Eating healthy while letting the good times roll

While some will say Christmas is their favorite holiday, Mardi Gras is a close second for most. Mardi Gras celebrations are quickly rivaling our Christmas brunches and cookie parties with several of them hosting “King Cake Parties” and “Mardi Gras Sweater Celebrations.” It’s no secret that we love to serve food with any celebration (especially Mardi Gras). And of course, the perfect food to have with any Mardi Gras Party is King Cake. But what about the entire season of Mardi Gras? From parades to parties, we can enjoy Mardi Gras with guilt by following these fun tips!

Low-Carb King Cake Cheesecake Bars

1. Throw me some … water? Water is one of the weight loss weapons I teach in my clinic. Did you know drinking cold water can actually burn calories? Yes! But more importantly, I want you to focus on drinking water with your meals.

Why? The water will cause the food to expand in your stomach, keeping you fuller longer. Aim to drink 16-24 ounces of water with your meals.

2. Show us some party foods! For any celebration, we focus on protein and fiber. Protein promotes satiety (keeps us full) and keeps our blood sugar stable, and fiber keeps us full without filling us out. Party foods are known for high carbs and no protein — think pretzels and Chex Mix. No worries, I have other recipes up my sleeve. I love sharing simple party staples from my cookbook, “Skinny Louisiana … in the Kitchen.” The ingredients in my Skinny Muffuletta Dip (see recipe) served with my Skinny Chips (see recipe) are a legit Mardi Gras flavor explosion. If you do not feel like cooking (or have the time), check out fun fruit, veggie and cheese trays at all your local stores (including small businesses!) and add my high-fiber Skinny Chips to the tray. Combine six ounces of plain Greek yogurt with ranch seasoning to increase the protein with your trays.

3. But I want an adult beverage, Shelly! You can certainly have an adult beverage, but we have to watch out for the calories in those beverages. And while I love the low calories of many of our wines, wine on the parade route may not work for some. Often, I encourage patients to load up on ice, pour in sparkling water — Lacroix, Perrier or Topo Chico — and add a shot of vodka.

6. It’s time for King Cake! Yes, we can have King Cake. I have an amazing recipe for the best King Cake ever that is lower in carbs and in calories. But if you don’t feel like cooking, many of our local small businesses carry gluten-free, low-carb and vegan varieties of your King Cake.

Low-Carb King Cake Cheesecake Bars

1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
3 tbsp. butter
3 1/4 cups almond flour
1/3 cup Swerve granular sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 8 oz. pkg. light cream cheese
1/2 cup Swerve confectioners sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 cup Heavy Whipping Cream or 2% Fairlife milk
1/2 cup Swerve confectioners sugar
Green, gold and purple Swerve colored granular sugar

Layer 1/2 flour mixture, cream cheese mixture and 1/2 flour mixture in a pan. Place in the oven and bake for 35-45 minutes or until set. While cooling, mix heavy whipping cream or Fairlife milk and Swerve confectioners sugar in a small bowl. Pour glaze on cheesecake. Sprinkle with colored sugars. Serve! Yield: 24 bars

Slow Cooker Muffuletta Dip

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line an 8 x 8 pan with non-stick aluminum foil. In a large mixing bowl, combine sour cream, water, vanilla extract, eggs, egg yolk and butter. Beat with a hand mixer on low for 2 minutes. Turn off the mixer and slowly add dry ingredients – almond flour, Swerve granular sugar, baking powder and salt. Combine with a spatula. Beat for 2 minutes on low or until all ingredients are combined. Place aside. Combine light cream cheese, 1/2 cup of Swerve confectioners sugar and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Beat on low speed for 2 minutes.

1 8 oz. pkg. of light cream cheese
4 slices of Applegate salami, diced
1 cup Applegate or low-sodium ham, diced
1 can (2 to 4 oz.) of black olives, drained and
sliced
1 jar (6 oz.) of low-sodium green olives, drained
and sliced
3/4 cup roasted red peppers, drained and
chopped
1/2 cup pickled peppers, drained and chopped
1/4 cup Applegate provolone cheese, chopped
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 6 oz. container of plain, non-fat Greek yogurt

Combine cream cheese, salami, ham, black olives, green olives, peppers and cheeses in slow cooker. Cover. Cook on low for 4 hours. Stir in Greek yogurt.

Shelly Skinny Chips

2-3 Mission Carb Balance Wraps Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut wraps into 8 triangles. Bake for 5-8 min. Flip. Bake for 5 min.

Shelly Marie Redmond, MS, RD, LDN is a dietitian based out of Eberhardt Physical Therapy. A proud 4-Hr, she won her first cooking contest when she was 12 years old and has not looked back. She is the author of the “Skinny Louisiana…in the Kitchen Cookbook” series. For fun Louisianabased recipes, visit www.skinnylouisiana.com and for more information on diabetes, menopause and weight loss visit www.dietitianshelly.com.