LIVING AN EXCEPTIONAL LIFE #78

By Rhonda Jones

It is that time again. The days are shorter, and a crispness is in the air. Hallmark has started the Christmas movies, and that always makes me ready to get in the kitchen to bake cookies and drink hot chocolate.

But let’s face it. This is also the hardest time of the year to be plant-based. All the goodies are everywhere, and nothing is remotely healthy or free of animal products. Many just go ahead and indulge and pay for it in January. I have never been one to eat animal products during the holidays, but I will sometimes make richer foods to take the place of foods I cannot eat. With all the great recipes now, that is no longer a problem. I seem to find a plant-exclusive recipe for everything and invent some when I can.

Over the next few weeks, I want to share some recipes I have used over the years to help get through all the merriment. In January, we still want to maintain our weight and be healthy. You know, more people suffer heart attacks, strokes, and death during the holidays than at any other time of the year. There are several factors involved as we let our hair down, eat more, drink more, and are more stressed. I don’t want anyone to be a statistic this year, so I have lots of ideas to help us all get through the holidays.

I must admit that Thanksgiving and Christmas are usually pretty easy for me. My daughter and her husband always have the family over, and they do some fabulous vegetable dishes and always have hummus, guacamole, and crackers for appetizers, so I never go hungry and only bring a dish if there is a recipe that I want to try. Unfortunately, not everyone is as lucky as I am, so I have some tips.

First, do bring a dish or two when you go to someone’s house for a meal. Some hostesses are very accommodating, but others are not as much. You may want to ask about the menu and then bring food to round out the meal for yourself. Always be courteous and ask if it is ok to bring a dish.

You can always eat before you go. If you feel that there will be very few things you can eat and you are uncomfortable taking something, then eat first. Don’t go into uncharted territory hungry. That can be a disaster. I always eat first if I am going to a fundraising dinner, as I know there will be nothing I can eat, and I don’t want to be so hungry that I grab food when I get home. The best way to get through these meals is to be prepared, either by bringing your own food or by eating before you go.

When I started my plant-exclusive journey almost 17 years ago, I really did miss all the wonderful dishes that we had for the holidays. A lot of our beautiful Christmas memories are made from the food that we eat. Our family had the same meal every year, so it was hard not to eat those satisfying foods, but I soon learned to make some of the dishes without animal products. Over the next few weeks, I will share some of my dishes along with others that I have used over the years. I will also give tips on how to turn a dish you love into a healthy version, so look for the recipes in the coming weeks and enjoy the holidays!