Easter is just a few days away! Do you have a plan to keep from overeating and avoid filling up on unhealthy foods?
Like any holiday, Easter is about so much more than the food on your table. What’s most important are the people with whom you celebrate. But, we understand, Easter dinner is a tradition and is one of the few days of the year that you and your family prepare a real feast.
So how do you enjoy Easter without overdoing it? Plan a menu full of healthy choices. Here are some of our favorite healthy and delicious foods to serve on Easter. Remember to limit yourself to appropriate portions, and avoid spending the day “grazing.”
Need a little help planning your Easter menu? Here are a few suggestions from Nicholson Clinic.
Shrimp Deviled Eggs
Ingredients
6 large eggs
3 tablespoons Hellmann’s mayonnaise
3 tablespoons Fage Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Old Bay seasoning
¼ pound cooked shrimp very finely chopped
3 scallions, finely minced, including tender green tops
1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill – if you are not using fresh, do not use dried
Preparation:
Place eggs in a covered pan just large enough for a single layer. Add room temperature water to cover the eggs by about one inch. Place pot on high heat and when the water just begins to boil, cook for 1 minute. Turn off the heat, cover the pot, remove from burner and set timer for 15 minutes. Drain the eggs, fill the pot with cold water to cool the eggs before peeling.
Split eggs lengthwise and remove yolks to a medium bowl. Mash yolks with fork until fine textured and fluffy. Blend with mayonnaise, yogurt, mustard, ¼ teaspoon Old Bay, shrimp, scallions and dill. Scoop filling into white halves. Lightly sprinkle with additional Old Bay and garnish with fresh dill. Cover and chill until serving
Sunshine Broccoli Bacon Salad
Ingredients:
6 slices uncured turkey bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup reduced fat mayonnaise
3 Tbsp. orange marmalade
2 Tbsp. distilled white vinegar
6 cups fresh broccoli florets
1/4 cup sliced red grapes
1/2 cup chopped red onions
Slivered almonds to garnish
Preparation:
Cook bacon in a nonstick skillet on medium heat until done. Mix mayo, marmalade and vinegar until blended. Combine bacon with remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Add mayo mixture and mix lightly. Refrigerate one hour before serving. Garnish with slivered almonds.
High Protein Mashed Cauliflower
Ingredients:
Raw cauliflower (medium head or one pound of florets)
1/4 cup of any combination of butter, low-fat milk, low-fat cream, or whatever you use when you make mashed potatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup of peeled and cooked potatoes
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon of grated cheese
2 scoops of Unflavored Whey-Licious Protein Powder
Preparation:
Break the cauliflower up into florets, or just chop and steam it until it’s tender and place in a large bowl.
Add all other ingredients including protein to the bowl and then use a hand blender to mix until desired texture. Or, you can put it all in a regular blender or food processor. Enjoy!
Balsamic-Maple Glazed Ham
Ingredients:
1/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette dressing
1/4 cup sugar-free maple syrup
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 bone-in skinless smoked ham, shank or butt end portion (7lb.)
2 lb. parsnips, trimmed, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-wide spears
1-1/2 lb. baby carrots
3 Tbsp. olive oil
Preparation:
Heat oven to 325° F. Mix dressing, syrup and mustard. Place ham fat-side up, in roasting pan. Diagonally score ham and cover with foil. Bake one hour. Remove foil, brush ham with 1/3 of the glaze. Bake uncovered one hour, or until heated to 140° F, brushing with remaining glaze every 20 minutes.
Toss parsnips and carrots with oil in a large, shallow pan. Add to oven with ham the last 45 min of baking time, turning veggies every time ham is brushed with glaze. Remove ham from oven; transfer to cutting board. Tent ham with foil; let stand 15 min. Continue roasting vegetables 15 minutes, turning every five minutes. Slice ham and serve with roasted veggies.
Fresh Fruit Kebabs with Lemon Lime Dip
Ingredients:
4 ounces low‐fat, sugar free lemon yogurt
1 tsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp lime zest
4‐6 pineapple chunks
4‐6 strawberries
1 kiwi, peeled and diced into large chunks
1/2 banana, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
4‐6 red grapes
4 wooden skewers
Preparation:
In a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, lime juice and lime zest. Cover and refrigerate until needed. Thread 1 of each fruit onto skewer. Repeat with other skewers until fruit is gone. Serve with lemon lime dip.
