Holiday foods that won’t pack on the pounds

Whether you’re cooking for a holiday cocktail party, an open house or a laid-back get-together with family and friends, Cooking Light magazine has an assortment of mix-and-match goodies to jump-start your festivities, many of which can be made a day or two in advance. Cooking Light's Ellen Carroll, a registered dietitian, was invited to appear on “Today” to share some great recipes from the December issue of the magazine. Here they are:

Blackened Shrimp With Pomegranate-Orange Salsa
Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 3 shrimp and 1/4 cup salsa)

The jewel-toned salsa features fresh seasonal fruit and serves as a fitting complement to the shrimp, which is heavily seasoned. It also makes a nice accompaniment to grilled chicken breasts.

Salsa:
2 cups pomegranate seeds (about 4 pomegranates)
1 cup finely chopped orange sections (about 2 oranges)
1/3 cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons minced seeded jalapeño pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon salt

Shrimp:
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
3/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
36 large shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 1-1/2 pounds)
5 teaspoons olive oil, divided

To prepare salsa, combine the first 6 ingredients.

To prepare shrimp, combine paprika and the next 7 ingredients (through allspice) in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add shrimp to bag; seal and shake well to coat. Remove shrimp from bag.

Heat 2-1/2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of shrimp mixture; cook 2 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan. Repeat procedure with remaining 2-1/2 teaspoons oil and remaining shrimp mixture. Serve warm with salsa.

Nutrition per serving:
Calories 127 (23% from fat); Fat 3.2g (sat 0.5g, mono 1.6g, poly 0.7g); Protein 12.4g; Carbohydrate 12.6g; Fiber 1.3g; Cholesterol 86mg; Iron 1.9mg; Sodium 235mg; Calcium 45mg

Blood-Orange Sangría
Yield: 16 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

Any good-quality, fruity red wine works well in this cold sipper; a combination of pinot noir and Beaujolais is particularly good. The vermilion flesh of blood oranges (which come into season in December) is lovely. But if they're not available, substitute navel oranges.

2 cups sliced strawberries
2 cups apple juice
2/3 cup Triple Sec (orange-flavored liqueur)
1/2 cup sugar
4 whole cloves
3 seedless blood oranges, each cut into 16 wedges
2 (750-milliliter) bottles fruity red wine
2 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks
1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges
1 lime, cut into 8 wedges

Combine all ingredients in a large pitcher, and stir until sugar dissolves. Cover and chill 8 hours or overnight. Discard cloves and cinnamon sticks. Pour sangría into individual glasses, including the fruit.

Nutrition per serving:
Calories 157 (1% from fat); Fat 0.1g (sat 0.0g,mono 0.0g,poly 0.1g); Protein 0.6g; Cholesterol 0.0mg; Calcium 23mg; Sodium 7mg; Fiber 1.2g; Iron 0.6mg; Carbohydrate 20.5g

Seared Beef Tenderloin Mini Sandwiches With Mustard-Horseradish Sauce
Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 1 sandwich)

“While I was visiting a friend, she prepared these mini open-faced sandwiches. They make delightful appetizers for holiday guests, and the Mustard-Horseradish Sauce can be made ahead of time.” —Cooking Light reader Susan Wambui Thiong'o, Nairobi, Kenya

2/3 cup fat-free sour cream
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1 (1-1/2 pound) beef tenderloin, trimmed
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 cups trimmed watercress (about 1 bunch)
1 (8-ounce) French bread baguette, cut diagonally into 16 slices
2 tablespoons capers
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shaved fresh Parmesan cheese

Combine first 4 ingredients, stirring well with a whisk. Cover and chill.

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Secure beef at 2-inch intervals with twine. Sprinkle beef with pepper. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; coat pan with cooking spray. Add beef to pan; cook 15 minutes or until desired degree of doneness, turning frequently. Let stand 15 minutes. Cut into 16 slices. Sprinkle with lemon juice.

Arrange watercress evenly on bread slices. Place 1 beef slice and about 1 tablespoon chilled sauce over each bread slice. Arrange capers and cheese evenly over sauce.

Nutrition per serving:
Calories 136 (33% from fat); Fat 5g (sat 1.8g, mono 1.5g, poly 0.3g); Protein 12.6g; Cholesterol 25mg; Calcium 94mg; Sodium 314mg; Fiber 0.6g; Iron 1.7mg; Carbohydrate 10g

Orange Cardamom Cake
Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 1 slice)

Cake:
Cooking spray
3 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1-3/4 teaspoons ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup fresh orange juice
2/3 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
4-1/2 teaspoons fresh orange juice
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare cake, coat a 10-inch tube pan or Bundt pan with cooking spray; dust with 1 tablespoon flour. Set aside.

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Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cardamom, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in center of mixture. Add 3/4 cup orange juice, canola oil, orange rind, lemon rind, vanilla, and eggs to flour mixture; beat with a mixer at low speed until well combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.

Spoon batter into prepared cake pan, spreading evenly. Bake at 350° for 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan.

To prepare glaze, combine 1 cup of powdered sugar, 4-1/2 teaspoons orange juice, and lemon juice in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Drizzle glaze over warm cake; cool cake completely on wire rack.

Nutrition per serving:
Calories 318 (29% from fat); Fat 10.6g (sat 1g,mono 5.9g, poly 3g); Protein 3.8g; Cholesterol 40mg; Calcium 63mg; Sodium 179mg; Fiber 0.9g; Iron 1.5mg; Carbohydrate 52.8g

Recipes provided by Cooking Light magazine. Copyright 2004. All rights reserved. For more holiday recipes from Cooking Light, you can check out the December issue of the magazine on newsstands now, or visit their Web site, http://www.cookinglight.com/

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