78 | December 2011 | woman this month Food Christmas might be a time of mince pies, roasted potatoes and general indulgence, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be a tiny bit health conscious at the same time. Fitness and healthy foods are not generally words one hears when describing the festivities surrounding December and the Christmas Season. But, if there is one gift we could all give ourselves this year, it is a healthy end to the current year and a kick start to the new year by pre-empting the usual resolutions we have all been making for decades and rarely ever stick to. Healthy, of course, does not always just mean tasteless food and bland dieting. A great way to stay healthy is simply to monitor your intake of different food items and to counteract the calorie-rich foods that you eat with exercise. In this regard, I find few reasons why we can’t still enjoy a good few festive treats, while at the same time remaining health conscious. I am no dietitian, but here are a few ideas about how to control the weight gain amidst office parties, family get togethers, and the laziness of a few days break. Use a smaller plate. Your mind will still see it as a full plate, regardless of its size. If you are presented with a buffet, take a little of many things, rather than a lot of one thing. This ensures you are getting a balanced meal. Try to drink water rather than soft drinks and alcohol. Water fills you up and has no calories. Help clear the table and clean up as soon as everyone finished eating rather than sitting and picking at leftovers. Cut thinner slices for yourself, stick to one portion of everything and try to go for a walk after everyone has left the party. Don’t eat just before bed time and limit the calorie and sugar intake of other dishes throughout the day so that you can enjoy the party and not feel like your depriving yourself. In this manner I find no need to offer just dietary dishes for Christmas. As a chef it is my job to tempt and to satiate the appetite of all, as a person who struggles with weight issues even I understand that the more I eat, the more I must exercise or suffer the consequences. Whether you celebrate Christmas or simply the end of another year, December need not be the month of weight gain only to be followed by a month of struggle and dissolved resolutions. Eat sensibly, exercise and enjoy the passing of yet another year. Happy New Year folks. James Claire Yourself Fit! Feed Low Fat Eggnog 120g sugar 1/4 tspn cinnamon 1/4 tspn freshly grated nutmeg 1 egg 1 egg yolk 4 egg whites 2-3 drops of yellow colour 750mls fat free milk 1 1/2 tspn vanilla extract l Combine sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl. Add egg, egg yolk and egg whites, and beat with a whisk for 3-4 minutes. l Gently heat the fat free milk in a large saucepan. Gradually stir the egg mixture into the hot milk. Heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is slightly thickened. Stir in the vanilla extract and yellow colour and remove from heat. l Cover and chill in the refrigerator. Buzz lightly with a Kitchen-wand (Bamix) before serving.
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