Comforts of home: healthful fare for family and friends

Better Nutrition, Dec, 2003 by Jannequin Bennett

Upcoming holiday entertaining requires a festive menu that brings together all the colors and heady flavors of the season. To impress your guests, consider a lavish buffet arranged on a linen-covered table and presented with your best china, crystal and cutlery. Here is the perfect meal for all your family and friends, combining elegant presentation with a health-conscious menu that embodies full flavors and seasonal organic produce. So this year, enjoy these low-fat and nutritious alternatives to spare your body from the typical onslaught of over-rich holiday fare. Select all or just some of these delicious recipes for entrees, side dishes and even dessert. Celebrate, and enjoy!

Oven-Dried Sweet
Potato Chips

SERVES 4

Colorful, crisp sweet potato chips
create a flavorful and low-fat substitute
for the more familiar fried
white potato chips.

1 tsp. fine-grained sea salt
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. ground cayenne
1 lb. sweet potatoes, scrubbed and
peeled, if desired
1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 250F.

2. Combine salt and spices in mixing bowl, and set aside.

3. Slice sweet potatoes paper-thin, and toss lightly with oil. Toss potatoes with spice mixture until evenly coated. Arrange potatoes on wire grates sprayed with nonstick cooking spray or on baking sheets fitted with parchment paper.

4. Bake 2 hours, then turn off oven and let potatoes dry 2 more hours, or overnight. Or, dehydrate sweet potato slices in dehydrator, according to manufacturer's directions.

PER SERVING: 110 CAL; 1G PROT; 3.5G TOTAL FAT (0G SAT, FAT); 18G CARB; 0MG CHOL; 590MG SOD; 3G FIBER; 7G SUGARS

Holiday Vegetable Latkes

SERVES 12

A takeoff on the popular potato
pancake, these luscious latkes
bring together various flavorful
vegetables sweetened by the
Spiced Apple Topping. You can
make these ahead, refrigerate
them and reheat them later.

3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 Tbs. soy flour or potato starch,
optional
2 tsp. baking powder
1 large white potato, peeled
and shredded
1 cup peeled and shredded
parsnips
1 cup peeled and shredded
carrots
1 cap peeled and shredded
golden beets, or 1 cup
peeled and shredded celery root
1 medium-sized yellow onion, very
thinly sliced
1 Tbs. minced parsley
1/4 cup soymilk or water
1 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil for frying

1. In large bowl, combine pastry flour, soy flour, if using, and baking powder. Place shredded vegetables, onion and parsley in bowl, and toss with flour mixture to cover vegetables uniformly. Add soymilk, salt and pepper, and mix thoroughly.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Spoon batter by heaping tablespoons into pan, taking care not to overcrowd. Flatten with metal spatula to ensure even cooking.

3. Cook patties on one side until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Turn over with metal spatula, and cook other side for 3 more minutes. Remove from heat, and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining mixture, and add more oil as needed. Serve hot with Spiced Apple Topping and sour cream.

PER SERVING: 105 CAL; 3G PROT; 3G TOTAL, FAT (0G SAT. FAT); 15G CARB; 0MG CHOL; 285MG SOD; 3G FIBER; 3G SUGARS

Spiced Apple Topping

Combine red and green apples for a
festive look, but peel off tough skins.

1 Tbs. margarine or vegetable oil
3 apples, cubed, with skins
2 Tbs. applesauce
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 tsp. granulated sugar, or 1 Tbs.
brown rice syrup
Generous pinch sea salt

Heat margarine in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add apples, and brown. Add remaining ingredients, reduce heat to medium-low and cook with minimal stirring, about 4 or 5 minutes. Serve.

PER SERVING: 50 CAL; 0G PROT; 1.5G TOTAL. FAT (0G SAT. FAT); 10G CARB; 0MG CHOL; 55MG SOD; 2G FIBER; 8G SUGARS

Spicy Cranberry-Zinfandel
Relish

SERVES 8

You can make this relish several
days in advance because it stores
well in the refrigerator for up to 2
weeks. The relish makes a perfect
accompaniment to cheese, or it can
be served as a separate side dish.

1 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup red Zinfandel wine
1/4 tsp. mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. vegetable oil
1/2 small onion, peeled and finely
diced
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cayenne, or 1/2 ripe
habanero chile, cut into very
thin strips
1 Tbs. granulated sugar, or 2 Tbs.
brown rice syrup
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup rice vinegar or white wine

1. Soak dried cranberries inwine until they're plump, about 30 minutes. Set aside.

2. Heal nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add mustard seeds, and toast until seeds begin to pop. Remove pan from heat, and add oil, onions, garlic, ginger and cayenne.

3. Return pan to heat, and saute mixture until onions are translucent. Add sugar, salt and cranberries with soaking liquid. Cook until it just boils. Reduce liquid by halt. Add vinegar, remove from heat and cool.

PER SERVING: 80 CAL; 0G PROT; 0G TOTAL FAT (0G SAT. FAT); 14G CARB; 0MG; CHOL; 75MG SOD; 1G FIBER; 11G SUGARS