Grinch-ing Out About Gingerbread

I dont know why, but when the holidays roll around I feel the need to consume gingerbread in many forms. I dont even like gingerbread but when the wreaths come out, I cant help myself. Im sampling gingerbread cookies, lattes and houses. I think it has to be good, otherwise, why would they they keep making it? Well, this year I refuse to be swayed by Santa and his barista cronies. Im embracing some other weird old holiday foods that, at least, I dont know I hate yet...so join me and eat weird stuff that you may love, like the last present you open, or you may hate, like that dollar store mug you got from your Secret Santa at work. Thanks Margret in HR!

Here are three new-to-you options for the holiday menu:

Freakin Figgy Pudding. We have all heard of this but has anyone in the past 50 years eaten it? Well, this simple recipe consists of basic baking must haves like flour, sugar, butter and figs of course, well, duh, but also chopped dried pitted dates. This fruit base cake is packed with essential minerals, including magnesium, manganese, calcium (which promotes bone density), copper, and potassium. This cake is versatile in that it can be made with and without alcohol and tradition holds that you drop a figurine in the cake and whoever gets it in their slice has good luck all year round. What could go wrong here, booze and choking hazards? Im going to pass on the booze and figurine but have everyone take part by whisking the batter and making a wishalso a tradition. In the season of treats why not add this to your menu to at least diversify your table. However, at about 300 calories per serving this should be portioned out and made to be a treat.

So Easy Sugar Plums. Again, we know that sugar and plums exist but they dont usually go together. So dont just dream about these dancing decadences, make them this year. The original sugar plums from the 17th century were more like jelly beans, but lets be honest, jelly beans will impress no one this holiday season, so I opt for the more modern version. For this no bake dessert, blend up some almonds, honey, ground cinnamon, ground allspice, grated nutmeg, dried apricots and confectioners' sugar (keep in mind you can swap this out for a sucralose-based artificial sweetener if you want or need to lower the sugar content). Roll the dates and the batter into little balls, set a side for a few hours to dry and then leap into them like is 1899. Remember that spices are a great way to add lots of flavor with almost no calories.

Excellent Egg Nog. Everyone has had some nog but not everyone has made it with the personal customizations needed for holiday parties. Yes, believe it it not, nog doesnt come from a box but from a cow. These utter filled creatures just keep the hits coming and at 225 calories per cup, each serving packs a punch for your diet as well. By making nog yourself, you can swap out some high-calorie ingredients for lower ones and save room for all those cookies Santa just touches and nibbles on and then carelessly discards as he heads to other homes. If you simply remove the heavy cream which has a huge fat content of 36 to 40 percent and use skim milk, which contains only about 0.2 percent milk fat, you can trim the fat but keep all the yum. Keep in mind cups that are perfectly portioned. I suggest using champagne glasses since they hold around 5 oz. and can give you an excuse to get them ready for New Years Eve just a bit early.

Getting caught up in the holiday can be a great time to make memories and celebrate but lets start our New Years resolution early and stop eating things we dont want to and learn to celebrate in the way that makes YOUR holiday fulfilling!

Be Fearless, Be Full.