Navigating the SlimFast Plan as we get closer to the Holiday season can seem daunting, when all you want to do is indulge in your favorite holiday foods. No need to worry! On the SlimFast Plan no food is off limits. SlimFast Brand Ambassador Halle shares tips for how to get the most out of your Sensible Meal and indulge in all of your favorites.
The holiday season is right around the corner, so you'll find me in my kitchen whipping up all kinds of deliciousness! In between watching the latest cooking shows and spending my afternoons baking with my girlfriends, I'm in my kitchen discovering ways to make my favorite foods fit into my nutrition plan. This will be especially relevant as I prepare meals for upcoming holiday parties for friends and family alike.
With some simple recipe modifications and portion control, I find I am still able to put together a decadent meal that makes everyone happy, including my waistline!
With October being “everything pumpkin” I find myself craving that oh so delicious PSL (pumpkin spice latte). But, oh those calories! By swapping out cow’s milk and instead opting for almond milk, I’m shaving off unnecessary calories. I also ask for my lattes to be made half-sweet, as calories from sweeteners add up quickly! My barista is even kind enough to allow me to scan the product bar codes into my calorie counting app. Lastly, I leave off the whipped cream. With these modifications, I’m cutting my calories by about half! This way, I’m still able to spend an afternoon with my girlfriends, while indulging in my favorite Fall coffee drink.
When it comes to holiday meals, I try to choose one or two of my favorite foods made as-is. Then, I choose leaner options to round out the remainder of my meal. I love both my homemade sweet potato casserole and my cornbread stuffing. This year, I’ve decided that I'll have one for Thanksgiving and the other for Christmas dinner. That's a compromise I can live with (and so can my waistline). My hubby's favorite side is green bean casserole, which is chock full of calories and sodium. I opt for the “healthy” version of canned soup that cuts back on some of the naughty stuff. I use unsweetened nut milk as opposed to a traditional dairy product. I also make my own version of French fried onions in my air fryer, saving quite a few calories and substantially reducing the sodium. Gravy over my turkey is a must! So, I opt for the gravy packets where water is used to make the gravy. At only 20-25 calories per serving, I’m saving room for dessert!
I'm an avid baker and pie is always on the menu. Most recipes calculate calories based on 1/8 of a 9” pie. I've found that 1/16 of a slice of pie more than satisfies. After all, I’d rather have a small slice than no slice. I have found that I can cut sugar by half in most recipes without compromising taste. For icing, I use unsweetened nut milk to replace cow’s milk or calorie-laden heavy cream. I choose fruit pie over more calorie-heavy cream pie. I opt for a lattice-style crust, as opposed to a full top crust. All these options shed unnecessary calories. If I'm really looking to pull back on calories, I opt for sugar-free JELLO with some whipped topping.
When those chocolate cravings hit, I reach for a SlimFast Keto Fat Bomb. I also place one next to each name place card at my holiday table. It's a great way to share my SlimFast love with friends and family - and who doesn't love sitting down to a chocolate treat! I'll be bringing some to our local Fall Festival for all the parents to snack on while supervising their trick-or-treating ghosts and goblins. Bonus: Fat Bombs make perfect stocking stuffers or holiday card accompaniments!
For those times when I'm enjoying my meal replacement and am feeling the pumpkin love, I reach for my SlimFast Original French Vanilla shake or SlimFast Original Shake mix. I'll add some canned pumpkin, along with pumpkin pie spice, and a reduced or no-calorie sweetener, and Voilà...a delicious guilt-free pumpkin smoothie! For the winter holiday, I’ll incorporate peppermint into my vanilla shakes giving them a festive touch. I'll top my shake with shavings from a Chocolate Mint SlimFast Keto Fat Bomb, adding a decadent element. To top both these smoothies off: a spray of whipped topping for about 15 calories per serving. Check out SlimFast Smoothie recipes for more smoothie/shake inspiration!
All this talk about holiday meals has me excited! I can't wait to get together with the ladies for holiday baking and recipe-sharing. With a little planning, and a couple modifications, this holiday season is sure to be a delicious one!