The holidays are full of mouth watering dishes that families have grown up with and expect to be on the table year after year. With generous amounts of fat, sugar, and empty calories, they grace our tables and then our waist lines with the other holiday tradition….weight gain. It is easy to get side tracked between Thanksgiving and New Year– so easy that a few “bad dieting” weeks can undo months and months of hard work. Making better choices all year, including the holidays, is the smartest way to keep those pounds away and to enjoy the holidays without guilt.

Start with simple “Skinny Swaps”:

• Trade the butter or oil for chicken broth in dishes or apple sauce in baked goods.
• Replace heavy cream with  evaporated skim milk (if you chill until almost frozen you can whip it and replace your whipping cream, too!).
• Reduce sugar in recipes by 1/4- you will be shocked to see that it doesn’t effect the taste.

Pumpkin & Butternut Squash Bake:

1. Skip the work and grab a box of the already cooked squash in your frozen food section.
2. Defrost two boxes of squash in a large mixing bowl.
3. Add 1/2 can of pumpkin puree and tbsp melted low fat butter.
4. Mix well.
5. Poor into baking dish and bake at 350 for 10 minutes.
6. Sprinkle with cinnamon and a touch of salt.
7. Serve immediately.