You can still have a fabulous Christmas Day without ending the day feeling horribly full and sluggish. With a few simple swaps you can indulge in delicious, healthy foods that won’t leave you requiring an afternoon nap.
Swap Fatty Meats and Enjoy a Seafood Christmas. The hot Queensland climate makes seafood the perfection Christmas option. Grilled fish and fresh prawns are delicious paired with fresh salads and a cool beverage. Try out the recipe for Chermoula prawns below. You won’t even think twice about missing out on pork crackling.
Filling Your Plate with at Least Half Salad is a great way of filling up on the fresh foods that don’t leave you feeling heavy and overfull. Try some interesting salads like our Quinoa Salad or our Beef, beet, lentil and walnut salad.
Swap Chips for Vegetable Sticks. Carrot, beans, celery, snow peas and capsicum are great for dipping in yummy dips. Try our beetroot hommus or tomato salsa for a light and filling snack.
Swap the Lolly Basket for a Fresh Fruit Tree. A fruit tree makes the perfect table decoration and people of all ages like to munch on fresh fruit. Secure a large, upside down carrot into an apple as the base, before using toothpicks to secure pieces of fruit to the tree. Top with a rockmelon or pineapple star. What a perfectly delicious centre piece for your table!
Fruit Doesn’t Need to be the Boring Dessert. The amazing fruits in season at the moment like mangoes, lychees and stone fruit are delicious on their own but you could freeze them and then blend to create a fruity sorbet! A clever idea is to freeze a yoghurt like Chobani and blend it through the fruit so it is similar to ice-cream but without the fat or sugar!
Swap Cream for Yoghurt. Pavlova is a common dessert option for many families at Christmas. Replace the cream with a fruity yoghurt or Frûche for a healthier treat that tastes just as delicious!
The ‘TWO BITE’ Rule. If you can’t choose your favourite desserts (or just don’t want to miss out…completely understandable as I love my desserts!) then follow my very simple rule. Eat enough of each dessert to satisfy between two to three mouthfuls. If you really think about it, food never tastes better after the third mouthful! So if you want to eat the desserts because they are just so scrumptious, then go for it – but truly enjoy the taste…don’t just scoff it!
Swap Your Afternoon Nap for a game of cricket or a swim in the pool. Get all the family involved in games so you’ll be having so much fun it won’t even feel like exercise.
Swap Sugary Drinks for Water. Often at Christmas we have already overindulged in the sugar so opt for plain or soda water with a little lemon or lime. Cooling a fruity tea and adding soda water is a great twist on a punch. You even like to add frozen fruit chunks as decoration and to keep drinks cool.
And Here’s a BIG TIP – don’t bring leftovers home (or if you are hosting Christmas, send the leftovers home with others)! Christmas day is only one day and so a few extra nibbles really aren’t a problem. The problem to the waistline comes from a a week of eating the desserts and rum balls that are leftover!
At the end of the day, Christmas is about spending time with your loved ones – with a treat or two in the middle. Don’t stress about eating a little extra on the day but make sure you enjoy every moment and every mouthful.
From the team at New Life Nutrition, we wish you and your families a
Merry Christmas and a safe and healthy New Year!
Chermoula Prawns
Ingredients
1 small brown onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons coriander leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon ground cumin
3 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
2 tablespoons olive oil
1.5kg green prawns, peeled, deveined, tails left intact
Lemon wedges and tzatziki, to serve
Method
- Combine onion, coriander, parsley, garlic, cumin, paprika and turmeric in a large bowl. Stir in oil. Add prawns. Toss until prawns are well coated. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour to marinate.
- Preheat a barbecue plate on medium-high heat. Place half the prawns, in a single layer, on barbecue. Spoon over half the marinade. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes each side or until prawns turn pink. Transfer to a bowl. Repeat with remaining prawns and marinade.
- Serve warm prawns with lemon wedges and tzatziki.
Source: www.taste.com.au