Be True to Yourself During the Holidays!

Deep Dish Ceramic Covered Pumpkin Pie Plate

Ah, it’s that time of year again . . .the Holidays!  But what comes along with that is THE FOOD!

We love getting together with friends and family around the Holidays and those big dinners right on Thanksgiving, they are the best!  But the rich food often plays havoc with our fitness goals.

Here are some suggestions for you. If you are visiting friends where you did not make the food, avoid as many sugary treats as possible. Hopefully, they did some meatballs, cold cuts, fruit or veggie platters or other goodies that are not too bad on the waistline and will help your successfully skip over the fudge! If not, sample conservatively or skip all together. Have a beverage, and visit your friends. After all, that’s what you’re really there for, right?

As you enjoy the big Holiday dinners with family and friends, just be conservative. Take only one medium sized plate of food, and you should be fine. After all, turkey is healthy for you! Choose side dishes such as green beans and potatoes and green salad over the sweet dishes.

Afterwards, if possible, take a long walk around the neighborhood with some of the group. This is a great opportunity to stretch your legs and work off a big part of the dinner plus talk with people you may not get to visit with very often or any other time of year.

If you get to bring some of the food, bring healthy snacks and fruit and veggie platters to add to the festive holiday spread. You can be sure they are always appreciated!

Here’s a recipe for a sugarless pumpkin pie that I have taken out to parties and served at home that is a wonderful dessert for the Holidays. Honestly, you will not be able to tell the difference! Shop for Xyla Crystals, a sugar substitute, in the health food section or your favorite store. Xlya looks, tastes and measures eactly like regular sugar. Xyla is 100% Xylitol. “Sweet without the gulit,” the product label says. Basically, you can use any pumpkin pie recipe on the pumpkin pack can, and replace the sugar with Xyla, but here is my own personal recipe:

Pre heat oven to 425 degrees
Have on hand:

2 eggs
¾ cup Xyla crystals sugar substitute
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp. ground cloves
1 can pure pumpkin pack (15 oz)
1 can (12 fluid oz) evaporated milk
Pinch salt

1 unbaked 9-inch (4 cup volume) deep dish pie shell
Topping:
1 cup whipped cream – from carton
1 tsp vanilla
2 envelopes Stevia sugar substitute
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Combine Xyla Cystals sugar substitute salt, cinnamon, cloves and ginger in a small bowl and blend. Lightly beat the two eggs in a medium bowl, then add pumpkin, stirring, add in the spices mixture.
Pour into pie shell. Back for 15 minutes at 425. Then lower the temperature to 350 degrees continuimjg to bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Check with a toothpick or a knife to be sure the filling is cooked through and through. Cool at least 40 minutes before serving. Garnish with whipped cream whipped the old fashioned way, adding 1 tsp vanilla and 2 envelopes Stevia to sweeten.

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You will enjoy this pumpkin pie as a guilt free addition to your holiday gatherings and dinners! 

 Also think about this wonderful pie dish to serve at home or transport your pie to a party:

Buy this wonderful pie serving dish on Amazon by clicking on this link here:

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For yoga and exercise tips plus additional recipes, please visit me at www.healthyweightsystems.com