Yeah right! A Christmas recipe that is low-cal! Come on now, next thing you're going to tell me is that Frosty the Snowman is real! Well, don't be shocked, but they're out there. I'm not talking about aliens; I'm talking about a low-cal Christmas recipe that covers the main course, the beverages and even a Christmas recipe for Christmas cake of all things.

First of all, let's put this whole holiday-eat-until-we-vomit thing into perspective. Dieticians seem to agree at least on one thing: All those holiday meals aren't the things that extend our stomachs and increase our waistline. It's all the darn snacking that we do in between the holidays a meal that does the damage. You know what I'm talking about: sit down for coffee and eat a slice of cake, play monopoly with the kids and out comes a tray of peanuts. And then wash that down with eggnog or hot spiced wine. I'm gaining weight just writing about it!
Well, you get the idea. Sp here's the first plan of attack. Keep focused on the big meals at hand -- traditionally you risk a food-fest on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and the Day after Christmas. If you live in Europe there's a whole tradition of house-hopping in the neighborhood for the entire week after Christmas and leading up to New Years Eve. Anyway, if you know you've got all that eating coming up, a little bit of pre-war holiday dieting would be in order. I hate to use the term "starving yourself", but at the very least eat less and work out more in the weeks leading up to the holidays.

There's not a lot you can do when the big meal arrives other than stick to your guns and request small portions. If you eat a little something before the meal than you'll already be feeling full and in theory anyway, you'll eat less at the dinner table. See how it works? All this advice and we haven't even started discussing a specific Christmas recipe. Now if all that doesn't work try offering up a low-cal Christmas recipe or two. Here are some suggestions. You can thank me later when I see you at the gym.

When you're busy baking sue 1 cup of applesauce instead of 1 cup of butter. Try 8 ounces of yogurt cheese instead of 8 ounces of cream cheese.  Mix up 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 1 cup of non-fat milk and use that instead of 1 cup of whipping cream (not to be confused with "whipped cream") Instead of using sour cream on those pesky baked potatoes, try mixing 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese with 2 tablespoons skim milk and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Want more advice? Check the internet, baby! There is a veritable kitchen full of low-call recipes, including one for Christmas cake.

Don't stop me now, I'm on a roll. Use fresh spices and herbs instead of salt. Make an all-natural salad dressing with equal parts water and vinegar and use half of whatever the recommended amount of oil is. Drain the fat off the meat, and try roasting your potatoes instead of frying them.

And that Christmas cake? Make one using real fruit. In fact, if you include raw pineapple you're doing yourself a favor, because pineapple aids in digestion.
See how easy that was? And you thought you were going to gain some weight this Christmas!