Recipe: Cranberry Jezebel Sauce

Cranberry Jezebel Sauce is great with turkey or chicken, but it’s sublime with ham, making it a perfect side dish for Easter dinner. The sauce is a tantalizing sweet-spicy-sour combination; ham contributes the remaining two flavor bases, salty and savory.

 

I use sugar substitute and sugar-free marmalade to reduce carbs and calories, but if you prefer, you may use sugar or sugar-based marmalade instead. Note that the calorie and carbohydrate content will be much higher.

Cranberry Jezebel Sauce

Ingredients:

 

½ cup water

1 cup sugar substitute

1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced

1 (16-ounce) can whole cranberry sauce

2/3 cup sugar-free orange marmalade

2 tablespoons prepared horseradish

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Directions:

Dissolve sugar substitute in water in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often. Bring to a boil. Add onions and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes. Add marmelade, cranberry sauce, horseradish, and mustard. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thick, about 10 - 15 minutes.

Serve with grilled ham, roast chicken, or roast turkey.

How to Hop Past Easter Treats

Depending on where you are, it may still be cold and snowy, making it hard to believe that Easter is only a little over two weeks away. Happily, Easter is the last big candy day of the holiday season. As the days grow longer and the weather warms up, the focus naturally turns from candy to fresh fruit.

Until then, here's a short-but-sweet list of tips to help you handle the Easter candy deluge:

Donna's Top Five Tips for Hopping Past Easter Candy

1. If you're not keeping a food record, start! If you're skilled with eating awareness, you may not need to track everything you eat. Instead, you might benefit from just tracking candy, dessert, or whatever food you find most tempting. Write down every sweet treat you eat (or use your smartphone to take a picture). This tip works for soda, alcohol, and other high-calorie beverages, too.
2. Remember that Easter, like other holidays, will come around again next year. If you don't eat a crème-filled egg, it'll be okay. This isn't your last chance. You can always enjoy one next year.
3. Make sure you're on track with drinking water, getting enough rest, and managing stress. It's easier to resist temptation when you feel healthy and well.
4. If you have kids or grandkids, consider balancing candy with non-food treats, or celebrating with non-food treats. Although my kids still enjoy hunting for candy-filled eggs, they look forward to receiving a little gift -- this year, it's a video game for my son, art supplies for my older daughter, and gardening goodies for my younger daughter. My kids will happily give up candy for a treasure hunt that leads them to a gift instead of the traditional candy-filled Easter basket.
5. If you don't already have a personal or family tradition that includes physical activity, this is the year to start. Go to the park, take a walk, toss around a football or Frisbee with the kids, or get everyone dancing on the gaming system. Get a friendly competition going with friends or family!

Now it's your turn! What do you do to keep the number on the scale from hopping up during the Easter season? Let us know! :)

How to Hop Past Easter Candy

Given the chilly weather, it may be hard to believe, but...The Easter Bunny will be hopping your way this Sunday! (I'm assuming that on the East Coast, he'll be recruiting snowshoe hares to help him out.)

Happily, this is the last big candy day of the holiday season. Soon, the weather will warm up, the days will get longer, and the focus will naturally turn from candy to fresh fruit.

Until then, here's a short-but-sweet list of tips to help you handle the Easter candy deluge:

Top Five Tips for Hopping Past Easter Candy

1. If you're not keeping a food record, start one! If you're skilled with eating awareness, you may benefit from keeping a sweets record. Write down (or take a picture with your cell phone) every sweet treat you eat. If you're drinking more soda, wine, or other beverages, make a note of that, too.
2. Remember that Easter, like other holidays, will come around again next year. If you don't eat a crème-filled egg, it's okay. You can enjoy one next year.
3. Don't fall into the trap of thinking, "I won't see Peeps for a year...I better eat a bunch now!" Eating a dozen Peeps won't keep you from craving them in July.
4. Consider balancing candy with non-food treats. This year, my son wants a hoodie he can tie-dye himself, my older daughter wants potted hyacinths, and my younger daughter wants a hydroponic tomato plant kit. I'm also going to fill plastic eggs with candy and hide them around the house and in the yard, but it's the big gifts that they look forward to receiving. You can use this tip to make it easier to bypass Easter candy, too.
5. If you don't already have a personal or family tradition that includes physical activity, this is the year to begin one! Go to the park, take a walk, toss around a football or Frisbee with the kids, get everyone dancing on the Wii. Create your own March Madness challenge, and compete with friends or family!

Now it's your turn! What do you do to keep the number on the scale from hopping around during the Easter season? Let us know! :)