Health Holiday Snacks
December 8, 2011
•Le Cordon Bleu
•Miami
• 0 Comments
Health Holiday Snacks
There is a reason why the New Year is a common time for people to start a diet; the holidays are made for eating. Between the pumpkin pie and the mashed potatoes it’s no wonder that pants tend to get snug this time of year. The good news is that making a few healthy choices when it comes to snacking this holiday season can make a big difference in your waistline. If you love the culinary arts and wish to enroll in Miami cooking schools knowing how to make healthy snack decisions can keep you healthy despite all the cookie and pie baking.
Go Nuts
Nuts are high in fiber, antioxidants, healthy fats and protein making them a satiating and healthy snack this holiday season. Snacking on mixed nuts like almonds and walnuts can help keep your blood sugar level (preventing a pig out at the company Christmas party) and help lower your cholesterol. Just keep in mind that nuts are high in calories so consume with moderation.
Modify Your Baking Habits
If you love the culinary arts than you probably spend a lot of time around the holidays baking. Making a few modifications and substitutions while baking can change your baked goods from a diet disaster to a diet do. Try substituting whole wheat flour for part or all of the white flour in your recipes. Add diet friendly fiber to your baked goods by adding oatmeal or almonds to your sweets or try reducing the sugar content by substituting artificial sweeteners for part or all of the sugar in a recipe. These little changes can reduce the caloric content of your confections and make them more nutritious.
Make Your Appetizers Healthier
One of the best parts of the holidays are the platters of cheese and crackers alongside your chips and dips and warm hors d’oeuvres. Making little substitutions in these snack buffets can give you healthy alternatives to high fat diet destroyers. Instead of heavy cream based dips try serving fiber rich bean dips, hummus or salsa and be sure to serve with a colorful assortment of fresh vegetables. Try serving low fat cheese with whole grain crackers instead of the full fat version, they are just as satisfying to eat but much healthier.
Whether you wish to enroll in Miami cooking schools or just love preparing holiday dishes in your home kitchen, there is no reason why you can’t embrace all the flavors of the season while keeping yourself and your family healthy. Making small changes throughout the day will leave you satiated and satisfied on holiday fare but will keep you from having to make yet another New Year’s resolution to go on a diet.
This article is presented by Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Miami. Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Miami offers culinary arts and pâtisserie and baking training programs in the Miami, Florida area. To learn more about the class offerings, please visit Chefs.edu/Miami for more information.
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