda Hyde

Holidays are one of the hardest times to eat healthy. At our house we have a variety of health concerns on both sides of the family and so we are always on the look out for nutritious lower fat recipes. We often struggle with finding recipes that are healthy but at the same time dishes that everyone in family will enjoy! The following recipes have taken us a long way on our road to eating better, even during the holidays!

Rosemary Roast Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients:

3-4 pounds pork tenderloin

3 cloves garlic,slivered

nonstick cooking spray

2 teaspoons dried rosemary, crushed

salt and pepper to taste

Cut small slits in the pork and insert garlic slivers. Place pork in roasting pan and spray lightly with cooking spray. Rub surface of pork with rosemary. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Roast pork at 424 until meat thermometer inserted in center registers 160* to 170 degrees (well done), 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Per serving = 138 calories, 3 gm fat, 73 mg cholesterol, 57 mg sodium

Orange-Glazed Carrots and Asparagus

Ingredients:

1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2" pieces

1 cup baby carrots

3/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon honey

1 garlic clove crushed

1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed

In a covered medium saucepan cook asparagus and carrots in a small amount of boiling water for 5 to 7 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain; return to saucepan. Keep warm. In a small saucepan stir together 1/4 cup water, 1/2 cup of the thawed concentrate, cornstarch, honey, garlic, and dill weed. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Stir into vegetables. Stir in remaining orange juice concentrate. Makes 4 side-dish servings. This dish only has one gram of fat.

Savory Potatoes

Ingredients:

1 med. onion, chopped (1/2 cup)

1 small. garlic clove, crushed

2 tbs. olive oil

3/4 cup chopped parsley

freshly ground black pepper

1 cup chicken broth

6 medium potatoes

SautÃ© onion and garlic in olive oil until soft. Stir in parsley, pepper and broth. Remove from heat. Pare and thinly slice the potatoes. Layer the slices in broth in the skillet. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 min. With a slotted spoon, lift potatoes into a heated serving dish and pour cooking liquid over them. 8 servings.

Maple Cornbread

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cornmeal

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 egg whites

3/4 cup low-fat milk

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 tablespoon oil

In a bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat egg white; add milk, syrup and oil. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Pour into a 9" baking pan which was coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400 for 20 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes; cut into squares. Serve warm.

Per serving = 149 calories, 2 gm fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 203 mg sodium

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About The Author

Brenda Hyde is a freelance writer living on ten acres in rural Michigan with her
husband and three kids. Stop by and visit her garden blog, Garden of Grace & Whimsy, and her photography blog, A Dance of Words & Photos.

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