• The holidays can add literally thousands of extra calories to your diet.Christmas supper image by Mladenov from Fotolia.com
  
  The words "healthy and "holiday" don't always go together harmoniously. If you are trying to follow a balanced diet, the holiday season can deal a death blow to healthy eating efforts. However, holiday cooking need not be laden with fat and calories. By making the right food choices, you can serve up delicious and nutritious food.
  
  

Substitute Ingredients

• When following a recipe, pay attention to what ingredients are recommended and substitute low-calorie/low-fat ingredients for those that are high in calories or fat. Substitute one whole egg with two egg whites, or cream with yogurt. Where possible, reduce the amounts of higher fat ingredients. Even a slight decrease in the amount of an ingredient can cut calories. Use low-fat cheeses or other ingredients wherever possible, and use vegetable oil or olive oil in place of lard or butter.
  
  

Boil, Grill or Steam

• Roasting meat or vegetables in oil can add a lot of calories to a dish. If possible, find an alternative method of cooking that will be just as tasty, while retaining the flavor of the dish. Boil or steam vegetables and grill meat where possible. If you would like to retain the crispiness of roasting, boil or grill the food for most of the cooking time to limit the amount of oil or butter that is absorbed. When the food is almost cooked, brush it lightly with olive oil or unsalted, low-fat butter substitue and place in the oven for a few minutes. For an even healthier dish, baste with broth, stock or wine instead of oils.
  
  

Load Up on Vegetables

• Add plenty of vegetables to each meal to increase the amount of nutrients and vitamins ingested. When making broths or soups, add bulky vegetables like sweet potatoes, parsnips or winter squash to add thickness, and blend. Restrict the amount of butter added if mashing potatoes; add some skimmed milk or natural yogurt instead.
  
  

Watch Portion Sizes

• One of the biggest problems with maintaining a healthy diet at the holiday season, is that portion sizes seem to grow. When dishing up food for the family or your guests, load up on healthier items such as vegetables and restrict the amount of fattier foods served. Meat, while a good source of protein and iron, should not form the majority of the meal. Sauces and gravies can also be full of fat and calories, so limit these on your plate.