Thank goodness Halloween is over, right? The sugar has wreaked havoc on our skin and now we have Thanksgiving coming up! How can we minimize the damage to our skin--and our waistline this holiday season?
Skip this: French Toast
What's your holiday brunch favorite? If it's French Toast you'll be downing anywhere from 450 to 750 calories in two pieces depending on how much butter and syrup you douse yours with. With 18-32 grams of fat and loads of sugar, your skin and waistline scream uncle!!
Eat this instead: Avocado Toast
Preferably with a tasty whole wheat bread like Dave's Killer Bread 21 grain (my personal fav) and half a medium avocado. Sprinkle with your favorite seasoning, and this dish will only set you back 350-450 calories for two pieces! Not only that, but avocados are an all-star superfood--a good source of fiber and various vitamins and minerals, like Vitamin C, Vitamin K, folate, and potassium.
Skip this: Mashed Potatoes
We all know potatoes on their own are boring, so we doctor them up with butter, cream, sour cream, well, you get the picture. They can range anywhere from 250-300 calories per cup. But, oh the sodium and fat we add--and that's before gravy!
Eat this instead: Sweet Potatoes
Many have realized that a baked sweet potato on Thanksgiving is every bit as satisfying as the sugary marshmallow laden varieties.
Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene), vitamin C and potassium--great for the skin! They are also rich in many plant compounds, such as beta-carotene, chlorogenic acid, anthocyanins, and coumarins. Sweet potatoes are not only healthier than regular potatoes, but they also have a lower glycemicindex and more fiberthan their white potato counterparts.
Skip this: Infamous green bean casserole - you know the one I'm talking about!
200 calories a cup, 12 grams of fat, and 930 mg of salt-- all before seconds.
Eat this instead: Roasted vegetables
Try this sheet pan roasted vegetable recipe. At 132 calories per serving and 220 mg of salt, this recipe won't make you undo the top button of your jeans. Roasting vegetables is easy and roasting brings out natural sugars, therefore curing your sweet tooth, right? Okay, maybe not, but they are delicious.
Skip: Coated Nuts in a can
Skip any that nut comes in a can -- like these.
While nuts, in general, are good for you--these are full of fat and sodium. Oh, and there's more corn syrup than honey in this can too.
Eat this instead: Raw or roasted nuts and seeds - Especially pumpkin seeds!
120 calories for 1 ounce of these tasty seeds (that's 85 seeds!). Not only are they delicious but they're packed with 7 grams of protein and a list of other nutrients.
- Vitamin K: 18% of the RDI
- Phosphorus: 33% of the RDI
- Manganese: 42% of the RDI
- Magnesium: 37% of the RDI
- Iron: 23% of the RDI
- Zinc: 14% of the RDI
- Copper: 19% of the RDI
My favorite way to eat pumpkin seeds (I purchase the roasted) is on my avocado toast. This ensures I'm getting my morning protein.
How about you? Do you have any "Insteads" you like to serve or eat during the holidays?
