Merry Christmas

     Can you believe this year is nearly over already?  There have been a lot of changes in our world, in our country, in our state, and even in our hospital.  Reflecting back on the year, a lot has changed, but some things never will.  Christmas is a time for family and friends, food and festivities, and thankfully, goodwill and peace to men.  Sometimes we get so caught up in the parties, and the gifts, and going and doing that we forget what Christmas is really all about.  So, let's take time this year to reflect.  Let's remember the true meaning of Christmas and why we celebrate this holiday.  
It's not about the presents.  
It's not about the parties.  
It's not even about the tinsel and lights and wreaths and ornaments.

     It is a great time to sit down with your kids and read the Christmas story.  Pull out the hot cocoa and marshmallows.  Bake a batch of chocolate chip cookies (yes, it's okay this one time.  After all, Christmas is only once a year!)  And take a minute to breathe and enjoy the sound of the laughter, the feeling of joy at spending time in the moment and not in the rush and hustle.

     Yes, it's okay to put up those lights.  That's enjoyable for some (aggravation for most, but sometimes it can be cathartic).  As you enjoy your own decorations, take a drive around the neighborhood.  Enjoy everyone else's aggravation with light string tangles and staple guns that run out before they should.  See the fruits of your neighbors' labors.  Hearing the oohs and aahs from the kids will put a smile on your face for sure.  Sure, if you've got the time and money there are lots of really nice Christmas displays you can check out.  The Montgomery Zoo has a wonderful Christmas Lights display.  As always, Callaway Gardens has some beautiful lights that many enjoy each year.  The beautiful Bellingrath Gardens in Mobile has a stunning display.

     My fondest memories of childhood and Christmas are baking in the kitchen with my mom.  All those wonderful Christmas goodies really got me in the spirit of the holiday.  Some for us, some to share -- it was just fun making them all.  These days, I try to be a little more conscious of my recipes, but the baking is still just as fun.  Now, I can engage my kids in a little cookie-making fun.  It's a great time to experiment with cookie cutters and just let the kids have a little fun.  Of course, we've included some healthier recipes for those of us trying to still count calories around the holidays!

Directions:

1. To prepare filling: Combine dried and fresh cranberries, honey, orange zest, cinnamon and cardamom (or allspice) in a medium nonreactive saucepan (see Note) over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil and cook, stirring, until the fresh cranberries burst and soften, 4 to 5 minutes. Let cool slightly. Transfer to a food processor and puree. If the mixture seems dry, stir in up to 2 teaspoons water. Transfer the mixture to a nonreactive container and refrigerate while preparing the dough.
2. To prepare dough: Whisk all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and cardamom (or allspice) in a large bowl. In another large bowl, combine oil, butter, sugar, honey, eggs, milk, orange zest, vanilla and almond extracts. Beat the wet ingredients with an electric mixer first on low speed, then on medium speed, until well combined. Add half the dry ingredients and beat on low speed until just incorporated. Stir in the remaining dry ingredients with a wooden spoon until evenly incorporated. If the mixture is too dry to hold together, stir in up to 1 tablespoon more milk. Cover and refrigerate the dough for 30 to 45 minutes to reduce its stickiness.
3. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and divide in half. Shape each half into a 6-inch-long log. Working with one log at a time, center it on a 16-inch-long sheet of baking parchment or wax paper. Cover with a second sheet. Press and then roll into a 12-by-15-inch rectangle of even thickness, inverting the dough occasionally to roll out any wrinkles and patching it to make the sides as even as possible. Transfer the dough, in the paper, to a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining log of dough and transfer to the baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the freezer until the dough is slightly firm, about 15 minutes.
4. To prepare pinwheel rolls: Place one sheet of dough on a work surface. Peel off the top sheet of paper. Spread half the reserved filling evenly over the dough (it will be a thin layer). Working from a 15-inch-long side, tightly roll up the dough jelly-roll style, leaving the bottom sheet of paper behind. While rolling, slightly stretch out the center to yield an evenly thick roll. Wrap the roll in a clean sheet of wax paper, twisting the ends to prevent unrolling (see Tip). Place on a baking sheet. Repeat with the second piece of dough and place on the baking sheet. Freeze until firm, at least 3 to 4 hours.
5. To bake cookies: Position racks in the upper third and center of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Working with one pinwheel roll at a time, trim the uneven ends. Cut the roll crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices using a large serrated knife; periodically turning the roll to maintain a relatively round cookie shape. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1/2 inch apart. Bake the cookies until puffed and barely golden brown, 12 to 16 minutes, switching the pans back to front and top to middle halfway through baking. Immediately transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely. Cut and bake the remaining pinwheel roll.
   
   Nutritional information is based on 1 cookie.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Beat peanut butter, oil, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until the sugars are blended. Beat in eggs, yogurt, and vanilla until combined.
3. Whisk flour, cocoa, oats, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the peanut butter mixture until blended. (It will be sticky.) Stir in chocolate and peanut butter chips.
4. Using a small cookie scoop or slightly rounded tablespoons of dough, place cookies 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
5. Dip the bottom of a glass in water and then in turbinado sugar. Use the sugared glass to flatten the cookies slightly, leaving a thin layer of sugar on top, rewetting the glass as needed.
6. Bake the cookies in batches until they are just set and the tops appear cracked, 8 to 10 minutes. (Do not overbake or they will be dry.) Cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
   
   Carb Servings: 1 other carbohydrate, 1 fat. Carbohydrate Servings: 1

     Even if you choose not to go the low fat route with your baking -- remember indulge responsibly.  One piece doesn't do near the damage as the whole container!  And if you do choose to indulge in the sweet stash -- combat the damage by going for a walk, playing with the kids on their new game console, or even cleaning up after all the guests have gone.  A little activity can go a long way to stave off those extra holiday pounds.     
     Most importantly, enjoy the season.  Take time to smell the pine.  Laugh.  Be Merry.  Remember what CHRISTmas is all about!!

Let's Talk Turkey

     That time of year is upon us again -- the time of indulgence, decadence, and revelry.  Better known as the holidays - and more specifically this month, Thanksgiving.  The turkey and trimmings can be a delight or disaster.  Whether you enjoy the varied offerings of the holiday table or over-indulge in them depends entirely on you.  So here's a few things you can do to keep this Thanksgiving's dinner from turning you into a turkey!

   

  1. ) GRAZE, not devour 

   VS 

          There's always so much food on the holiday table, so enjoy it all, but do so with a minimalist approach.  Try a bite of this and a bite of that, but don't pile it on.  Especially if you'll have the spread out all day.  If every time you walk by the table you limit yourself to one little sliver of turkey or ham instead of a plate full of slices, you'll feel much better the day after.  Limit yourself to just one spoonful of sweet potato casserole each meal, rather than half the bowl.  I know it's hard, trust me, but you can do it!!

2.) Go for the light 

          For almost everything you can concoct in the kitchen these days, somewhere out there in internet land, there's a lighter or less fat version of the recipe.  Sometimes it's as simple as swapping out an ingredient or two.  In place of oil in many baking recipes, you can substitute apple sauce as a great alternative.  At Thanksgiving, an any other time of year, you can substitute canned pumpkin to make great, flavorful treats that are better for you.  
          Check out this great article from the Mayo Clinic on ingredient substitutions:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/healthy-recipes/NU00585

3.) Listen to your gauge

          Just as a gas pump will shut off when your vehicle's gas tank is full -- you stomach will signal you when it's full.  When you feel that full sensation--STOP eating!  You're body will tell you when it's hungry again.  It does this for a reason.  If you learn to let your stomach control your eating and not your brain (I know this sounds a little strange, but go with me), you will see a big difference.  Eating based on your body's triggers and not your emotions' triggers can hugely impact your body.  Many people eat past the point of need because they simply want to.  You always hate yourself after you stuff yourself so full you can barely move.  And then you want to nap -- which is the worst thing you can do after over-indulging.  So treat your emotional eating like a child.  Tell it no.  Listen to your body.

4. ) Go for a walk

          The best thing you can do after a meal, especially after an over-indulgent one, is to move.  Regardless of what you've heard about turkey and it's tryptophan-backed sleep-inducing -- it can only make you sleepy if you let it.  Here's an instance where you SHOULDN'T listen to your body.  After you're full (especially when you're stuffed) your brain (that pesky thing is always causing problems where food is concerned) sends signals to your body that it needs rest and digest all that food you just ate.  The compound tryptophan in turkey aids in that signal by creating a sense of sleepiness.  You can battle those urges by not sitting down.  Get up, go for a walk, even if it's just around the block.  That little bit of exercise will actually rev up your metabolism and help your body digest the food quicker.  Plus, you just might burn off a few calories of that pumpkin pie, too.  Some of you out there will rail against going for a walk after eating because it can cause heartburn or reflex to worsen.  This is simply  not true.  Notice, I did not say that you should go to Crossfit right after eating.  That wouldn't be good for anyone.  You might have to taste that turkey twice--the bad way.  True, strenuous activity right after eating can cause you problems, but a simple stroll down the driveway and around the neighborhood will do you nothing but good!  If heartburn is giving your grief, it's not the walk that did you in -- it's the extra slice of pumpkin pie.  Put down the fork, grab a couple of Tums, and do not repeat that mistake again.  See # 3!!!

          Even if after all your efforts, Turkey Day 2013 turns into an over-indulgent fete a' fete -- just remember: You haven't completely wrecked your new healthy lifestyle -- you've just had a setback.  

Now, dust yourself off and get back on the treadmill and have a carrot stick.  And remember Christmas is coming and you have another chance to resist the massive temptation all over again!





Here's some great recipes to lighten up your Thanksgiving table:

Again, our friends at the Mayo Clinic have some great suggestions:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/thanksgiving-recipes/NU00643

One of my favorite recipes sites, Allrecipes.com has some great ones, too:
http://allrecipes.com/howto/healthy-thanksgiving-recipes/

of course Food Network has your hook-up:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/healthy-eating/healthy-thanksgiving-recipes/pictures/index.html

And one more:

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/collections/thanksgiving_collection_1