Lately, I've been hitting the gyms more than normal as a group of us at the Californian finish our first-ever gym review (look for it to come out in the Eye Street section around New Year's).

Now I'm trying to keep the momentum going, which, you can imagine, is a hard task considering the onslaught of food that gets thrown around during this time of year, not to mention the family gatherings, shopping trips, etc. to put you off schedule.

I'm trying to stick with it, and to help, I'm being more careful about the food I eat.

If you would also like to skimp on the calories — perhaps to help lighten the load of all the pumpkin pie you're going to be eating in less than a week — here are some healthy alternatives to holiday favorites, courtesy of the county Department of Public Health.

If you have your own healthy holiday recipes, please share. And if you do try some of these, let me know how they turn out.

Happy holidays!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Instead of eggnog, try the recipe for cranberry spritzer at your next holiday party!

Cranberry Spritzer Healthy Holiday Recipe
Ingredients:
1 quart low-calorie cranberry juice
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 quart carbonated water
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup raspberry sherbet

Directions:

• Chill all ingredients. Combine.
• Garnish with a lemon or lime wedge. Serve immediately.
  

Yields 8 (10-ounce) servings.

Nutritional Analysis
Calories: 85
Fat: trace
Percent calories from fat: zero
Percent polyunsaturated: zero
Percent saturated: zero
Percent monounsaturated: zero
Cholesterol: 2mg
Sodium: 15mg
Protein: .5g
Carbohydrate: 21g
Fiber: zero

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
This low-fat, easy dish can be served as an appetizer at a party, using turkey breasts  instead of chicken strips or as a main holiday or week night meal.

Parmesan Turkey Breasts Healthy Holiday Recipe
Ingredients:
1-1/2 pound turkey breast fillets
1/3 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon virgin olive oil
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced

Directions:

• Place turkey fillets between two sheets of waxed paper and pound lightly with a mallet or other heavy flat object to flatten to 1/2 inch thickness.
• Combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan and salt and pepper to taste in a shallow pie pan. Dredge turkey in breadcrumbs, pressing lightly to adhere.
• Heat oil in a heavy nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Saute turkey 3-4 minutes per side or until golden. Transfer to a platter, set aside and keep warm. Saute onions and garlic 3-4 minutes or until softened. Serve onions over turkey.
  

Makes 4 servings

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This all-American favorite can be enjoyed with many holiday meals.

Old-Fashioned Country Style Corn Bread Healthy Holiday Recipe
Ingredients:
1-3/4 cups self-rising white cornmeal mix
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 egg
2 teaspoons corn oil
1-1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk
Vegetable cooking spray

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl.
• Generously spray 8x8-inch baking pan with cooking spray; add batter and bake 20 to 25 minutes or until corn bread is golden brown.
  

Recipe makes nine servings.

Nutritional information per serving:
Calories: 142
Fat: 2.4g
Cholesterol: 25mg
Sodium: 412mg
Protein: 4.7g
Carbohydrate: 24.7g
Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 Bread, 1/2 Fat

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
Try this low-fat Thanksgiving favorite!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Healthy Holiday Recipe
Ingredients:
1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 can (16 ounces) solid pack pumpkin
2 cups low-fat ricotta cheese
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon nonfat dry milk powder
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 egg white
3/4 cup canned evaporated skim milk
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 9-inch spring-form pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add graham cracker crumbs; shake to coat pan evenly. Set aside.
• Combine pumpkin and ricotta cheese in food processor or blender; process until smooth. Add sugar, flour, milk powder, cinnamon, allspice, egg white, evaporated skim milk, oil, and vanilla; process until smooth.
• Pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 275 degrees; bake 1 hour and 15 minutes. Turn off oven; leave cheesecake in oven with door closed for 1 hour. Remove from oven; cool completely on wire rack. Remove spring-form pan side. Cover cheesecake with plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to 2 days. Garnish with fresh fruit, if desired.
  

Nutrition information per serving (1/8 cheesecake):
Calories: 121
Protein: 4g
Sodium: 56mg
Cholesterol: 4mg
Fat: 2g
Carbohydrates: 20g
Exchanges: 1-1/2 Starch/Bread; 1/2 Fat

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sources and for additional recipes and information on healthy living:

www.getmovingkern.org/tips.htm
www.drweil.com
www.fitnessandfreebies.com/holidays/index.html
www.texaschildrenshospital.org/Parents/TipsArticl es/ArticleDisplay.aspx?aid=1103
www.diabeteshealth.com
www.pamf.org/health/toyourhealth/holidays.html
www.countrylife.net
www.dietsupporters.com