(Don't even tell your guests how healthy everything is.)

Enjoy the holiday! Eat well!

12 tips for a healthier feast

Recipes in this article:
Low-Fat Creamed Spinach
Orange Sweet Potatoes
Chocolate Mini-Cakes
Oregano-Baked Onions
Additional recipes
Fondue for the '90s
Elegant Shrimp Cassoulet
Turkey and trimmings
Web links to more!

You can make creamy mashed potatoes without whole milk and butter. This year, try low-fat buttermilk, fat-free cottage cheese, fat-free sour cream, non-fat milk, or a little olive oil and garlic.

In your favorite holiday cookie recipes, substitute finely ground nuts (they have "good" fat) for butter, other fats and refined flour.

Use cinnamon and cloves liberally in desserts, baked apples and sweet potatoes. The spices help hype insulin activity needed to process sugar.

Add lots of sage, oregano, thyme and rosemary to stuffings and other dishes. Herbs contain antioxidants and have antibacterial activity.

Add fruits and nuts to your turkey stuffing. To reduce fat, bake it in a separate dish instead of inside the bird.

Make delicious pumpkin pie with fat-free milk and egg substitute. Pumpkin is very high in the antioxidant beta carotene.

Cream vegetables with fat-free dairy products instead of whole-fat cream and butter.

Remove the skin before eating the turkey. It saves 5 grams of fat and 45 calories per 3 1/2 ounces.

Use canned non-fat chicken gravy or turkey gravy instead of making your own gravy from drippings.

Serve iced tea or purple grape juice with meals. Both are full of antioxidants that help reduce the dangers of fats.

Serve assorted fresh vegetables (carrots, fennel, artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes, green onions) or smoked salmon as an appetizer instead of high-fat cheeses and meat or liver paté.

Add fruits and nuts to jellied cranberries and salads.

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4 tasty recipes

Low-Fat Creamed Spinach

In small saucepan, sauté garlic in oil. Add spinach and cheese; stir until cheese is thoroughly melted. Add seasonings. Serves 4.

Per serving: 62 calories, 4.1g protein, 3.7g fat (0.5g saturated), 4g carbohydrates, 1.5g fiber, 120mg sodium.

Health plus: Spinach is packed with specific antioxidants, including lutein, beta carotene, vitamin C and lipoic acid, known to help prevent chronic diseases. Fat-free cream cheese gives creaminess without fat.

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Orange Sweet Potatoes

Toss potato wedges with orange juice, olive oil, cinnamon, cumin, honey and salt. Spread in a shallow baking dish and bake, covered, in a 400-degree oven until fork-tender but not mushy (about 45 minutes), basting once or twice during baking. Uncover for the last 15 minutes and sprinkle with cranberries or cherries if desired. Serves 6.

Per serving: 104 calories, 1.5g protein, 1g fat (0.2g saturated), 23g carbohydrates, 2.3g fiber, 10mg sodium.

Health plus: Sweet potatoes are a rich source of the antioxidants beta and alpha carotene. Cinnamon and other spices raise insulin activity, needed to process sugar.

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Chocolate Mini-Cakes

Combine nuts, cocoa, sugar, oil. Fold in 1/4 of egg whites. Add rest of egg whites. Spoon batter into non-stick or oiled mini-muffin pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Remove from pan, sprinkle with powdered sugar. Makes 48.

Per mini-cake: 31 calories, 0.8g protein, 1g fat (0.1g saturated), 5g carbohydrates, 0.3g fiber, 33mg sodium.

Health plus: Nuts replace flour, giving a health edge in minerals such as magnesium, and good-type monounsaturated fat. Healthful canola oil replaces butter; egg whites replace whole eggs.

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Oregano-Baked Onions

Place onions upright in baking dish sprayed with oil. Mix vinegar, wine and seasonings; pour over onions. Bake, covered, in 425-degree oven until onions are tender, about 45 minutes. Serves 4. Per serving: 72 calories, 2g protein, 0.6g fat, 16g carbohydrates, 2.7g fiber, 150mg sodium.

Health plus: Onions, which have been linked to lower rates of heart disease and cancer, contain anticoagulant-like chemicals as well as antioxidants. Oregano is a strong antioxidant.