With the winter holidays fast approaching, many of us are already dreading over how many pounds we’ll gain from feasts with friends and family during Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. However, if you’re in charge of cooking, you and your loved ones will benefit greatly from the latest recipes that allow you to cook your favorite traditional holiday means but in a much healthier way.

Is pork roast one of your specialties when it comes to the holiday season? Then you’ll love this recipe! To get started you’ll need the following ingredients: salt and pepper (to taste), four (4) tablespoons Dijon mustard, 2 ½ pounds of boneless pork loin roast (make sure the fat is trimmed off), 2 ½ tablespoons soy sauce (lite), one (1) cup pancake syrup (lite) and 2 ½ tablespoons cider vinegar. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl combine your soy sauce, syrup, salt, pepper, vinegar and mustard and set aside. This will become the glaze for the pork roast. Use non stick cooking spray to coat the bottom of a shallow roasting pan and place your pork roast inside. Take your glaze and spread it over the pork roast and bake for 45 minutes to one hour. You can use a meat thermometer to make sure the pork roast is thoroughly cooked (it should read 160 degrees). After pulling it out of the oven, let it sit for 10 minutes and then serve.

Need a better salad recipe this holiday season? Then you’ll enjoy this new recipe for avocado and shrimp salad. Gather together: two (2) avocados, one (1) cup cooked shrimp, three (3) tablespoons sour cream (fat-free), 1 ½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, ¼ cup finely chopped red bell pepper, one (1) tablespoon mayonnaise (light), one (1) tablespoon chopped chives, 1 ½ teaspoon lemon juice, four (4) cups romaine lettuce (shredded), one (1) tablespoon chill sauce and four (4) pinches of paprika. In a medium bowl combine your Worcestershire sauce, sour cream, chili sauce and mayonnaise and whisk until blended. This will be the start of your dressing. Next, add in your shrimp, chives and red pepper. Take your avocados and peel them, remove the pits and cut in half, lengthwise. Scoop your dressing mixture and place into the avocado halves. Put a helping of shredded romaine lettuce onto each plate and place the avocado and dressing on top. Drizzle lime juice on top and sprinkle with paprika.

What holiday meal would be complete without a helping of macaroni and cheese? Get the following: one (1) cup Monterey Jack cheese (shredded), ½ cup chopped onion, one (1) 16 ounce package whole grain macaroni, two (2) tablespoons butter, one (1) red pepper, one (1) medium zucchini, one (1) orange pepper, one (1) tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper (to taste), ½ cup dry-roasted salted almonds (chopped), three (3) tablespoons whole wheat white flour, one (1) cup low-sodium vegetable broth, one (1) 12 ounce can nonfat evaporated milk, one (1) cup low-fat cheddar cheese (shredded) and two (2) cups seasoned croutons. Dice your zucchini, orange pepper and red pepper. Cook macaroni as normal and drain. Set aside in a bowl. In a large skillet add your butter and olive oil and cook your onions, zucchini and peppers on medium high for 8-10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add flour and stir. Next, add your vegetable broth and evaporated milk. Bring mixture to a boil and simmer on low heat until it thickens. Mix your macaroni in and pour into a cooking pan coated with nonstick spray. Top with your cheeses until melted.

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