56 THE QUEENS COURIER • THANKSGIVING • NOVEMBER 16, 2017 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
thanksgiving
5 nutritionist-approved tips for better holiday baking
‘Tis the season for sweet and savory
treats. Th e holidays bring loads of goodies,
but the problem is these temptations
can put a big strain on your nutrition
goals.
If you’re whipping up some tasty holiday
dishes this season, you don’t have to
choose between your health and favorite
indulgences. Transform any recipe into
a healthier version simply by following
these smart tricks from registered dietitian
Dawn Jackson Blatner, RDN CSSD.
Flour: Swap 25 percent of the white
fl our for specialty fl ours such as almond
or oat fl our. Since specialty fl ours do not
act the same in baking as white fl our, you
can’t do a full 100 percent swap, but even
just a little will provide more nutrition.
Butter: Try swapping 25 percent of
the butter in a recipe with something
else creamy such as pureed white beans,
mashed banana, pumpkin puree, Greek
yogurt, mashed avocado or nut butter. It
shouldn’t aff ect the recipe results and cuts
down on fat and calories.
Eggs: Not all eggs are created equal.
Eggland’s Best eggs have double the omega
3s than ordinary eggs, an “essential”
fatty acid that’s important for maintaining
good health. Since the body cannot
make them on its own, you must
eat them. Omega-3s also lead to a better
baking recipe, as they improve emulsifying
qualities. Blatner says Eggland’s Best
eggs are the only eggs she recommends
to her clients and family for that added
nutrition.
Sugar: Decrease the sugar in recipes by
25 percent and add nothing in its place.
Recipes will turn out just fi ne if you pull
back some of the sugar, even if you aren’t
swapping in something else.
Half-batch: You want Grandma’s
famous cookies, but you don’t need four
dozen tempting you for weeks on end.
Instead, make a half batch by halving all
ingredients in the recipe. Th en you can
enjoy the food memories without having
too much lingering around.
Want some holiday baking inspiration
that uses these smart baking tips? Whip
up some cute and scrumptious Coconut
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars and make
your entire crew happy.
Coconut Chocolate
Chip Cookie Bar
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Yield: 25 cookies
Ingredients:
Cookie Bars
2 Eggland’s Best Eggs (large)
1 (14 ounces) bag sweetened coconut
fl akes, plus more for topping
2 cups dark chocolate chips
2 cups almond milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose fl our
1 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
1 cup unsalted butter, melted and
cooled
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
Glaze
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
6 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
Cookie Bars
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a 13-by-
9 baking sheet with aluminum foil.
In a large mixing bowl with a hand
mixer or in a stand mixer with a paddle
attachment, stir together the coconut
fl akes and chocolate chips.
Add in the almond milk, vanilla extract,
fl our, salt, melted butter, brown sugar and
eggs and beat until combined.
Pour batter into the prepared baking
sheet and bake for 30-35 minutes or until
the bars begin turning golden brown and
a toothpick inserted in the center comes
out clean.
Allow to cool for 5 minutes.
Glaze
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk
together the confectioners’ sugar, heavy
cream and vanilla until smooth.
Gently spread over the cooling bars.
Top with toasted coconut and allow to
cool completely before eating.
Tip: Try cutting the bars up and placing
them in the refrigerator, they taste even
better cold!
Courtesy BPT
7 great Thanksgiving gifts for the hostess with the mostest
Let’s face it: Whoever hosts
Th anksgiving has a lot of work to do, no
matter how big of a party it is. Whether
you’re attending a Th anksgiving celebration
in person or celebrating in spirit with
friends and family who are far away, show
your thanks by sending a hostess gift .
Here are seven ideas guaranteed to make
a world-class impression by going beyond
just a bottle of wine.
DIY herb blends in tins
Get small metal tins from your local
craft store and make your own herb
blends to give to the special host. Stock
up on bulk spices and have fun blending
new seasonings that will keep meals fl avorful
all winter long. Great options for
a poultry spice include thyme and tarragon.
Sage, thyme and fennel seed are great
for pork. Label the tins with stickers or tie
tags on with twine for a chic, rustic presentation
that’s easy to bring to a party or
ship out to friends and family.
Personalized kitchen
must-haves
Th e kitchen is the heart of the home
and it’s also the heart of all the action
on Th anksgiving. Give the hosts something
to enhance their kitchen collection
and add personalization to make it really
unique. Personal Creations’ Th anksgiving
Collection includes thoughtful items like
a turkey platter for grandma that can
be personalized with all the grandkids’
names, or a stoneware casserole dish personalized
with the family’s surname or a
special message.
Antique or out-ofprint
recipe books
Food is the focus on Th anksgiving, so
any cooking-themed gift is sure to be
loved. Th is year, scour vintage and secondhand
stores for old recipe books with
beautiful illustrations. It’s a unique way
to thank the cook, and you can feel confi
dent it will be used over and over again.
Plus, you know no other guest will bring
the same item!
Sweet tooth delights
No matter how much you eat, there’s
always room for dessert on Th anksgiving.
Th is year, complement the pumpkin pie
with some new sweet treats that embrace
the fl avors of autumn. No need to slave
over the stove - simply order tasty indulgences
from Shari’s Berries, like Praline
Pecan Dipped Strawberries, Pumpkin
Pretzel Twists and fancy Hand-Dipped
Caramel Apples. Th ese special treats are
delivered in a beautiful box with a pretty
ribbon on top, so all you have to do is
click “send” to bring a smile to her face on
Th anksgiving Day.
Mason jar manicure kit
Aft er cooking a turkey, peeling potatoes
and washing dishes all day, your hostess’s
hands will likely be less than ladylike.
Give her a gift she can enjoy tomorrow
when she’s recouping: a mason jar
manicure kit. Get a large glass mason jar
and fi ll it with goodies like nail polish,
emery boards, cotton balls, cuticle oil, nail
clippers and hand lotion. Fold up a small
handwritten note of thanks and place it
within the jar. Twist on the lid and fi nish
it off with a pretty bow.
Fresh plants for festive
home decor
Give your hostess a gift that adds
elegance to the tablescape with fresh
plants in unexpected designs. Th e Giving
Th anks Collection from ProFlowers and
ProPlants includes autumn-themed centerpieces
and cornucopias made from
the freshest fl owers and greenery. From
the Turkey Harvest Mum Centerpiece
featuring a gorgeous turkey vase to the
Th anksgiving Collection Centerpiece
with waterfall layers of greenery gently
surrounding three tapered candles,
there’s something guaranteed to brighten
any Th anksgiving table. Th e busy hostess
will appreciate the easy, fresh and colorful
centerpiece showing up at her door.
Gift baskets of goodies
When you just can’t decide, a gift basket
packed with goodies provides a bounty
of fl avor any host will appreciate. Instead
of running from store to store gathering
gift -basket items, explore the Autumn
Collection from Cherry Moon Farms.
One popular option is the 21-Piece Fall
Cornucopia Set that includes a variety
of fresh fruit, beautiful gourds and delicious
autumn cookies. Add a handwritten
thank you card for the perfect fi nishing
touch.
Courtesy BPT