· Use light or fat free cream soups and sour cream in that green bean casserole favorite.
· Make your own stuffing. Use 45 calorie, high in fiber bread or whole grains, extra veggies (mushrooms, carrots, celery, onions, water chestnuts) and replace half the butter with fat free chicken broth.
· Skip the turkey skin. This saves about 20 calories and 3 grams of fat per serving.
· Add a cup of cooked cauliflower to each pound of potatoes to decrease the carbs and calories while keeping the flavor and texture.
· Dilute gravy made from drippings with fat free chicken broth. Use a 1:1 ratio for the biggest decrease in calories.
· Reduce the sugar called for in pie filling by a quarter. You’ll save over 200 calories and no one will notice!
· Make your own cranberry sauce to control the amount of added sugar.
By training, I am a American Board Certified Pediatrician. But in my younger years I grew up with natural alternatives. As a mom I have tried to incorporate both for my kids and it has worked wonders. And finally, as I am studying natural & alternative medicines, I realize the beauty and wisdom of living closer to earth. Hence in my practice I integrate both...for acute ailments I follow American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation but for simple and/or chronic conditions I prefer natural alternatives.
In western training we were raised to think that "health is the absence of symptoms and problems". But eastern sensibilities has educated me that "Health is state that allows one to use the full capabilities of their body, mind and intellect. Therefore, healthy living is a balanced state of well being: physically, mentally, socially and spiritually." This implies that healing is not a "one-pill-fits-all", but a personalized experience.
