Heather Little-White, Contributor

Christmas does not have to be dull because you are concerned about excess calories. Yes, it is the season to be jolly, and calorie-laden food is everywhere. However, you can control your calorie count in your Christmas meal by planning to eat healthy, even using local foods for a low-fat feast.

The season is also a difficult time for people with special health challenges - diabetics, hypertensives and others with lifestyle diseases. However, you do not have to avoid parties or get-togethers, simply make a few changes to what you eat. Catering for people on special diets at Christmas and New Year's should benefit the whole family.

Diabetics should try to keep saturated fats to a minimum and eat some slow-digesting carbohydrates with every meal.

Hypertensives should watch their intake of sodium, including what is naturally occurring in foods. Low-fat, high-fibre diets are helpful.

Weight/cholesterol watchers should cut back on all fats, especially saturated animal fats. Monitor your sugar intake, as it may lead to weight gain.

In general, choose foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains, which are high in fibre. Add crisp salads and succulent seafood, and you have all the necessary ingredients for a wide range of healthy (and tasty) meals. Select cooking methods, which use as little fat as possible. The following are some suggestions that will make this season's meals healthier for everyone.

Cut the fats

The whole family will benefit from eating less saturated fat, which can clog arteries, raise blood cholesterol and contribute to heart disease. During your season's feast, try these methods to help cut your intake of these 'bad' fats:

Grill, barbecue, steam, poach or bake seafood which contains valuable omega-3 fatty acids. Excellent choices for the season include prawns, which have virtually no saturated fat, poached salmon or trout.

Choose lean meats, whenever possible, and cut off any visible fat. Pork is central to the Christmas spread, so you should roast the pork, removing the rind and paring off the fat. Replace the rind to keep the meat moist during cooking.

If serving chicken parts, lift the skin and remove the fat. Tuck some herbs like thyme, scallion or a few lime or lemon leaves under the skin to add flavour, which would be lost by the removal of the fat.

Use low-fat dairy products and reduce the use of cheese at this time when the diet has so many rich foods.

Use vegetable oil for cooking, rather than solid fats such as shortening and lard. Cold-pressed coconut oil and extra-virgin olive oil are excellent choices because of their strong flavours, which will cause you to use less, allowing you to get high antioxidant benefit.

Roasting vegetables

To reduce fats used in roasting vegetables, heat a baking pan until very hot. Add a teaspoon of flavoured oil like sesame or peanut oil, then toss the vegetables until the vegetables are crispy and coated with a light film of oil.

Where possible, prepare all the food for Christmas dinner yourself so you can control the use of fat. Make healthy stuffing, sauces, pies and pastries.

Nibble on fruits and vegetables or nuts instead of chips.

Make your own dips using low-fat yoghurt. Serve them with carrot and celery sticks and blanched broccoli florets rather than crackers.

Check your carbs

Carbohydrates are important for providing energy, but you should select choose the healthy ones. Carbohydrates are broken down into simple sugars such as glucose, which is readily absorbed into the bloodstream. Insulin carries the glucose out of the blood and into the body's cells to supply energy. In people with diabetes, insulin production varies, so it is important not to flood the body with glucose. The trick is to choose carbohydrates that are digested slowly and will not cause a spike in blood glucose. These include:

Most fruits, including the stone fruits and berries that are in season now.

Wholegrain bread.

High-fibre, bran-based cereals.

Rolled oats.

Barley.

Basmati or rice.

Pasta.

Peas and all kinds of beans, including canned beans and bean mixes.

Local ground provisions, such as sweet potatoes.

Smokey Chicken with Oregano

1/4 cup plain flour

2tsps paprika

3-4lb chicken pieces, such as drumsticks and thigh cutlets

2tbsps olive oil

1 lemon, cut into 4 wedges

1 large onion, cut into 8 wedges

8 garlic cloves, unpeeled

4 fresh oregano sprigs

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

fresh oregano leaves, to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C/160C, fan-forced. Place flour and paprika in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add chicken. Toss to coat.

2. Heat half the oil in a heavy-based, flame-proof baking dish over high heat. Add half the chicken. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until browned all over. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining oil and chicken. Return chicken to dish. Add lemon, onion, garlic, oregano and stock. Bake for 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

3. Transfer chicken to a plate. Place dish over medium heat. Cook for 5 minutes or until sauce thickens. Remove oregano sprigs. Serve topped with oregano leaves.

Source: Good Taste, 2004