Happy December, lovely Posse folks!! Echoing Portia from the other day, how in the name of goodness did it get to be December and the holiday season again so soon? I’m going a bit off topic today, as I’ve been a leeetle obsessed with guilt-free cooking and the holiday season could certainly use a good dose of that. I’ve lost some weight and really don’t want to give up any of my hard-won ground to the wonderful sugar and carb fest that seems to take over December and early January.
For Thanksgiving, I made a very easy crustless pumpkin pie, which turned out great; topped off with a squirt or two of fat-free Reddi Wip, I found I didn’t miss the crust at all. I’ve already managed to whip up some gourmet coffee without all the sugar, etc., that you find in Starbucks yummy creations. And I’m getting ready to make some waffles and muffins with some protein powder and other stuff. A friend let me try some of hers and they turned out pretty well. Last New Year’s Eve, I was able to create a lightened-up eggnog that was quite tasty, and allowed me to enjoy that particular vice with very little guilt.
Now I’m on the hunt to find a great recipe for a holiday flavored cheesecake, also some truffles (gotta have some heavy-duty chocolate, you know!), and am also poking around for some guilt-free (or reduced guilt) holiday breads and other baked goods. My son enjoys baking and decorating cookies during his holiday break from school, so I really need to have a stash of low-cal, low-fat goodies to help keep me satisfied and from being tempted by his batches. Of course, I could always drench myself in Guerlain’s Iris Ganache and walk around in a cloud of white-chocolate heaven, ha!
So what about you? Do you have any holiday favorites that you’ve been able to lighten up? Or any tips or tricks that help you through the holiday treat fest without all the guilt?
I am afraid i cannot help you much with ideas for cakes. Like shiva-woman says, applesauce can substitute some of the oil. Some dark chocolate cakes also have cooked, finely grated beetroot in them. I have had good results using boiled and blended chickpeas in muffins (4 parts chickpeas mixed with one part oil), it can replace part of the oil or melted butter and adds fiber and protein in a natural way.
Also, try looking for Icelandic cheesecake, it is made with a kind of cheese not very different from cottage cheese, but the result is yummy (different from American cakes, but still very good).
Finally, Lindt’s dark 70 % cacao Madagascar chocolate has a bit of vanilla and a less bitter taste than similar chocolates. So apart from the price it should satisfy everyone.
I am not a sugar/baked goods junkie, so I can’t offer much, but if you use applesauce pretty much in almost all baked goods, you can reduce oils by up to 70% as the sauce acts as the oil binder, providing moisture. You want to use UNsweetened, obviously. It does work quite well.
My downfall is cheesey-salted goodies. This is pathetic, but I’d pass up cookies for some cheese nibble or savory item. And the calories in the savory zone are just as bad….
I have lost 65 pounds on the ketogenic diet, which we have embraced fully at my house since my husband was diagnosed with diabetes. We follow several keto facebook pages, and there are many sugar-free cheesecake and other holiday dishes posted there. Last night we made sugar-free peanut butter cookies and my husband scarfed them down. Swerve is by far, hands down the best sugar replacement currently available but I can only purchase through Amazon and it is fairly pricey comparative to other sweeteners. Pyure is a distant second taste-wise but is widely available at our local stores and also Walmart. I have given up on the breads and just removed them from my life, other than the psyllium rolls which are quite good. I don’t bother with the fathead dough whatsoever. Best wishes in your journey and Merry Christmas!
Okay, Otamom, ya got me! What is ‘fathead dough’? xo
congratulations on your weight loss – I’ve seen photos of you and you look so…healthy! I know that’s PC af and vaguely condescending – but in this case, it’s true. You are glowing with health!
I don’t do ‘lite’ but that’s because I’m wired a bit different (huh. imagine that 😉 I make the full-fat/sugar stuff I love but I’m fortunate in that I don’t love most things like that (no pies, and only dark chocolate cake. Bread is fab to make but a piece does it for me) – and once I make it I indulge that craving (usually 2 slices of cake), then I slice up and freeze the rest of it. Just knowing it’s here, in the freezer, is usually enough for me. It’s when I DON’T do it is when it becomes a craving and I obsess about it, overindulge and then want to faint from sugar/carb overload. So I always keep a box of Mallomars in the freezer/ And when I start dreaming about a dark chocolate buttermilk cake with ganache I make it. Then I freeze 60% of it and forget about it. Weird, huh?
xoxoxo
I’m not much help in the recipe/food arena. I’m not a good baker and eat clean year round and make no exceptions for the holidays. However; I plan to explore some holiday scents as my indulgence after learning DSH at her Essence studio has a 20% off holiday sale until January and has many beautiful new creations I can’t wait to try!
Happy holidays and best wishes for a wonderful Christmas!
Oh good to know! I hadn’t heard about her special. Will have to check it out!
I don’t have a specific recipe but my go-to for lightened up treats is the skinnytaste site. She has some really yummy recipes! Happy Monday!