There are many strategies to not overindulging at big meals. A lot of it comes down to biochemistry (I know – it’s not my favorite word either) so that you don’t show up at  party so hungry that you could eat a full turkey but also, not so full that you can’t enjoy the meal. Everyone has different body chemistry so it could take a couple of tries to figure out how much you need to eat a few hours before a big dinner in order to keep your appetite in check – but consider it an experiment and keep tweaking it to find out what works best for you and your body type.

Eat lightly before holiday dinners. If you’re trying to watch your weight, it’ not a good idea to arrive starving at a big holiday dinner. Many people don’t eat anything all day before a big meal and then can’t control themselves once they arrive. You also don’t want to eat too much that day either. The key is to start the day with a solid protein breakfast (see below) and eat a small, light meal about 2-3 hours before the big dinner. That way, you’ll be ready to eat again but will be full enough to make smart decisions about what to splurge on.

Allow for some splurging on the holidays. Many people attend big dinners with the intention of staying on a diet but end up gorging instead – and then kicking themselves the next day. Give it up! The more you try to eat less, the more enticing it is to overeat. So just accept that staying on a diet is not possible and stop beating yourself up for it. Instead, plan ahead by eating lightly the few days before the meal and hitting the gym an extra day. It’s okay to indulge and not feel guilty! Life is short – savor each bite. And try starting a new family tradition by scheduling a walk or hike the next day and then serving sliced turkey over a green salad for lunch.

Keep your metabolism moving. Many people don’t realize that the more frequently you hit the gym, the faster your metabolism is moving all day long. And eating also keeps your metabolism moving! It burns calories to digest calories. So, make sure you keep up your fitness schedule during the holidays and if you are going away on vacation, kick it up a notch the week before you go out of town. And remember to keep eating small, nutritious meals throughout your vacation – it will ensure that your metabolism is still working hard at keeping you fit and will prevent midnight snacking on the apple pie.

Start the day with protein. Everyone knows they should eat breakfast but many still don’t. If you’re trying to stay fit, it’s imperative to eat a solid breakfast. Starting the day with protein helps balance your blood sugar for the entire day, helping you eat less and make better food choices. It also jumpstarts your metabolism. Avoid starting the day with just carbs (plain bagel and orange juice) and instead choose animal protein for days you are headed to the gym and vegetable protein for days you are working from home on the computer.

Good pre-holiday meals include: cottage cheese on whole wheat crackers, yogurt and granola, turkey sandwich, chicken soup, or tuna fish wrap. These are all animal protein snacks/meals that are light but will keep you feeling satiated for hours.

DAIRY PROTEINS: yogurt, cottage cheese, milk, cheese
VEGETARIAN & DAIRY-FREE PROTEINS: soymilk, tofu, beans, seeds, nuts, nut butter
ANIMAL PROTEINS: (these balance blood sugar for the longest amount of time but have the most saturated fat) beef, turkey, chicken, fish, eggs

Quinoa (keen-wa) is a delicious grain that’s packed with protein and nutrients. Unlike most other whole grains, it cooks in only 20 minutes and even the most novice cooks find it easy to prepare. This is always a winner at dinner parties and best of all, you don’t feel “stuffed” after eating it!

Salad

2 cups quinoa
4 cups water
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, sliced
2 small zucchini, cut into 1-inch cubes
½ cup pine nuts, toasted
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon of orange zest
1 teaspoon sea salt

Dressing

4 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
4 tablespoons mirin (can be found at most health food stores – a great sweetener to have on hand)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons garlic, finely minced
Juice of 1 lemon

Start with caramelizing onions by heating olive oil in large skillet. When oil is hot, add onions. Cook on low heat for at least 30 minutes (you can caramelize onions for up to an hour – just add a little water if they stick to the pan). Stir every few minutes. Add zucchini and cook for 10 more minutes or until tender.

While onions are cooking, rinse quinoa in a fine-meshed strainer over sink. Bring water and quinoa to a boil in a large saucepan. Turn down heat, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until there is no water in the bottom of the pan. Do not stir. Simply slide a knife down the side of the pan and push quinoa aside to see if there is any water on the bottom of the pan. Quinoa is fully cooked when the germ has separated from the grain. It looks like a small white “C” shape surrounding each grain. When quinoa is done and there is no water on bottom of pan, pull off heat and let stand for 10 minutes.

Whisk dressing ingredients together. Toss quinoa well with dressing in serving bowl. Fold in onions, zucchini, nuts, parsley, zest and salt. Serve warm or room temperature.

SERVING IT FOR THE HOLIDAYS? A low-stress cooking plan:
-Toast nuts and prepare vinaigrette 3 days in advance.
-Sautée onions and zucchini 1 day in advance.
-Quinoa can be made one day in advance and stored in a sealed container.
-2 hours before serving, pull out of fridge, and combine all ingredients – if still too cool, warm in oven for 15 minutes.
-If you’re taking it to someone’s house, transport it ina large sealed container.

HIRE YOUR KIDS AS SOUS CHEFS – they can:
-Rinse the quinoa and rip parsley up into little pieces or cut with a plastic knife or butter knife.
-Chop the zucchini into cubes with butter knife and zest the orange.
-Squeeze the lemon juice, measure dressing ingredients and whisk it together.
Recipe by Julie Negrin and Jacquie Grinberg  © 2006
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Serves 6