Easter is the Christian holiday when the death and resurrection of Christ is celebrated. It is often a time of family gatherings that are surrounded by food. This Easter, if you are the one who is preparing the meal, here are some healthy ways to reduce the fat content.

What do you like to eat during Easter? One of the main things that go on is Easter egg hunts. These are great for the children as a way of having fun on Easter Sunday. Eggs are a food that is high in protein and also a source of cholesterol.

Here are some egg ideas. Scoop out the yolk from the eggs and allow the kids to eat the egg whites. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper. The eggs can also be used to make deviled eggs.

Deviled eggs are a delicious addition to any Easter dinner. Since you boiled and decorated and hid all of those eggs, you now have to eat them. When making your filling for the egg white, try to cut the use of egg yolk by fifty percent. Mix with fat-free mayonnaise, a little vinegar and some mustard. Sprinkle the top with paprika.

How about dessert? One thing that is a staple of Easter is chocolate candy and those marshmallow candies called Peeps that are shaped into chicks and bunnies. Dessert alternatives can include:

* Jell-O Easter eggs and bunnies
* Dark chocolate spoons or candy bunnies
* Low-fat carrot cake
* Pudding with whipped cream.

You can purchase Jell-O molds or use cookie cutters. Mix your gelatin and then pour into the molds. Kids can shake, jiggle and then eat their treats.

Chocolate is not all bad. Darker chocolate contains more cocoa solids and has more of an antioxidant benefit. Create your own chocolate by melting dark chocolate and pouring on plastic spoons. Allow them to set. It makes a perfect sweet treat for children.

As for Easter cake, replace part of that flour in your carrot cake with whole wheat flour. You will have fewer calories. Also you can replace some of the oil with applesauce to cut the fat.

What about the main meal? Some people have ham or lamb. If you choose the lamb, get it from a butcher shop. Ask them to remove as much of the fat as they can, even going so far as to butterfly the piece of meat. Rub the outside with various herbs, such as rosemary, and even some olive oil before roasting.

Ham is a very salty dish. Opt instead for a roasted, glazed turkey breast or a whole roasted chicken. Want some pork in the dish? Cross a couple of pieces of bacon on the top as a tasty and decorative addition.

Wherever you can, try to trim the fat and calories from your favorite dishes at Easter. Enjoy the day and the food without gaining extra pounds in the process.

We all love to eat carbohydrates, especially bread. If you have a bread craving, here are some ways to make it healthy so you can eat it more often.

There are two types of carbohydrates: simple and complex. You would think that you need simple ones, but just the opposite is true. Simple carbohydrates are sugars and processed foods full of sugar. They are metabolized quickly, leading to sugar spikes in the blood, which is not good. You will gain a lot of energy but it will be short-lived unless you get a new infusion of sugar.

Complex carbohydrates include whole grains. These grains differ from products labeled “wheat” or “whole wheat” because they are made using the entire seed of the grain. In processing the portion of the seed that contains the fiber and nutrients, these are stripped away, leaving little to no nutritional value unless fortified with vitamins. That is the main problem with white flour products.

Using whole grains to make breads yields lots of good benefits. For one, you get lots of fiber. It keeps your digestive system moving, as well as keeping you full and satisfied when eaten with vegetables and protein.

Secondly, bread is a perfect place to hide other good ingredients. For instance, how about banana bread? Bananas are a good source of potassium, which is good for your heart muscle and can keep you from cramping during exercise. When the banana skin begins to darken, that is when the fruit inside is sweetest. You can reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe and still enjoy the taste.

Bread Recipes

One way to make bread is to use a bread machine. It allows you to combine the ingredients and make the dough without standing and kneading in your kitchen. Add wholesome ingredients such as dried cranberries, orange pieces, raisins and nuts to increase your carbohydrate and protein content.

Many types of bread do not need yeast or a period of rising. These are your sweet breads that can also be healthy when you substitute ingredients. For breads like this, use a combination of whole wheat and white flour. Using whole wheat flour by itself can change the taste of your bread. Instead, read the instructions on the package. It is usually a 50/50 mixture or a 75/25 mixture of white flour to wheat flour. Also, try whole wheat pastry flour which has less gluten than regular whole wheat flour.

For milk, try skim milk, or low-fat buttermilk if the recipe calls for it. Any sour cream or cream cheese can be substituted with the fat free recipe. As for oil, use half as much oil and add natural applesauce to make up the rest. The bread will retain its moisture, but contain fewer calories.

Examples of bread recipes you can substitute and also fix in a flash with healthy staples on hand include:

* Raisin bread
* Banana bread
* Zucchini bread
* Date nut bread
* Chocolate chip walnut bread.

Your staples include:

* Whole wheat pastry flour (from whole foods store)
* Nuts
* Dried fruits
* Bananas
* Chocolate chips
* Eggs
* Healthy canola oil (or olive oil – halve it and substitute applesauce for the other half)
* White flour.

Healthy breads don’t have to take long to fix and enjoy, and leftovers can be frozen for up to a month.

Ingredients:
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3 eggs
1 cup white sugar
¼ cup molasses
1 tbsp baking powder
1 ½ tbsp ground ginger
¾ tbsp ground cinnamon
½ tbsp ground cloves
¼ tsp ground nutmeg

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375degrees F and lightly grease a cookie sheet.

In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, molasses, sugar and oil. In a separate bowl, add the rest of the ingredients and combine, then mix into the egg mixture until the dough has a stiff consistency.

Divide the dough into two halves and roll each half into a roll the length of the biscotti. Place the two rolls onto the cookie sheets and pat down to ½ inch thickness. Place into the oven and bake for about 25 minutes, then set aside to cool enough to touch.

When the rolls have cooled, cut them into ½ inch thick diagonal slices. Then place the biscotti back onto the cookie sheet and bake for another 5 to 7 minutes on each side, until they are nice and crispy.

Enjoy this yummy treat during the holidays.

Honey and Spice Fruit Dip

Here is a great low fat taste treat the whole family will love.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
2 (6 ounce) containers vanilla yogurt

2 1/2 cups honeydew melon, cubed
2 cups red raspberries, cherries, and/or strawberries

Instructions:
Place the honey in a mixing bowl.  Sprinkle in the cinnamon and nutmeg.  Add the yogurt and blend ingredients together well with a rubber spatula.  Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.  Serve with the fruit when chilled.

Serves 4

Nutritional Information (Approximate Value)

70 calories

0.5 g fat

0 g saturated fat

2 g protein

13 g carbohydrates

0 mg cholesterol

10 g sugar

30 g sodium

2 g fiber