Recipe: NO-BAKE PEANUT BUTTER YULE LOGS

Gooey and delicious, these easy to make yule logs will certainly brighten your holidays!

INGREDIENTS: 

1 cup old-fashioned oatmeal

¾ cup reduced fat chunky peanut butter

1 cup honey

1 cup non-fat dry milk

¾ cup crushed peanuts

½ cup mini dark chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS: 

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except reserve ¼ cup of crushed peanuts on the side. Mix well and hand-roll cookie dough into small round balls. Roll cookie balls in left-over crushed peanuts and set atop a wax paper lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Yield: 25 cookies

Nutrition information (per cookie):

Food weight: 1.5, Calories: 150, fat: 6g, cholesterol: 0 mg, sodium: 60mg, fiber: 1g, sugar: 9g, protein: 5g

The Beauty of Basil

Learn to season your food with this king of herbs and you will be eating some serious medicinal plant chemicals courtesy of Mother Nature. Packed with taste and nutrition, this is one herb that should play a major role in your diet. Here is a sampling of what you get when you bite into basil:

·Notable plants derived chemical compounds (polyphenolic flavonoids) with disease preventing and health promoting properties.

·Essential oils known to have anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties.

·Exceptionally high levels of antioxidants including: beta-carotene, vitamin A, cryptoxanthin, lutein and zea-xanthin.

·A good amount of vitamin K, iron, potassium and magnesium

Basil, can you even imagine Italian without it?

Recipe: FESTIVE BASIL PESTO AND TOMATO WHOLE WHEAT CROSTINI

A beautiful green and red appetizer for a holiday party or pre-meal starter.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup fresh basil leaves

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1/3 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

8-ounce whole-wheat baguette cut into sixteen 1/2 - inch slices

 1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered

DIRECTIONS:

For pesto:

In a blender or food processor combine basil, garlic, Parmesan, walnuts, salt, and pepper. Slowly add the olive oil to make a thick paste.

For crostini:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place bread slices on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until crisp and lightly golden, about 12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Spread 1 teaspoon of pesto on each slice of bread. Top with grape tomatoes. Serve immediately. 

Serves 8 (Makes 16 crostini each with 1 slice bread, 1 teaspoon pesto, 1 grape tomato, halved)

NUTRITION 

Per 2 piece serving:

Food weight: 2.5

Calories: 256

Fat: 19 g (0 g EPA, 0 g DHA, 1 g ALA)

Saturated Fat: 3g

Cholesterol: 3 mg

Sodium: 238 mg

Carbohydrate: 18 g

Dietary Fiber: 2 g

Sugars: < 1 g

Protein: 5 g

Eat and drink too much and you won’t be merry!

This holiday season remember that drinks count—they are virtually empty liquid calories that add up quickly. I’m really not the scrooge (meaning I’m not trying to take away from your holiday fun but want to remind you of what’s healthier) when I suggest you pay attention to mindless drinking and remember that alcohol calories do sneak up on you. Toast the season with sparkling water and a twist of lime and you’ll start the New Year leaner and healthier. Or try a lighter version of a classic cocktail...the 5-0 cosmo!

Recipe: HOLIDAY 5-0 COSMO

Toast the holidays with this light version of the traditional Cosmopolitan vodka cocktail for just a fraction of the calories and all the taste!

1 drink = food weight of 0.5

INGREDIENTS:

½ ounce raspberry vodka

3 ounces sugar-free diet cranberry juice drink

Squeeze of lime

DIRECTIONS:

Shake all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice, Strain mixture into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with lime twist.

Yield: 1 cocktail

Food weight: 0.5, calories: 50, fat: 0 g, cholesterol: 0 mg, sodium: 1 mg, carbohydrates: 3 g, fiber: 0 g, sugar: 0.5 g, protein: 0 g.