No Calorie Holiday Kitchen

This year put your kitchen to use stirring up a batch of new traditions instead of a batch of cookies and enjoy some low-calorie fun. If you’re diabetic or trying to watch your weight, try some of the ideas below to help you resist the temptation of baking for the holidays.Cornstarch Dough OrnamentsMix, roll, cut, decorate - but don’t eat!1 cup     cornstarch2 cups     baking soda1 -1/4     cups waterMix all ingredients in a saucepan and stir constantly over low heat until mixture resembles mashed potatoes (10 to 15 minutes). Remove from heat. When cool enough to handle, roll dough to 1/8” thickness and cut with cookie cutters. Poke a hole in the top for easy hanging, and then let them air dry for at least a day. Decorate with acrylic paint, glitter, sequins and ribbon.Orange Pomander BallEnjoy the scents-sational fragrance of holiday spices. Stud an orange with whole cloves by poking the orange with a thick needle and inserting a clove in each hole. To fix the scent, mix a few drops of orange oil with a spoonful of powdered orris root (available in natural foods stores), and then stir in some ground allspice. Sprinkle the mixture over the completed ball, cover with netting and tie with satin ribbon.Holiday Spiced Tea2     apples, cored and cut in thin wedges, or thinly sliced orange and lemon4     cinnamon sticks, broken in half24     whole allspice berries4 slices     fresh ginger (about 1/8” each) or 4 slices candied ginger8 cups     waterTea bags (optional)Artificial sweetener (optional)Put all ingredients except tea bags and sweetener into a crock-pot and cook on high for a few hours. Turn the heat to low and let the simmering brew scent the kitchen all day, or strain the mixture (careful, it’s hot!) and pour the liquid over tea bags and let steep a few minutes. Sweeten to taste and drink. You can also simmer the mixture over very low heat on the stove, but be sure to replenish the water from time to time.In the spirit of the seasonIf you still want to bake your favorite recipes but don’t want them around the house, check with local homeless shelters, children’s homes, and social service agencies to see if you can donate home-baked goods during the holidays. A scout troop or group from a boys’ or girls’ club might love it if you sponsor a cookie-decorating party - it shouldn’t be a problem getting them to take all the cookies with them when they leave!By Cheryl Sullivan, MA, RDHere are more kitchen-centered activities to choose from that are no-calorie alternatives tocookies.Pasta Angel OrnamentsAssemble various shapes of pasta into Christmas angels. Complete directions are available at www.geocities.com/Heartland/Acres/1170/pastangel.html.Popcorn GarlandsUse a needle and strong thread to string air-popped popcorn. Add seasonal charm by interspersing dried cranberries or beads along the chain.Cinnamon OrnamentsDrain excess liquid off apple sauce using a coffee filter and add equal parts ground cinnamon. Add about two tablespoons of white glue per cup of mixture and knead into stiff dough. Finish as for Cornstarch Dough Ornaments, but store in zippered bags.Holiday PotpourriMake thin, cross-sectional slices of apples, oranges and lemons. Rub both sides with pumpkin pie spice and place on a cookie sheet. Bake at 250 degrees, turning once, until dry (about an hour). Place in a bowl and garnish with holiday greenery.C.S.