Do you have some Healthy Menu Ideas for Easter Dinner
Easter is, of course, the most important Christian festival as it is when Christian’s the world over celebrate Jesus Christ’s resurrection; however the festival does go back even further and was actually once a pagan celebration.
Today much of the food that we eat at Easter goes back to this pagan celebration – that worshipped Eastre, who was the Goddess of fertility and the spring. Many of those foods do though have both pagan and Christian meanings; like eggs – a symbol of Easter in many cultures as they represent new life and lamb which is both a symbol of Christ (the Lamb of God) and fertility and spring.
However people want to celebrate the Easter festival there are many people who are also concerned with providing a healthy menu for their friends and family. It is very easy to celebrate spring with some healthy Easter menu ideas that take advantage of the lovely fresh foods available and mean that everyone can celebrate the beginning of spring by eating fresh, healthy and delicious Easter foods. This means that eating well over the Easter period will not mean an increase in weight and achieving a healthy menu does not have to be hard work; simply by choosing leaner cuts of meat or fish for main courses, including plenty of whole grains and fresh fruit and vegetables in the menu and by using and fats and oils which are high in unsaturated instead of saturated ones will have a real health benefit on the menu.
Easter is a celebration that is full of family traditions – the recipes, the egg hunt, the church services; consequently the Easter day menus often start with a good Easter brunch – there are plenty of ways of making this brunch a healthy meal rather than leaving your guests with bloated stomachs and tight waistbands. Eggs are both traditional and symbolic at Easter time and there are so many healthy egg dishes that make a delicious brunch; French toast, casseroles, quiches and frittatas can all be adapted to be a healthy choice – use skimmed milk and low fat cheese where you can to make the meals lighter and suitable for all the family – even the ones who are watching their weight.
Traditionally a turkey or ham is the centerpiece for a family Easter lunch, and neither of these need to be substituted when planning a healthy menu. Turkey is the lowest fat and calorie option of those two choices but choose a lean joint of ham and glaze it personally using fresh fruit juices, cloves and spices and a little honey and a well cooked ham can be included in any healthy meal plan. However there is another fantastic choice for the centerpiece of the Easter meal – although slightly higher in fat a good leg of lamb is a traditional cut of meat for Easter over many parts of the world. The leg of lamb is the leanest cut of lamb, and if it is cooked on a trivet with garlic and some fresh spring rosemary there will not only be a delicious and appetizing aroma circulating around the home but you will be left with a delicious, tender and lean joint – smaller portions of the lamb can counteract the extra calories involved, and as the flavour is so intense it is easy to get away without eating as much meat.
Another choice, and a really healthy one, it is full of healthy Omega 3 and yet low in fat, it has become a very economical food and is great served hot or cold. If not used for a centerpiece for lunch it would also make an impressive buffet ingredient served with lots of tasty salads for the evening meal.
There are so many delicious fresh spring vegetables available to serve that the cook will be spoilt for choice as which vegetables to serve to their guests – sweet baby carrots, new season asparagus, tender spring greens all make delicious, fresh tasting additions to the Easter meal.
When it comes to desserts, make the most of the delicious berries available, or opt for a low fat baked dish like a carrot cake or blueberry muffins; baking today does not have to mean fat and calorie laden foods, there are so many healthy options and recipes available so that there is no need to feel that they are being denied a sweet treat.
Whatever meals you choose for your Easter celebrations, try to make them as much in advance as you can so that you can join in the family fun and celebrations and enjoy it just as much as your friends and family.
