One of the most important things I've done for my health is to gradually incoporate fruits and veggies into my diet. Whether or not you like something is really a matter of what you're used to. If you start eating a salad every day, and then adding a veggie into the salad, next thing you know, you actually like the veggie. Think outside the box as well. Try different types, not just carrots, celery, broccoli, apples and oranges. Try having a fruit for dessert. The sooner you start getting these types of foods into your life, the easier it is to be a healthy eater. With this in mind, buffets are no longer a problem. You simply make a mian course out of a salad, and have your meat dish as a side dish. (Really, the way Americans eat is all backwards anyway.) If you are worried about what will be on the buffet, eat before you go, and just have a taste of this or that. This is all just common sense stuff really. If your DH is on a specific plan, then again, keep with the plan by eating before you go.
As far as low sodium, that is also a gradual tapering off sort of thing. I did it by simply not adding salt to anything I cook. Everything these days, from tomato sauce to chicken, has salt added anyway. If DH needs salt, have him add it at the table. (Your family will complain at first that all the food tastes bland, but eventually, they will start actually tasting the food, not the salt.) Also, if adding salt at the table is a problem, a simple lesson may do the trick. Check the lable of the salt container for your RDA of salt, ie. 1/4 tsp has 590mg or 25% of your RDA of salt. Now, take a salt shaker, and have DH shake out the amount he usually uses onto a piece of paper, then measure that amount. You will be amazed at how little 1/4 tsp is, (especially if you do this with every meal, it really adds up in a hurry).
Eating low calorie means portion control and again, introducing a larger choice of low cal foods (fruits and veggies, and maybe SF products) into your diet. When throwing the holiday party, think "no left overs". Depending on the size of your crowd, scale things back a bit. If it looks like there is enough to feed an army, there probably is. However, I have found that when it looks like we may not have enough for everyone, we tend to eat less and are still very satisfied, and surprised at how good we all feel. (Not like we are going to pop!)
All this takes practice. In the beginning, it will seem like you spend your entire life planning and preparing meals. With patience and practice, you will be whipping together healthy meals in no time, and really enjoy the way you are taking care of yourselves. I know this all sounds vague, so check out the eating healthy section on the WISH, and get other reasources from books and magazines that will help with alternative cooking styles and ingredients. I found this recipe in a Cooking Light magazine, for instance:
Poached Pears in Spiced Wine Sauce
1 1/2 C. Dry red wine
1C. water
1/2 C. firmly packed brown sugar
1 (3 in.) cinnamon stick
10 cloves
3 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
4 firm ripe Bartlet or Bosc pears
Combine first 8 ingredients in a 3 quart micro-safe dish and microwave on high for 5 min. or until mixture boils.
Peel and core pears, leaving stems intact. Slice 1/4 in from bottom so pears stand on the end. Add pears to poaching liquid, cover and micr for10 mins on high. Let cool in dish for 5 mins. Remove pears with slotted spoon and set aside.
Micro remaining sauce for 5 more mins until reduced to about 1 Cup. Spoon syrup equally over pears.
Seves 4
Nutrition Info:
257 Cals...Fat .8g (sat .1, mono .1, poly .2)...Protien .9g...Carb 66g...Fiber 2.7g...Chol 0mg...Iron 1.4mg...Sodium 18mg...Calcium 50mg
This makes a great Holiday dessert. I tried it out on my family, none of which (myself included) are pear fans. It was yummy. (I had something similar to this at a very Ritzy restaurant in Vegas off a Prix Fix menu, and mine was as good, if not better!
) I halved the recipe, and it was very filling. We each hald half a pear, so the caloris were very small for such a great taste, and the sodiun is negligible. Try it! You may like it and turn out to be a closet gourmet!
Sorry so long, but hope it gets you thinking.
Keep the faith!
Tracy
