So Food Doesn't Go To Waist...

November is upon us! bring on the cool weather, pumpkin flavored everything, Thanksgiving, and...

                                   http://www.omgsocute.com/page/5/                                    

(I hail from Lubbock, Texas... land of Prairie dogs galore!)

Uh-oh, wait a second... ANYTHING but the 8934857205764029376 extra pounds!

It seems that at this time of the year especially, there are many moments in which we bite off more than we can chew,

http://www.ifunny.com/pictures/we-cant-eat-whole-pie-we-just-cant/

( Challenge accepted!)  

And end up like this:

http://www.tickld.com/pic/t/443312

(Caught red-handed!... Or... white-pawed I suppose?)

Or this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XghJuH6GSCo

(I mean, this dance is just SO catchy and attractive....)

A never ending goal of the season is how not to let food go to "waist", but still thoroughly enjoy, and reap the benefits of delicious fall and Thanksgiving foods. Although finding fun ways to exercise is not a half-bad idea, in fact it's one excellent way to combat this dilemma, this post aims to provide some generic recipe modifications which are healthier, but still tasty.

First and foremost, FATS!

• Fat provides the greatest amount of calories per gram (9) out of all the macro nutrients, therefore it is a good place to start when reducing calories.
• In baked goods the fat element (meaning butter or margarine) can be replaced with lower calorie applesauce, mashed banana, or the good low-inflammatory omega-3's and monounsaturated fat provided by mashed avocado (I know, it sounds odd, but don't bash it 'til you try it!). You'll find by these substitutions, the final product is not greatly altered at all. In fact in my experience replacing fat with applesauce, brownies come out more dense, and I personally like them better that way.
• Another option is cutting butter, oils, and margarine by 1/3 to a 1/2 in recipes. Butter is sometimes very overdone to maximize optimal taste, however SO much is not always necessary to achieve basically the same thing.
• Mozzarella cheese is naturally lower in fat.
• On sandwiches, try guacamole or mustard instead of mayo. It still fulfills that need for the sandwich to not be dry, but are both better options for all that leftover turkey! 
• In casseroles or stews, cut back the meat and replace what you cut with veggies. This cut decreases fat, adds fiber, plus veggies are just delicious!
• Replace heavy cream with low fat versions of yogurt, cream cheese, or mayo (however I personally hate the flavor of low-fat mayo, so I would use yogurt probably!)
• Fat-free milk versus whole saves about 66 calories, and 8 grams of fat per cup.

Sugar, and spice, and EVERYTHING nice!

• Try using 1/3 to 1/2 of the sugar recommended. Recipes can be sweetened further by the addition of spices and flavorings such as cinnamon, and almond extract.
• Reduce salt by 1/2 in recipes that do not require yeast. In yeast breads it is necessary as a leavening agent, but otherwise some can be left out.
• Use unsalted or low sodium broths.
• Use other seasonings for flavor that would compliment the recipe; such as pepper, garlic powder, or cumin if you're going south of the border, etc...

Pasta please!

• Pasta is just about my favorite thing ever, and switching to whole wheat over regular can triple fiber AND reduce calories. Double win!
• Pasta is also a good vessel for vegetables, and we could probably all use more of those guys! I usually add broccoli to pasta, and it is awesome.
• For those people that don't really like fruits, vegetables, or healthy things, another thing you can do if you make your own pasta sauce (red, tomato based sauce that is), and canned sauce too, is add plain canned pumpkin. Sounds odd, I know, but it just tastes like plain, regular pasta sauce! Really the only thing an ornery, anti-vegetable child (or adult for that matter) might notice is a thicker texture.

http://www.livescience.com/48555-facts-about-pumpkins.html

(Fun Fact: Pumpkins are quite possibly the oldest domesticated plant on earth with evidence dating back as far as 10,000 B.C.!)

Condiments, keepin' it classy!

• I would say cut back the condiments, but let's face it, they're delicious!
• Condiments tend to be packed with INSANE amounts of sugar and added fat. Dipping food into the condiments instead of pouring condiments all over food may help you use less.

Crazy For Carbs!

• Try to keep those pesky carbs down to about a fourth of your plate. This will be proven impossible at Thanksgiving dinner. I am aware. However, if this plate visual is maintained on a regular basis, one day out of the year will not make or break you if the choice is made to splurge on all the carbohydrate loaded dishes. It is possible too, that if you get used to doing this it will become a natural part of you, and you will follow suit at big meals (this is not me, but it may be some of you!).
• If you're a tortilla lover like me, switch to corn. You will get used to the differing taste, corn tortillas provide much less calories and carbs, more fiber, and a serving size is two! Plus, for those of you who follow nuval, corn tortillas generally have a very high score.

These are just ideas, go through and pick some that fit your life-style and eating habits and have at it! This time of year does not have to be a Hunger Games style massacre of all food in sight. Enjoy, don't dread!

http://www.chelciesfoodfiles.com/2013/10/16/wiaw-why-are-mms-so-good/

Happy Fall Y'all!

-Mollie