Your Favorite Holiday Dishes Made Better

A top spa chef shows you how to trim calories and fat without sacrificing flavor.

By Karen Cicero

The holidays just wouldn't be the same without your favorite foods. But with almost 500 calories in a pumpkin waffle and nearly 550 calories in a single scoop of stuffing, you might get the "gift" of extra pounds if you indulge. That's why we asked Shape readers to share their most loved-but most fattening- seasonal recipes with us. From the hundreds of entries we received, we picked five calorie-packed, fat-filled dishes to receive a makeover from Mary Nearn, the award-winning executive chef at Miraval Resort & Spa in Tucson, Arizona. "Family recipes often contain far more butter or sugar than you need for flavor, so I started by lowering the amount of these ingredients," says Nearn. With these and other seamless substitutions, she slashed the average calorie count by one- to threequarters while keeping the dishes just as tasty as the originals. Using her tricks, you'll be able to make your holiday fare a lot healthier too. Season's eatings, everyone!