Fit: Cooking Up a Healthy Holiday

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WHENEVER GLASSES CLINK over holiday smorgasbords, the accompanying toasts generally reference wishes for good health. Yet, if people stopped to look down at their plates, they'd see their meals as odes to clogged arteries and love handles. It's possible to be jolly without getting a Santa stomach, but that requires checking out recipes to figure out what's naughty and what's nice.

Ethan McKee, the chef at Rock Creek at Mazza, pictured at left, which dishes out health-conscious cuisine year-round, says certain technique tweaks can slim down a menu. He braises his sweet potatoes in vegetable stock, herbs and garlic, so when he purees them, he can ditch the traditional butter. He brines meats to boost flavor without adding loads of extra calories. And when he wants to create a "creamy, rich mouth-feel," he grabs some nonfat yogurt. "You can add that to your mashed potatoes for a little tang," he says.

The big bird might get most of the attention at family gatherings, but second helpings are more nutritious if the veggies get a boost. Take cauliflower, says McKee: "Sliced and sauteed with olive oil and some raisins and almonds is really an awesome thing. They think of it as blah, but instead it's all caramelized and a little crunchy."

Assorted root vegetables roasted with thyme and rosemary is another autumnal treat, and butternut squash soup can be a light first course. Just follow McKee's example of eschewing cream in favor of a dash of curry powder, because the gourd's texture is decadent enough on its own.

Lightening up desserts presents a greater challenge because sweet teeth are particularly demanding. McKee has two tricks: cutting portion sizes and swapping in Whey Low — an all-natural sugar substitute with a quarter of the calories.

For more tips on secret sweeteners, talk to Christina Giallourakis, founder of Inspire Nutrition, which offers nutrition consulting and cooking classes in the D.C. area. On the schedule for Tuesday night is "Delectable Desserts," a crash course on using a wide variety of healthier sugar substitutes, baking with whole grains and whipping up dairy-free dishes even the lactose-tolerant will love.

Her hands-down fave? Agave, the sweet nectar derived from cacti. "It pours easily and dissolves quickly. I'll get a glass of water, put in a squeeze of lemon and some agave, and I have natural lemonade," she says.

Other recipes call for maple syrup (like her specialty flan, which also uses kuzu and agar) and brown rice syrup. "Because these come from whole foods, they don't cause the quick spike in blood sugar," she explains.

If cholesterol is more on your mind than calories this season, pick up "Olive Oil Baking" ($20, Cumberland House) by Lisa Sheldon. Pouring the golden Mediterranean staple into your batter instead of a bucket of butter can significantly reduce the amount of saturated fats in your cookies and other holiday treats. And don't worry — your brownies won't taste like olives. "I always use extra virgin olive oil, which is very fragrant and flavorful. And it really enhances the flavor, especially if it's a fruit dessert," Sheldon promises.

The real hurdles are consistency and texture. Some of her recipes call for extra water or vanilla extract to act as a bonding agent, and olive oil-baked goods tend to be a bit crunchier than the originals. "Some people love that, but I'll add in pumpkin or applesauce to get in more moisture," she says.

The appendix of the book offers Sheldon's take on some classic recipes, Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies and Snickerdoodles. She encourages readers to use the conversion tables to make over holiday favorites, too. But if that family fruitcake just doesn't taste the way you remember it, don't feel like you have to ditch tradition completely. Just keep your slices under control.