Keeping Food Safe for a Healthy Holiday

         I know planning and preparing your holiday meal can be stressful, but one thing to keep in mind while cooking this holiday is  food safety and preventing foodborne illness! Foodborne illness can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea which only lasts for a day or two in healthy adults but can be more severe in older adults, pregnant women, young children and infants.  Even if you are healthy being sick for a couple days over the holidays is never fun!

Here are the four basic food safety measures to help you prevent foodborne illness this holiday!

                   Clean: The first and most important measure in food preparation.

·         Wash hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food.

·         Wash food-contact surfaces (cutting boards, utensils, dishes)

·         Rinse fruits and vegetables

·         DO NOT rinse raw meat. Rinsing meat can cause the spread of bacteria to unwanted areas like counter tops.


Separate: Avoid cross-contamination!

·         Keep raw meats, and eggs away from foods that won’t be cooked.

·         Use different cutting boards and utensils for raw foods and  foods that won’t be cooked like raw fruits and vegetables.

Cook: Heating food to the appropriate temperatures will kill any harmful bacteria.

·         Use a meat thermometer to make sure meat, poultry and fish are cooked to a safe temperature. When checking the temperature insert thermometer into the thickest part of the meat.

·         Cook eggs until yolk and whites are firm.

·         Don’t eat uncooked cookie dough, which may contain raw eggs or even unsafe raw flour.

Chill: Leaving foods in room temperature for too long can cause growth of bacteria.

·         Refrigerate leftovers within two hours.

·         Refrigerator should be set below 40°F and freezer at 0°F

·         When thawing frozen food:

o       Thaw frozen food in the refrigerator, under cold running water, or in the microwave. Food thawed in cold running water or the microwave should be cooked immediately.

·         Leftovers should be eaten within three to four days.

·         Don’t eat anything that looks or smells questionable. As we dietitians always say..."When in doubt throw it out!"

Visit fightback.org for more information.


                                 Wishing you and your family a happy and healthy holiday!!!
                                                                                  

Flavor of the Month: Ginger

      One spice that always reminds me of the holidays is ginger. Most commonly used in baking around this time of year, ginger has a large range of uses in cooking and has even been found to have medicinal properties.

Ginger comes in a variety of forms.

Whole raw ginger root is the fresh form and can be minced, cut or sliced and is often used in oriental and seasonal holiday dishes.

Powdered ginger is made from dried ginger that has been ground up and can be used in various baked goods, desserts and beverages.

Pickled ginger is made from fresh ginger root that has been sliced and pickled in a vinegar solution. This form of ginger, also known in Japan as gari, is what you find served with sushi.

Medicinal Properties

            Ginger has been studied for is possible digestive, anti-nausea, anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor promoting properties.  Although, gingerale on an upset stomach always seems to help, research is inconclusive on whether or not ginger actually helps decrease nausea. On the other hand, research does suggest that ginger may have anti-inflammatory activities and chemopreventive effects. Meaning, eating ginger may provide health benefits for those with arthritis, rheumatism and cancer.


         Here are two delicious holiday recipes using ginger. The first recipe is a healthy spin on your favorite gingerbread cookies that replaces 1/2 of the fat with applesauce, making a moist, soft, and delicious cookie! The second recipe is a fun holiday version of pot roast. I made this recipe for a holiday party, and not only was it easy to make but it was a hit with all my friends! Enjoy!

Low Fat Gingerbread Men
Cut the fat not the flavor. These gingerbread men use half the butter normally used in most gingerbread cookie recipes. Applesauce helps the cookies retain their moisture and gives them a soft texture. 

Ingredients

•1/4 cup butter, softened
•3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
•1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
•1 egg
•1/3 cup dark molasses
•3 cups all-purpose flour
•1 tsp baking soda
•2 tsp ground ginger
•1 tsp ground cinnamon
•1/2 tsp allspice
•1/4 tsp ground cloves

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar and applesauce until smooth. Add egg and molasses and mix well. In another large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and spices. Add to sugar and molasses mixture, stirring well. Divide dough in two; cover with plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours. 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out dough to 1/4 or 1/8-inch thickness. Cut gingerbread men with a cookie cutter. Add candies or raisins to decorate. Place 1-2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes. Add frosting or more decorations when cool. Makes 30 cookies. 

Per cookie: Calories 94, Calories from Fat 16, Fat 1.8g (sat 1g), Cholesterol 11mg, Sodium 48mg, Carbohydrate 18g, Fiber 0.4g, Protein 1.5g



Holiday Pot Roast
Makes 16 servings
(Ideal slow cooker size: 6 quart)
















Ingredients
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2-lb. boneless beef top round roast
2 cups apple cider
16 oz. can tomato sauce
2 small onions, chopped
3 Tbsp. white vinegar
2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp ground ginger, or 1 Tbsp. fresh ginger root, minced
1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 cup water

Directions:
1. Brown roast in olive oil on all sides in a skillet. Then place it in your slow cooker.
2. Combine cider, tomato sauce, onions, vinegar, salt, ginger, and cinnamon. Pour over roast.
3. Cook on high for 5 hours.
4. Mix cornstarch and water until smooth. Remove roast and keep warm on platter. Stir cornstarch water into juices in cooker.
5. Return roast to cooker and continue cooking for 1 hour on high, or until meat is done and gravy thickens.

Per serving: 150 calories (45 calories from fat), 5 g total fat (1.5 g saturated fat, 0g trans fat), 50mg cholesterol, 400mg sodium, 9 g total carbohydrate (less than 1g fiber, 5g sugar), 17 g protein.

Holiday Treats: The Healthier Choice

   It's ok to splurge on occasion and this holiday season is one time of year you may be tempted the most. So here a guide to help you make a healthier choice when splurging on holiday treats. 

Beverages
Hot Chocolate -vs- Egg Nog?

Hot chocolate is the better choice. A cup of hot chocolate contains about 270 calories, while a cup of egg nog made with egg yolks, cream whole milk and sugar contains about 400 calories and 20 grams of fat.










Comfort Breakfast Food
Muffin -vs- Donut?

Believe it or not a donut is the better choice! A basic glazed donut contains about 250 calories while a muffin which tends to be over sized and dense contains about 500+ calories.






Mall Snack
Cinnamon Bun -vs- Pretzel with Cheese?

Although bringing your own snack to the mall is the best option, if you're in a bind a pretzel with cheese is the smarter choice with 440 calories. One cinnamon bun packs an outrageous 880 calories and contains 15 teaspoons (65 grams) of sugar! Even if you were to split it with a friend, it contains more sugar than you need in a snack.





Appetizer
Spinach and Artichoke Dip -vs- Baked Brie?

Baked brie is the lighter choice with 200 calories per 1/2 cup serving. Although spinach and artichoke dip seems like the better choice with all the green veggies a 1/2 cup contains about 300 calories. To lighten up a spinach and artichoke dip recipe cut the cheese by a 1/3 and/or add in more veggies.




Entree
Ham -vs- Prime Rib?

Ham, although high in sodium, is much leaner than prime rib. A 6 oz serving of ham contains about 270 calories while a 6oz prime rib contains over 700 calories and 60 grams of fat (that's more fat than you need in one day!).







Desserts
Fudge -vs- Holiday cookie?

No matter how you slice is a holiday cookie is the better choice. One cookie contains about 100 calories while a 1.5 inch square of fudge, which can easily be eaten in one bite, contains 220 calories and twice the amount of sugar as a cookie.

Here's to a Happy and Healthy Holiday Season!

     According to the American Dietetic Association, on average, Americans gain about one to two pounds over the holiday season.  The combination of busy schedules,  holiday parties and delicious food all make it difficult to maintain our weight.  But not this year! Here are some healthy eating tips to keep the weight off this holiday season.

 Keep the same routine. This includes both your eating and exercise schedule.

       Eating Schedule

Don't skip breakfast and or lunch just because you have a party in the evening. Eating consistently throughout the day will help prevent overeating at night.

        Exercise

Leaving time for exercise will do you a lot of good. Not only will it help prevent holiday weight gain but it will help relieve your stress. Just 15 to 30 minutes of your favorite exercise a day will help burn calories and make you feel better!

Planning will be key to your success.

       Meals

Plan meals around fresh vegetables, fruits, lean protein and low fat dairy.
       Shopping

If you are going out for a long day of shopping, eat before your leave and bring snacks like trail mix, peanut butter and crackers, or string cheese in case you get hungry. This will help prevent you from being tempted by those delicious smelling, not so healthy mall snacks.

       Holiday parties

 Holiday parties are full of temptations and copious amounts of food. Make sure you don’t go to a party starving. You will be less likely to overindulge if you eat a snack before you go. Try eating a healthy high protein snack like part skim string cheese or low fat yogurt.

Enjoy your holiday favorites, but in moderation!

The most tempting and delicious part of the holiday season has to be the holiday cookies, eggnog, candies and other treats. It’s ok to have your favorite holiday treat but take one instead of two or three. I promise you will be just as satisfied!