Holiday Challenge Eat Smart

foodsandflavors ™ ~

Carmen Long

Carmen Long

WRITER & PHOTOS Carmen Long

Family and Consumer Agent N.C. Cooperative Extension Surry & Alleghany county centers.

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Extra weight is not the gift we want to give ourselves during the holidays. With all the delicious treats to eat and being too busy to exercise, it is easy to put on a few additional pounds. In fact, if you do, you are not alone. Many Americans gain between 1 and 5 pounds during the holidays. Weight gained in the few weeks from mid-November until New Year’s Eve accounts for more than half of the weight gained for the entire year. If those few pounds melted away as quickly as some of our snow falls here in this part of the country, we wouldn’t be concerned. Unfortunately, that weight is like the old wives’ tales about snow which stays on the ground is waiting on the next snow fall to come. That extra weight is often just hanging around for more pounds to be added to it, which many people never lose. Fortunately, help is available.

The holidays are not a very realistic time to try to lose weight so maintaining should be our goal. The 16th annual Eat Smart, Move More, Maintain, don’t gain! Holiday Challenge is a FREE seven-week challenge which provides participants with tips, tricks, and ideas to help maintain your weight from November 14 to December 31. Participants can engage as much or as little as they would like to, as all resources are sent to their email and available online. Benefits include: • Weekly Newsletters • Daily Tips • Survive a holiday party • Manage holiday stress • Stay active during the winter • Weekly Challenges • Healthy holiday recipes • Support through social media • Share progress in private Facebook Community • Recipes on Pinterest • Tips and updates on Twitter and Instagram

For employers: If you are interested in promoting the Holiday Challenge as a workplace wellness benefit, please call Cooperative Extension at 336-401-8025 for more information.

In 2021, more than 47,600 people from all 50 states, all 100 North Carolina counties and 28 countries took part in the Holiday Challenge. At the end of the Holiday Challenge, 92% maintained or lost weight and 96% reported that they are likely to participate in future challenges. Accept the 2022 Holiday Challenge and sign up today!

To register, go to https://esmmweighless.com /holidaychallenge/.

If you don’t have access to a computer, utilize those at your local library or contact the Surry County Center, NC Cooperative Extension at 336-401-8025. You can register for the challenge over the phone and receive information and weekly tips in the mail. For this holiday season, the only thing that should be “stuffed” is the turkey.

Make time to take care of you and the holidays will be more enjoyable for all. Super Simple Seasonal Snacks The holidays often bring opportunities for get-togethers with family and friends. These gatherings may result in the need for extra food. With the many activities and events, we squeeze into the November and December, spending additional time in the kitchen preparing snacks may not fit in the schedule. Snacks do not have to be complicated to be yummy. The idea that foods which taste good, must not be good for you is also a myth. Try these simple and delicious healthy snack options. These quick recipes allow time to enjoy the season while making some special holiday memories.

Mini Nacho Cups 8 baked scoop tortilla chips – whole grain chips are a great option 2 Tablespoons refrigerated guacamole dip 1/4 cup chopped cherry tomatoes 1 Tablespoon finely shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese 1 Tablespoon thinly sliced green onions (optional) Put 3/4 teaspoon of guacamole in each chip. Top with cherry tomatoes, cheese, and onions. Makes 1 serving.

Pete and Lee wish you all the joys of the Holiday Season

Home of our famous all-you-care-to-eat Buffet

Our buffet includes Cobbler and Banana Pudding! PLUS we offer a menu filled with madetoorder favorites

Monday thru Friday: Lunch 11a to 2p Tuesday Night: Breakfast 5p to 8p Saturday Morning: Breakfast 7a to 11a Saturday Night: Southern Favorites 5p to 8p all buffets include tea or coffee

Warm up Winter with our Homemade Soups

7844 Highway 67 West, East Bend (336) 6994293

INGREDIENTS: 3 packages pre-baked, frozen mini pastry shells (45 shells total) 1 (15 ounce) can of pumpkin purée 2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 1 small (3.4 ounce) package cheesecake flavor instant pudding (can use sugar-free)

Instructions: Thaw pastry shells at room temperature for 15 minutes. Combine pumpkin, pudding mix and pumpkin pie spice with a whisk in a medium bowl until smooth. Fold in whipped topping. Spoon or pipe into shells and top with a walnut half. Makes: 45 mini tarts

Notes: No pumpkin pie spice, no worries. Substitute 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of ginger, 1/8 teaspoon cloves and 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg. In a pinch, I have just used cinnamon and the tarts turned out fine. Once pumpkin filling is made, spoon into a large re-sealable storage bag. When full, seal bag, removing as much air as possible. Snip corner of bag with scissors and squeeze filling into tarts. This works well if you are traveling to a gathering. Put the filling in the bag to transport in your cooler and then fill shells upon arrival.

Spiced Orange 1 medium orange, peeled and sliced into rounds Dash of ground cinnamon Note: Substitute a Clementine for the orange. Clementines are smaller than an orange and are a great portable snack when you are away from home. Stick one in your purse, book bag or car so you will be ready when you need a quick “pick me up” or sweet treat. The fruit is easier to slice with a small, serrated knife like one used to slice tomatoes. Sprinkle the slices with cinnamon. Makes 1 serving.

Left to right: Whitney Barker, Zeth Davidson, Steven Howard, Chris Barker, Rose Speece NORTH IREDELL RECORDS, INC.

Accounting, Tax Preparation & Bookkeeping PO Box 40 • 152 Indian Hill Rd. Union Grove, NC 28689

Rose P. Speece

Enrolled Agent, ATA, ATP

WE OFFER ELECTRONIC TAX FILING

Enrolled to Practice Before the Internal Revenue Service OPEN YEAR ROUND January 1st thru April 30 MondayFriday 8am9pm Saturday 8am5pm

Special Appointments Available May thru December MondayFriday 8am4pm

Telephone: (704) 5394715 Mobile: (704) 4508593 Fax : (704) 5394842 Email: rspeece@yadtel.net

Since 1962 a 3rd Generation, Family Owned and Operated Local Business

420-422 North Main St., Mount Airy Store (336) 786-8659 Service (336) 786-4442

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Jim Collins

Jim Collins

Jim lives in WinstonSalem. He is a great cook who knows Yadkin Valley Wines and, his way around a kitchen!

Holiday Party Favorites

A lot of the get togethers during the holidays revolves around big meals. Sometimes though, we like to get together, socialize and party. When we do this, we must have something to nibble on to go along with whatever the liquid refreshments are.

The Blue Cheese Ball and Sweet and Spicy Pecans are two of my favorites. The combination of these two will complement any type of refreshment.

I served Triscuits with the Blue Cheese Ball, but you can use any other type of cracker that you would prefer.

When you make the Sweet and Spicy Pecans, try not to eat a bunch of them like I did when I took them off the baking pan. Ooh, they are so good.

Have fun with your family and friends these holidays and enjoy life. 1/2 cup sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon Pinch of cayenne pepper 1 egg white 2 cups pecan halves

Blue Cheese Ball 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature 1 (4-ounce) package blue cheese, room temperature 2 Tablespoons finely chopped green onions 2/3 cup chopped walnuts

Blend the cream cheese and blue cheese in a large bowl. Add the green onions and blend all three together. Transfer to another bowl that has been lined with plastic wrap. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove blue cheese mixture and form into 1 large or 2 small balls. Roll blue cheese ball(s) in the walnuts until completely covered. Refrigerate or serve immediately.

Preheat oven to 300°F. ; spray a nonstick baking sheet with cooking spray. Mix sugar, salt, chili powder, cinnamon & pepper in a small bowl. Beat the egg white lightly with a fork in a large bowl. Toss in the pecans and stir lightly to cover the pecans. Sprinkle with the spice mixture & stir lightly to cover pecans evenly. Using your fingers, one by one, lift pecans out of the bowl and transfer them to the baking sheet, separating them as best as you can. Discard any leftover spice-egg mixture. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes and then transfer to another baking sheet. Break the pecans apart as necessary. Let cool completely. Keep covered in an airtight container. They will stay fresh for about 5 days.

Sweet and Spicy Pecans

Dinner Etiquette

Only on holidays do I pull out vintage tablecloth, cloth napkins, candles in passed down candlesticks. Yes, I do have battery candles for the grandkids’ visits. After I take the time to arrange the buffet etiquette is very important to me.

One family holiday dinner I actually groaned, shame on me, when my pre-school grandson grabbed the edge of my late aunt’s red embroidered tablecloth to wipe his mouth! Realizing I use paper napkins most of the time, a more elaborate table can be a good learning experience for everyone. Okay, let’s be general and to the point. Open your napkin and spread it across your lap. For our family-style dinner, pass bowls and platters of food around the table to the right. Serve and remove beverage glasses from the right. Once you pick up a piece of silverware, never place it back on the table cloth; place it on your plate. Leave the knife at the upper plate edge with its blade toward the plate. Leave the fork centered on the plate. If you get up and leave the table but plan to return, leave your napkin on your chair seat. If finished, leave your napkin to the left of your plate.

XP1088SS

R. Thomas Jewelers

614 C South Main Street Lowes Food Shopping Center King, NC 27021 336-983-4923 rthomasjewelers@windstream.net