the holiday fifteen

I think we can all admit that we give up during the holidays and eat whatever we want, whenever we want … or is that just me? Cooler weather rolls in, bulky sweaters hide everything, and hell, we’re *this* close to the new year so why not say “eff it” and promise to make a resolution to eat better and exercise in 2011 (or 2012, or 2013). Holiday food is amazing; I’ll take the turkey, ham, roast beef, mashed potatoes, buttered corn, glazed carrots, various vegetable casseroles and whatever that is there with cheese on top, all covered with a heaping ladleful (or two) of gravy made with pan drippings please! Just like the first time you went into your college dining hall, the buffets seem endless. Thankfully, the holidays only come once per year, not 2-3 times per day, every day like freshman year.

Perhaps, like me, you justify why you eat so much during the holidays: they do only come once a year, it’d be rude not to heap our plates full of the yummy foods the hostesses so carefully prepared, I’ll just try a little bit of each, and there are only so many months where you can find pumpkin pies!! As part of my ongoing efforts to cut the fat, I’ve tested out variations of my personal faves and will be sharing those recipes here on my blog for any of you that are willing to give something new a try this holiday season. First up: creamed spinach!!

Baked Creamed Spinach
2 pkg frozen chopped spinach
½ cup fat-free half & half (you may need ¾ cup, depends on the brand of spinach you use)
1 cup part-skim shredded mozzarella (divided into ¾ cup and ¼ cup)
½ cup reduced fat grated parmesan (or parmesan blend), plus extra to sprinkle on top
1 clove garlic
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp crushed red pepper
2 tsp ground black pepper
¼ cup panko
Salt to taste (optional)

-- Prepare the spinach according to package directions (pretty much you just boil it in water)
-- Drain the spinach really, REALLY well then place in casserole dish
-- Add the remaining ingredients (except for the panko and ¼ cup mozzarella) and mix well; if you’re not getting a creamy texture, add more half & half; the mozzarella will somewhat melt but don’t worry if it’s not melting, it will once it gets into the oven
-- Smooth out the top of the spinach and top with the ¼ cup mozzarella, a handful of panko and sprinkling of parmesan (in this order)
-- Bake at 350 for about 30-40 min until all bubbly and somewhat browned then broil for about 5 min longer to get a nice toasty crust on top
-- Let it set on the counter or table for at least 10 min before serving and enjoy!