If your willpower wavers during the holidays, you’re not alone! This is a tough time of year for anyone who’s cutting the carbs. Holiday foods usually contain lots of dairy and sugar, and you’re likely to enjoy many more meals away from home between now and New Year’s Eve. Here are some tummy-friendly recipes that are just as tasty as their high-carb counterparts.
Many sugar substitutes contain even more carbs than refined sugar; others replace refined sugar with gas-producing sugar alcohols. According to Janet Renee, R.D.’s LiveStrong article: “Consuming over 50 grams of erythritol may result in nausea or stomach rumbling. There are some people who report side effects such as diarrhea, stomach upset, and headache after consuming regular amounts of erythritol in food or beverages.”
You’ll need eight times that 50-gram benchmark to equal the amount called for in a typical cookie recipe, but many people eat at least that much during the holiday season. If you routinely nibble two or three cookies a day throughout December, you may want to rethink erythritol.
Note: To save carbs and eliminate the possibility of erythritol-related gastric distress, bake with stevia. Bookmark Stevita Stevia’s conversion chart for handy reference.
All Day I Dream About Food is a great source for low-carb holiday recipes. Be advised that some of these recipes call for a sugar replacement that combines erythritol and oligosaccharides. These can cause excessive intestinal gas, so substitute NOW Foods Organic Better Stevia Extract Powder (see Note, above) when the recipe calls for a sugar replacement.
Beverages
Best Low Carb Sugar-Free Eggnog Recipe
Cranberry spritzers
One-half cup of cranberry sauce
32 ounces sparkling water OR
One bottle of Prosecco
Non-alcoholic, fewest carb option: 4 ounces sparkling water
Alcoholic option: 4 ounces Prosecco
Yield: 8 servings
Heat the cranberry sauce until it liquefies. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
Coat the bottom of a flute with up to one tablespoon of the cranberry sauce.
Float either the sparkling water or Prosecco on top.
Optional: garnish with fresh cranberries skewered on a swizzle stick
Breakfast
Cranberry Scones
4 tablespoons NOW Foods Organic Better Stevia Extract Powder
1 stick chilled butter, cubed
One and three-quarters cups of almond flour
3 eggs
One cup heavy cream
One teaspoon vanilla extract
One teaspoon orange extract
one-half cup dried cranberries
up to one-half cup cranberry sauce
Optional: one-half cup leftover eggnog
Using a stand mixer, pulse the butter and sugar until the mixture has the consistency of peas. Add the almond flour and pulse until the flour disappears.
Set the mixer on ‘stir’ and add the cranberries.
Remove the mixer from the stand.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Lightly beat the eggs and cream together, then pour the eggs and cream into the well.
Using a fork, pull the dry ingredients down into the egg/cream mixture. Blend just until combined.
Divide the dough into portions. Insert one spoonful of sauce into each piece of dough.
Optional: Brush with eggnog before baking
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until golden.
Entrees
Ina Garten’s Perfect Roast Turkey Recipe
Turkey Breast Roulade
The holiday issue of Weight Watchers magazine has a few variations. Minimize the carb count by omitting cornbread from the classic version or rice from the Greek-style recipe. Any way you slice it, each recipe tops out at 14 carbs per serving.
Roast Goose Recipe – NYT Cooking
Sweets
Chocolate-Orange Spritz Cookies
Mini-Vanilla Bean Pomegranate Cheesecake Tarts
If making merry causes gas and bloating, two CharcoCaps® capsules will help promote digestive comfort.* CharcoCaps® dietary supplement, Anti-Gas Detoxifying Formula will let you enjoy your favorite foods and beverages with less worry.*
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.