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1 cup evaporated Milk can be substituted with 1 cup light cream.

For 1 cup of corn syrup, try:
1 1/4 cups white sugar & 1/3 cup water OR
1 cup honey

To replace 1 cup fat for baking, use:
1 cup applesauce OR 1 cup fruit puree

If you don't have bread crumbs,  use cracker crumbs OR ground oats.  

1. Eat a light snack to prevent overeating at buffets.
2. Limit alcohol to reduce unwanted calories.
3. Bring a healthy low-fat dish to the party.
4. Avoid snacking temptations by giving crafts or other gifts instead of baked goods.
5. Always keep low-calorie foods like raw produce on hand for snacking.
6. Substitute healthful ingredients for those high in calories and fat.
7. Team up with a buddy and support and encourage each other to make healthy choices.
8. Remember to eat right and exercise most days.  Holidays are special days.
9. Don't allow the holidays to be an excuse for easing off your exercise routine.  Keep it up!
10. Celebrate with family and friends in ways that don't center around food.

TACO SOUP

In a pot, add:  1 pound browned ground beef, 1 can whole kernel corn, 1 c Rotel 2 cans beans (drained/rinsed), 1 packet original ranch dressing mix, 1 packet low-sodium taco seasoning mix (see recipe below).

270 calories / 8g fat / 40mg cholesterol / 390mg sodium  27g carbohydrates / 10g fiber / 19g protein
 

• Low-Sodium Taco Seasoning Mix
  Use as lower sodium alternative for Mexican-style dishes.  Combine all of the following ingredients and then store in an airtight container.  1 teaspoon instant minced onion, 1 teaspon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder, 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, 1/2 teaspoon instant minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch and 1/4 teaspoon oregano.

HAMBURGERS

Mix two defrosted packages of hamburger meat into a bowl.  Add spices of your choice.  Form patties and cook in a skillet or on the grill until no pink is present or meat thermometer registers 160 degrees Farenheit.

320 calories / 14g fat / 75mg cholesterol / 270mg sodium / 21g carbohydrates / 1g fiber / 26g protein

STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

Place hollow peppers into a pot of boiling water for 3-6 minutes until soft.  Put on towel to drain.  put together a mixture of prepared rice, browned hamburger meat and diced tomatoes.  Fill each pepper with mixture.  Place filled peppers in an oven-safe casserole dish.  Pour tomato sauce over peppers.  Bake in a preheated oven for about 20 minutes until heated through.

300 calories / 8g fat / 50mg cholesterol / 25mg sodium / 38g carbohydrates / 4g fiber / 20g protein

SPAGHETTI & MEAT SAUCE

Combine coked pasta, browned ground beef and spagheti sauce in pan.  Heat through.

310 calories / 6g fat / 25mg cholesterol / 40mg sodium / 47g carbohydrates / 3g fiber / 16g protein

BEEF TOSTADAS

Place a thin layer of refried beans on a tostada shell.  Top with crumbled, browned ground beef and your favorite fresh vegetables like tomatoes, jalepenos, onions, cheese, lettuce, etc.

260 calories / 14g fat / 70mg cholesterol / 170mg sodium / 8g carbohydrates / 3g fiber / 23g protein

Beef - bay leaf, nutmeg, onion, pepper, sage, thyme
Pork - garlic, onion, sage, pepper, oregano
Chicken - ginger, oregano, paprika, poultry seasoning, rosemary, sage, thyme
Fish - curry powder, dill, lemon juice, paprika, pepper
Carrots - cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, rosemary, sage
Corn - cumin curry powder, onion, paprika, parsley
Green beans - dill, curry powder, lemon juice, oregano, thyme
Green peas - ginger, onion, parsley, sage
Potatoes - dill, garlic, onion, paprika, parsley, sage
Summer Squash - cloves, curry powder, nutmeg, rosemary, sage
Winter Squash - cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, onion
Tomatoes - basil, bay leaf, dill, onion, oregano, parsley pepper

Who doesn't want to save time and money?  If you follow these easy time-saving tips, you can have more time to spend with family and friends, and doing what you love!

• Crockpots are great tools for saving time.  Use a crockpot to cook a whole chicken or a large roast while you work or run errands.  Then bag and freeze the leftovers for soups or stews later.
• It's easy to skip mealtimes together during the busy week.  Try cooking several meals on the weekend to bring your family together when there is no time to be in the kitchen.
• Cooking roast, turkey and chicken ahead then cutting into bite-size pieces before freezing can make tacos, fajitas and soups a snap to prepare when time is short.
• Casseroles are easy to put in the oven and reheat.  So, take time to prepare your family's favorites and freeze for the times when you need a quick meal fora large or small group.
• The base of any meal is the protein.  It's easy to cook chicken, beef and turkey ahead of time.  Then simply freeze it in large or small freezer bags.  It will take the guesswork out of cooking on the fly.
• In the summer, fresh vegetables are readily available, so wash and freeze fresh squash, tomatoes, okra, corn and other garden vegetables to use later in stews and casseroles.  You will b glad you did.
• For many, cooking a large meal on Sunday is a family tradition.  Why not cook two chickens instead of one?  It's easy to pull the chicken from the bone and freeze it for later.
• Hamburger meat can be used a million ways.  Meals such as tacos, chili, soups and casseroles are popular dishes.  Try cooking hamburger meat in large amounts, allow it to cool, and then freeze in freezer bags for later.  You simply can't go wrong with this cooking tip.

*Always thaw frozen, cooked or uncooked meats in the refrigerator to prevent contamination

*Cook all poultry to a safe minimum internal temperature of 165˚F and all other meats at 160˚F as measured with a food thermometer.
 

National Kidney Foundation

American Heart Association

American Diabetes Association

American Liver Foundation