Holiday Survival Tips

As the holiday season is upon us and your schedule gets extra busy! Here are some tips to help you through the holiday whirlwind.

Holiday Preparation Burns Calories

Schedule time and sneak in time to stay active throughout the holidays! Although, also embrace the other ways that you will burn calories during the holiday season preparing for gatherings. For example, one hour of wrapping presents burns about 90 calories, one hour of cleaning burns about 150+ calories, one hour of cooking burns about 240 calories.

Calorie counts based on 150-pound person. Click here for a calorie calculator.

Stock up on healthier snacks!

Sure there will be extra snacks and treats around throughout the holidays. Also stock up on healthier staples like: almonds, pistachios, sunflower seeds, etc. They are perfect to put out at holiday gatherings or grab to take with you to keep your energy up while running errands.

Other quick and easy ideas to have on hand: clementines, bananas, fruit and nut bars (opt for lower sugar varieties), popcorn, whole grain fig bars

It’s all about balance!

Holiday celebrations often come along with drinks! Balance out alcohol by mixing in a glass of water or club soda between drinks. It will help to keep your overall intake in check, hydrate you, and leave you feeling better the next day.

Plus remember the calorie count that comes along with drinks to help balance out your intake! For example: long island iced tea (8 ounces) 780 calories, eggnog with rum (8 ounces) 370 calories, gin and tonic (7 ounces) 200 calories, light beer (12 ounces) 95 - 135 calories, red or white wine (5 ounces) 120 calories,

If you are throwing a party, serve up a fun non-alcohol “mocktail” like a Sparkling Holiday Mule! See the recipe below.

Sparkling Holiday Mule Mocktail

Sparkling Holiday Mule Mocktail

Ingredients:
Ice
Poland Springs Ginger Lime Mule Seltzer
Fresh Lime Slices
Whole Cranberries (for garnish)
Sprig of rosemary (for garnish)

Directions:

1. Muddle a lime slice in a copper mug (or other serving glass).

2. Add ice and fill with ginger lime mule seltzer.

3. Garnish with whole cranberries and a sprig of rosemary.

Cheers!

Coconut Skillet Chicken

Coconut Skillet Chicken (Photo: Molly Morgan)

Coconut Skillet Chicken

Serves 4

Ingredients:
4 skinless boneless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds) or firm tofu
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1/2 cup red onion, sliced
1 cup vegetable stock
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes (adjust to taste preference)
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon corn starch mixed into 1 tablespoon water
2 cups cooked brown rice

Directions:
1. Season each side of the chicken with salt and pepper.
2. In a large skillet, melt the coconut oil over a medium high heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook each side for 5 to 7 minutes or until browned on each side.
3. In the same skillet, add the chopped onion and sauté for a few minutes to soften. Add the vegetable stock, lime juice, cilantro and chili flakes. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce to a simmer, continue to simmer for 5 to 10 minutes to let the sauce reduce down.
4. Stir in the coconut milk and bring to simmer again for another 5 minutes. Add the prepared corn starch and bring to a boil to thicken the sauce.
5. Add the chicken back to the skillet and let the chicken continue to cook until it is cooked through (about 5 to 10 minutes).
6. Serve over the brown rice or quinoa.

Click here to watch a video of this recipe from the video archive from Molly’s cooking project with Olum’s.

Roasted Beet Hummus

This is a fun twist on the traditional hummus! The light sweetness of roasted beets taste great in this chickpea based dip. When serving hummus, try different toppings like crumbled feta, chopped scallions, chopped herbs, or caramelized onions.

From a health perspective, what I love about hummus is that it has more nutrients compared to many other traditional dips. This is largely thanks to the chickpeas, which are the base of hummus because they provide key nutrients including: dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin C, folate, magnesium, potassium, and iron.

Roasted Beet Hummus (Image Source: iStock)

Roasted Beet Hummus
Serves 10

Ingredients:
1 small roasted beet*
1 15-oz. can chickpeas, mostly drained
1 Tbsp. lemon juice 2 – 3 tsp. garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. tahini (sesame seed paste)
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

*or purchase roasted beets in the produce section of the grocery store (e.g. Love Beets)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375° F 2. Prepare roasted beets: remove the stem, most of the root from your beets, peel and scrub and wash them underwater until clean. Wrap beets in foil, drizzle lightly with olive oil, wrap tightly, and roast for one hour or until tender. Cool beets to room temperature.

3. Combine all ingredients in the food processor and blend until smooth.

Serving suggestion: Serve with chopped vegetables or whole grain pita.

Nutrition facts (per serving): 74 calories, 5 grams fat, 1 gram saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 140 milligrams sodium, 7 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 1 gram sugar, 2 grams protein

Strawberry Muffins

Make the most of the delicious strawberries this summer and try a batch of strawberry muffins! This recipe uses Bob’s Red Mill Whole Wheat Pastry flour as the base for the muffins, which helps to keep these whole grain muffins light and fluffy or swap it out for 1 to1 gluten-free flour, if needed!

Click here to watch Molly preparing this recipe in a cooking video for her client Olum’s!

Strawberry Muffins (Image Source: Getty Images)

Strawberry Muffins

12 Muffins

Ingredients:
2 cups Bob’s Red Mill whole wheat pastry flour + plus 2 teaspoons (for tossing with strawberries)*
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
1 pint strawberries (about 2 cups), diced
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar, for topping

*Or 1 to 1 gluten-free flour

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a muffin tin with paper liners.

2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

3. In another bowl combine the butter and sugar and beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes, until combine. Then add the eggs and vanilla and beat well to combine.

4. With the mixer on low, add one-third of the flour mixture and milk. Then workings in batches continue until all the flour and milk has been added and combined.

5. Toss the strawberries with 2 teaspoons of flour and set 1/2 cup of the berries aside. Gently fold in the strawberries to the batter.

6. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tins.

7. Sprinkle the muffin tops with the reserved berries and turbinado sugar.

8. Bake for about 30 minutes, until lightly golden and a toothpick comes out clean.

9. If necessary, run a sharp knife around the top edge of each muffin to free it from the pan and let the muffins cool in the pan for about 25 minutes. Transfer the muffins to a rack to cool completely.

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 235 calories, 9 grams fat, 5 grams saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 55 milligrams cholesterol, 290 milligrams sodium, 35 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 18 grams sugar, 3 grams protein

Omega-3 Rich Products Worth Trying

Sure you’ve heard the advice, shop the perimeter. But I have say that while sure, there are loads of important foods to include in the perimeter of the store, there are some gems in the aisles as well that are worth including routinely in your grocery cart. Captured here are a few of my favorites that deliver omega-3 fats!

Note: This isn’t an add, rather just highlighting products I love!

Barlean’s Omega-3 Oil

This omega-3 oil is a product from Barlean’s that is made from fish oil but let me tell you, there is no fishy taste (or after taste). It is a perfect way to get a boost of omega-3’s into your eating routine.

How much to add-in? 1 tablespoon per day for adults or children over the age of 4. This will deliver 1500 milligrams (1.5 grams) of omega-3 fats, in comparison a 3.5 oz piece of salmon has about 1.8 grams.

How to add it in? It is seriously so delicious just have a spoonful or it. Or it tastes really delicious added into smoothies or drizzle on yogurt.

Where to find it? You can find it in the “natural food” section of some grocery stores in a refrigerator or some vitamin shops (e.g. Vitamin Shoppe) have it as well. Or you can order it direct from Barleans.com. Also it may seem a little pricey yet, one bottle has 29 servings so it really goes a long way.

Note: If you are adding this product in, you don’t necessarily also need to have other sources of omega-3 within the same day - for example, skip the fish oil capsule, chia seeds, or instead of salmon have a different type of fish.

Chia Seeds

Tiny little chia seeds are worth every penny! Plus there are tons of ways to work them into your eating routine. For example, you could make up a batch of Reese’s Bites - click here for the recipe! There are two big nutrition benefits of chia seeds: the omega-3 fats and fiber. Each tablespoon serving of chia seeds adds about 2 grams of omega-3 fats and about 5 grams of fiber.

How much to add-in? Add in a tablespoon of chia seeds as a source of omega-3 fats for the day. Keep in mind, as mentioned above, if you are adding in other sources of omega-3 fats like salmon, walnuts, omega-3 oil, etc. you can alternate the sources because you don’t need them all every day.

How to add them in? A very cool property of chia seeds is they are hydrophyllic, which means they absorb water - in fact, about 10 times their weight in water! This makes chia seeds really great for thickening sauces, smoothies, chia pudding, or energy bites. Click here for a delicious chia pudding recipe from my Fuel2Win sports nutrition project.

Another use for chia seeds is to use them as an egg replacement in baking. For each egg: In a small bowl, mix together 1 tablespoon of chia seeds with 3 tablespoons of water, let sit for 10 - 15 minutes. Then use in place of eggs in your recipe. This works really well for quick breads and muffins.

Where to buy them? Look for chia seeds in the baking aisle of the grocery store. You may also find them in a “health food” aisle or section or you can buy them on-line from brands like Bob’s Red Mill.

Whole Grain Corn Bread

Skip the cornbread mix and make your own delicious, whole grain corn bread! This recipe is adapted from the Dinosaur BBQ cookbook, my twists: swapping our all-purpose flour for whole grain flour to up the fiber and nutrients and lowering the amount of butter. And good news, it still tastes great.

Our favorite whole wheat pastry flour is Bob’s Red Mill Whole Wheat Pastry Flour, which is typically available in the baking aisle at the grocery store.

Whole Grain Corn Bread - Image Source: Getty Images

Whole Grain Corn Bread
Serves 9

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon vinegar)
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons honey

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl combine the cornmeal, sugar, whole wheat pastry flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir to combine.

2. Add in buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla, stir to combine. Add the melted butter and mix well. The mixture will be thick.

3. Transfer to the prepared pan. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes until the top is golden brown. To test, use a toothpick to see if it comes out clean.

4. Drizzle with honey. Slice and serve.

Maple Oat Muffins

Maple Oat Muffins - Photo: Molly Morgan

Bob’s Red Mill Whole Wheat Pastry Flour

These muffins could be called Disappearing-Maple Oat Muffins! If you think you dislike whole grains, then you should give these muffins a try.

Part of the secret to these muffins being whole wheat and tasting so great is using whole wheat pastry flour (see product example pictured here).

Our go-to is Bob’s Red Mill 100% stone ground whole wheat pastry flour. It’s perfect for adding in whole grains to muffins, quick breads, pancakes, cookies, etc. Look for it in the baking aisle or buy direct from Bob’s Red Mill.

Maple Oat Muffins - Photo Credit: Molly Morgan

Maple Oat Muffins
Serves 12

Ingredients:
2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup milk
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/3 cup canola oil
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour*
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

*For a gluten-free option - use gluten-free oats and instead of whole wheat pastry flour, substitute with equal parts of gluten-free baking flour.

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare a muffin tin with 12 muffin paper liners.

2. In a mixing bowl combine the oats, milk, maple syrup, oil, brown sugar, and eggs. Mix until well combined.

3. Then add in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir until combined, do not over mix.

4. Fill the prepared muffin tins with about 1/2 - 2/3 cup of batter.

5. Bake for 18 - 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and serve.

General Tso Veggies

If you like grabbing Chinese food for a quick meal, you can make these General Tso veggies-based and protein-rich dinner quickly! Also there are instructions on how to make General Tso Chicken in the Instant Pot.

General Tso Veggies

General Tso Veggies

Serves 4

Ingredients:

3 - 4 cups broccoli florets
1 cup sweet peppers, chopped
1 sweet onion, chopped
2 zucchini, sliced
8 ounces baked tofu, cubed
2 cups edamame, shelled
1 teaspoon sesame oil
6 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/4 cup Hoisin sauce
6 tablespoons light soy sauce
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ginger, minced

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. On a large sheet pan arrange the vegetables, tofu, and edamame.

3. In a small mixing bowl whisk together the remaining ingredients for the sauce. Optional: add 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes.

4. Pour the sauce over the vegetable mixture and bake for 20 - 25 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Stirring occasionally throughout cooking.

Serving suggestion - Serve over brown rice, farro, or soba noodles - pictured above, is with soba (buckwheat) noodles.

Note: This sauce works great with chicken in the Instant Pot too! Here’s a quick how-to: Cube chicken into 1-inch cubes. Saute the chicken in the Instant Pot, in 1 teaspoon sesame oil, until the chicken is lightly browned. Make the sauce as above and pour the prepared sauce (make a double batch of sauce if you are doing veggies and the chicken) to the chicken. Cook under pressure for 10 minutes. Carefully quick release the steam. Then whisk in 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to thicken the sauce. Serve the chicken with brown rice, veggies, or soba noodles.

Recipe adapted from: https://www.adventuresofanurse.com/better-take-instant-pot-general-tsos-chicken/

Whole Grain Cinnamon Buns

Delicious baked goods are fun to enjoy, especially around holiday times! One of my favorite baking tips is to swap out all-purpose flour and move in whole wheat pastry flour. It is an easy swap that works seamlessly in MOST recipes. Use it cup for cup to move it into any baking recipe.

I do typically serve the cinnamon buns topped with cream cheese frosting but to show off how great whole grain treats can be, I wanted to show them without the frosting! See the recipes below. Happy baking and enjoy!!

Whole Grain Cinnamon Buns

Whole Grain Cinnamon Buns

Serves 12

INGREDIENTS - DOUGH:
1 cup lukewarm milk
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened (not melted)
4 1/2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast, active dry yeast, or one 1/4-ounce packet of Platinum Yeast from Red Star

INGREDIENTS - FILLING:
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
3 tablespoons ground cinnamon

INGREDIENTS - ICING:
1/3 cup light cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (not melted)
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine and knead all of the dough ingredients — by hand or use an electric mixer with a dough beater.

2. Prepare a large bowl with pan spray. Then transfer the dough to the large bowl and cover the bowl. Allow the dough to double (about 1 to 2 hours).

3. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured working surface and roll the dough into a large rectangle (about 16" x 21").

4. Evenly spread the butter on the dough. In a small bowl mix the brown sugar and cinnamon and then spread evenly over the dough.

5. Begin with the width of the dough and roll into a log, gently tugging at the dough as you go. Then cut it into 12 slices.

6. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare a 9 x 13-inch pan with pan spray. Place the cut rolls into the pan and let them rise until they are doubled, about 30 minutes. Then bake for 15 - 17 minutes or until they are golden brown.

7. For the icing: combine all the icing ingredients in a bowl and mix until the frosting is soft and fluffy. Spread with the frosting while they are warm or keep on the side to serve later.

It's All About Balance - Tips for the Holiday Season

With Hallmark movies getting ready to air on TV and Halloween candy everywhere, here are some practical tips for balance with the influx of treats this holiday season.

PLAN IT

It is a given that there will be more sweets around this time of year, come up with a plan to enjoy them. For example - have a sweet treat on a specific night per week. Having a plan can help to take it off of the mind knowing that on the specific day it will be time for something sweet. Plus it can help you from having to say no so often!

PICK AND CHOOSE

When thinking about excess, think about sugar in drinks too. For example a 20-fluid ounce bottle of regular soda has about 17 - 19 teaspoons of added sugar.

Instead of having a sugary drink with a meal - have a glass of water or milk instead to cut back on added sugar.

DONATE IT

Send a gratitude package with some sweets to service menu through programs like Operation Gratitude, click here to learn more about the program OR Soldiers’ Angels, click here for more details.

Or look for other ways in your community to donate excess candy!

FUN - YET HEALTHIER

Serve up trays of creatively arranged or designed fruit. Pictured here - Mandarin orange ‘pumpkins’, apple monster mouths, strawberry mummies, ghost pumpkins, or monster kiwi. Fruit kebabs are are great way too to creatively display and serve fruit.

Wishing you a healthy holiday season ahead! Stay tuned for more tips and ideas!