A Light and Healthy Labor Day Bash

Throw a fabulous end-of-summer party with minimal effort and minimal calories. Our expert shares her ideas for ushering in the fall in easy, low-cal style.

Homemade barbecue, creamy side salads and decadent desserts don't have to add on the pounds this Labor Day. Heed our advice, and you can serve your guests healthful dishes with minimal effort. After all, you shouldn't have to labor all day on Labor Day.

The "un"-Labor Day
You can prepare a feast for your friends and family without sweating it out in the kitchen. Jackie Newgent, RD, a culinary instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City, suggests some fabulous ways to make light and healthy party fare with ease.

Easy, breezy preparation ideas
Start early"A lot of recipes can be prepared ahead of time," says Newgent, who points out that ground meats can be flavored and formed into patties and then stored in the freezer until ready to use. Crisp vegetables, like carrots and celery, can be cut up a day in advance and stored in the fridge in containers with a tiny bit of water.

Look for shortcuts
Instead of shredding cabbage for your coleslaw, consider buying a pre-shredded slaw mix. You can also buy a reduced-fat graham cracker piecrust instead of baking your own.

Read recipes for preparation hints
Some recipes, or parts of recipes, can be made in advance and the food can then be frozen or refrigerated. Read recipe intros and the entire instruction list for clues before deciding on a menu, Newgent advises.

Marinate, marinate, marinate
Don't get up at the crack of dawn to whip up sauces and thread your kebabs. Make or buy a low-cal marinade, then let your kebabs, meats or fish soak up its flavor overnight in the fridge.

Simple service with flair
Opt for serving platters with unique color and style
Plaids, flowers, polka dots, even a bright shade of blue can turn an ordinary dish into something spectacular. So can a large square plate topped with burgers or a star-painted basket filled with rolls. "Mix and match," encourages Newgent.

Garnish away, fat-free
Sprinkle chopped herbs around a serving platter, present meats on a bed of greens or top off a dish with freshly grated zest if it already contains that flavor (for example, sprinkle lime zest over a Mexican dish that contains lime juice).

Get clever with condiments
Decorate a Mexican dish with dollops of fat-free sour cream or salsa. Or, says Newgent, decorate the rim of a burger plate with dots of mustard and ketchup.

Lighter Recipes:

Grilled Corn
Ingredients:
1 ½ T fresh lime juice
1 tsp lime zest
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp table salt
4 piece(s) corn on the cob, husked

Directions:
- Preheat grill to medium
- In a cup, stir together lime juice and zest, chili powder and salt; brush over husked corn.
- Grill corn until tender and lightly charred, turning once or twice, about 10 min.


Tropical Chicken with Grilled Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients:
6 T fresh lime juice
3 T ginger root, fresh, minced
6 T apricot preserves
6 T soy sauce
1 lbs uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, four 4 oz pieces
1 large sweet potato(es), scrubbed and sliced into ¼ inch thick rounds

Instructions:
- Preheat grill
- In a large bowl, whisk together lime juice, ginger, preserves and soy sauce. Set aside ½ of marinade. Add chicken to remaining marinade, cover and refridgerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours, turning chicken occasionally.
- Grill sweet potato slices until tender, about 8 min., brushing with reserved marinade as they cook. At the same time, grill chicken until firm and cooked through, about 4 to 5 min. per side.


Mixed Berry Crumble

Ingredients:
2 cups blueberries
2 cups raspberries
¾ cups all purpose flour
2/3 cups unpacked light brown sugar
1/3 lbs butter, melted (1 stick)

Instructions:
- Preheat oven 350
- Place berries in a medium bowl. In another medium bowl, combine flower and sugar. Remove 3 T of flour mixture and gently toss with berries. Place berries in an 8 inch square pan.
- To make topping, add melted butter to remaining flour mixture; combine well. Crumble little bits of topping all over top of berries. Bake until berries just start to bubble, about 35 to 40 min. Cut into 8 pieces; serve warm or at room temperature.

Have a safe and happy holiday!

By weightwatchers.com