Easy, Healthy Holiday Entertaining

Thursday, December 02, 2004

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Holiday entertaining is an annual tradition. Unfortunately, it can also be a tradition of adding unwanted pounds. It's time to start a new tradition. Prepare a savory and healthy dinner that will be the highlight of the holiday season for you, family and friends.

A typical holiday meal with all the trimmings can have up to 2,100 calories and 138 grams of fat — more than what's recommended for an entire day for most people. This doesn't have to be the case for your holidays. A healthy holiday dinner can be a delicious and memorable tradition.

The New Mayo Clinic Cookbook (Oxmoor House, $34.95) suggests the following elegant menu for your next holiday gathering. This meal has a total of 616 calories and only 17 grams of fat.

A Healthy Holiday Alternative Menu Fresh tomato soup with crispy toasts Roasted rack of lamb Sugar snap peas with fresh marjoram Orange slices with citrus syrup

(Recipes below)

The holidays are a time for family, friends, food and good health. Enjoying the holidays doesn't have to mean eating high-calorie, unhealthy foods. Eating well is not about enduring a restrictive meal plan or feeling guilty. Eating well is about enjoying superb foods that have remarkable health benefits. The New Mayo Clinic Cookbook provides many choices for eating well over the holidays without feeling guilty.

For other healthy eating tips Mayo Clinic is offering a free brochure, "Eating Well for Better Health." Write to Mayo Clinic Communications — Eating Well Offer — OE-6, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905.

To order The New Mayo Clinic Cookbook ($34.95 plus shipping, handling and applicable sales tax), call 800-291-1128 and mention order code COOK2. The cookbook also is available on-line and in most local bookstores.

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Fresh Tomato Soup with Crispy Herb Toasts

8 slices whole-grain baguette, 1/2 inch thick 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano 4 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese 4 tomatoes 2 teaspoons olive oil 1/2 small yellow onion, diced 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 1/2 cups (12 fluid ounces) 1 percent low-fat milk 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preheat the broiler (grill). Arrange the baguette slices on a broiler pan and top each slice with a sprinkling of basil, oregano and cheese. Place about 4 inches from the source and broil (grill) until the cheese is melted, 45-60 seconds. Watch carefully to prevent burning. Set aside. Peel, seed and dice the tomatoes. In a large, heavy saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the soup thickens, 20-25 minutes. In a blender or food processor, purée the soup in batches until smooth and return to the pan. Stir in the milk, salt and pepper and reheat gently. Ladle into individual bowls, garnish each with two herb toasts and serve.

PER SERVING: calories 188, protein 8 g, carbohydrate 28 g, total fat 6 g, saturated fat 2 g monounsaturated fat 3 g, cholesterol 5 mg, sodium 487 mg, fiber 4 g.

Roasted Rack of Lamb with Parsley Crust

1 slice (1/2 oz) whole-wheat (whole-meal) bread 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 racks of lamb, frenched, about 1 lb each, trimmed of visible fat 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 1/2 teaspoon olive oil 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place the bread in a blender or food processor and pulse until it forms coarse crumbs. Add the parsley, thyme and garlic; pulse to blend. Season the racks of lamb with the salt and pepper. In a heavy ovenproof frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the lamb to the pan and cook, turning as needed, until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and brush the mustard over the rounded top and front of the racks (but not the underside of the bones). Gently pat the bread crumb mixture into the mustard. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the meat (but not touching the bone) reads 140°F for medium-rare, 20-25 minutes. Transfer to a platter and let rest for 10 minutes. To serve, cut the lamb between the ribs into separate bone-in chops and place on warmed individual plates.

PER SERVING: calories 207, protein 28 g, carbohydrate 5 g, total fat 8 g, saturated fat 3 g, monounsaturated fat 3 g, cholesterol 86 mg, sodium 514 mg, fiber 1 g.

Sugar Snap Peas with Fresh Marjoram

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 3/4 lb sugar snap peas, trimmed of stems and strings 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh marjoram 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the peas and sauté until tender-crisp, 4-5 minutes. Stir in the marjoram, lemon juice and zest, salt, and pepper and toss gently to mix. Serve immediately.

PER SERVING: calories 59, protein 2 g, carbohydrate 7 g, total fat 2 g, saturated fat 0 g, monounsaturated fat 2 g, cholesterol 0 mg, sodium 155 mg, fiber 2 g

Orange Slices with Citrus Syrup

4 oranges Zest of 1 orange, cut into julienne 4 inches long and 1/8 inch wide FOR THE SYRUP 1 1/2 cups (12 fluid ounces) fresh orange juice, strained 2 tablespoons dark honey 2 tablespoons orange liqueur such as Grand Marnier or Cointreau (optional) 4 fresh mint sprigs

Several orange flavors are combined here to add intensity and depth to fresh orange slices. If you prefer a nonalcoholic version, simply leave out the liqueur; the syrup will still be rich and satisfying.

Working with 1 orange at a time, cut a thin slice off the top and the bottom, exposing the flesh. Stand the orange upright and, using a sharp knife, thickly cut off the peel, following the contour of the fruit and removing all the white pith and membrane. Cut the orange crosswise into slices 1/2 inch thick. Transfer to a shallow nonaluminum bowl or dish. Repeat with the remaining oranges. Set aside. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the julienned zest with water to cover. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Drain and plunge the zest into a bowl of cold water. Set aside. To make the syrup, combine the orange juice and honey in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the honey. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the mixture thickens to a light syrup, about 5 minutes. Drain the orange zest and add to the syrup. Cook until the zest is translucent, 3–5 minutes. Pour the orange syrup mixture over the oranges. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled or for up to 3 hours. To serve, divide the orange slices among individual plates. Pour the syrup and zest over the orange slices, dividing it evenly. Drizzle each serving with 1 1/2 teaspoons of the orange liqueur, if using. Garnish with the mint and serve immediately.

PER SERVING: calories 162, protein 2 g, carbohydrate 39 g, total fat 1 g, saturated fat 0 g, monounsaturated fat 0 g, cholesterol 0 mg, sodium 2 mg, fiber 4 g.

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