Delicious Holiday Food and Healthy Tips from Shoreline Eldercare Alliance Event

Sunday afternoon Shoreline Eldercare Alliance "Shop and SEA" event brought together senior Guilford residents and their friends and family to enjoy an afternoon of music, food, and a little education.

The event kicked off with a Guilford High School String Quartet and a greeting from Bernadette DiGiuian, President of SEA. DiGiulian welcomed several SEA members to the event and talked about the alliance. "SEA is all about excellence in elder care," said DiGiuilian. "We want to provide encouragement, education, and assistance to help seniors embrace aging."

Lindsay Matson, a registered dietitian and certified Gerontology Specialist from Yale New Haven Hospital, was up next. Matson walked guests through some tips on how seniors can adjust their diets to account for changes they are going through as they age.

As far as tackling the Holidays and still staying healthy? Here's what Matson had to say to seniors (although the tips are helpful for all of us): 

- The Number One Rule is don't beat yourself up about a slip, it's going to happen, just accept it and move on

- Prioritize what you love, don't just eat something you 'like'

- If there is something you only really get to eat during the holidays, eat that. Don't indulge in foods you can eat all year round.

- Don't go to a Holiday party or gathering famished, you'll end up over eating when you arrive

- Take a smaller plate when you're at a party

- Fill up on lower calorie snacks like veggies and plain seafood before grabbing the super indulgent foods

And if you're in the kitchen cooking this holiday season, here's some tips to keep in mind:

- Substitute apple sauce for oil or butter

- Use Fat Free whipped toppings

- Instead of topping something with icing, use honey or fresh fruit

- Reduce the salt you use by 1/2

- Use evaporated milk instead of Heavy Cream

- Bake foods, instead of frying them

- Make smaller portions or cut you're servings into bite sized pieces

SEA provided guests with some recipes to try at home. Here's one by Tower One/Tower East:

Egg White Quiche Recipe

1 tsp. Oil

1/2 Cup Onion

2 Cloves Minced Garlic

5 Cups Broccoli Florets

1 1/4 Cups Milk

1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese

2 Tsp. Parsley Chopped

1/2 Cup Each Chopped Green and Red Peppers

2 Tsps. Dijon Mustard

Salt/Pepper

1/8 Tsp. Ground Nutmeg

4 Egg Whites (lightly beaten)

2 Whole Eggs (lightly beaten)

1 Tbsp. Grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions: Mix all ingredients well and pour into a well-greased baking pan and bake 50 minutes. Serves 8.