‘Nutrition-Friendly’ Menus : Dietitians say there are ways of serving festive foods that are also low in fat, calories.

Since the holiday season started, you may have found yourself giving in to the many high-fat goodies circulating at parties and in the office. Now it’s time to have your own holiday get-together and you wonder, isn’t there a way to serve tempting party foods without all the fat?

Yes, say dietitians.

“It’s possible to make festive holiday foods that are not only tasty, but good for you too,” says Lisa Beckley, R.D., clinical nutrition manager at Western Medical Center in Santa Ana.

You’d be surprised at how many guests welcome the gift of healthy food, she says.

“People delight at visiting a ‘nutrition-friendly’ house where they don’t have to worry about overindulging on high fat foods or feeling awkward about asking for something special to meet their diet needs,” says Beckley.

To offer a variety of tasty, healthy holiday fare, keep the following tips in mind:

* Make old favorites with low-fat and nonfat foods.

There are many low-fat and nonfat products on the market now that weren’t available a year ago, says Beckley. “Fat-free cream cheese, sour cream, cottage cheese and mayonnaise make it a lot easier to serve your favorite holiday treats without all the fat.”

* Discover new dip ideas.

Dips are notorious for being high in fat, but by using nonfat dairy products, you can transform them into healthy party treats.

Instead of using packaged dip mixes which are often high in sodium, make your own seasonings with fresh ingredients.

Irvine registered dietitian Lisa Gibson, who teaches nutrition and weight loss classes, shares her tasty, fresh “Dill Dip.”

Mix two cups nonfat cottage cheese; four tablespoons buttermilk, 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice and mix in blender until smooth. Then add a half-cup reduced-calorie mayonnaise; one tablespoon chopped fresh parsley; one tablespoon finely chopped onion; one-half teaspoon celery salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons dill weed. This dip has less than one gram of fat in two tablespoons.

Or if it’s a Mexican taste you yearn for, try Gibson’s high-fiber, low-fat bean dip.

Combine 15 ounces of vegetarian refried beans and one four-ounce can of chopped green chilies and spread on the bottom of 9-inch quiche pan or 8-by-8 inch baking dish. Then mix a half-cup reduced calorie mayonnaise and a half-cup nonfat sour cream and spread over beans.

Add one chopped avocado (optional) which has been sprinkled with lemon juice and cover with a half-cup picante sauce. Top this with 3/4 cup of low-fat Cheddar cheese and the same amount of low-fat Monterey jack and garnish with three chopped green onions.

Serve cold, or bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Without the avocado, this has about three grams of fat per one-quarter cup serving.

* Choose dip accompaniments carefully.

Put plenty of fresh vegetables next to dips.

When selecting crackers and similar snacks, be aware that many are high in fat, warns Gibson. “Get snack foods that have no more than two grams of fat per serving,” she says. Instead of potato chips, try potato crisps which have been baked, not fried. Baked tortilla chips are also available, or make your own.

To make low-fat tortilla chips, Gibson says, brush a flour or corn tortilla with water and sprinkle with a no-salt herb seasoning mix. Cut into wedges and bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes, or until crisp.

Or try another interesting nonfat snack that’s also great for dipping.

In its 1988 “Healthy Holiday Cookbook,” the American Heart Assn. has a recipe for won ton skin snacks.

Cut a package of won ton skins diagonally; separate and dip in water. Place on a cookie sheet sprayed with non-stick vegetable spray and sprinkle each with Parmesan cheese, a no-salt blend or cinnamon sugar. Bake in 350-degree oven until crisp and toasted.

* Offer options.

Meet everyone’s needs by presenting a variety of foods from light to richer fare. “You could have a platter full of fruit and vegetables and then a fondue pot or two for dipping,” suggests Beckley. “One fondue could be a low-fat cheese dip, while another might be a chocolate sauce. This gives guests a variety of options and makes indulging possible, but not their only choice.”

For dessert, serve traditional goodies like pies and provide a low-fat choice such as raspberries with light whipped cream.

At a recent party, Beckley served nonfat, sugar-free frozen yogurt and offered a wide variety of toppings from nuts and chocolate pieces, to fresh bananas and strawberries.

* Choose fish over beef or cheese.

“Contrary to popular opinion, shell fish is actually low in fat and a better choice than some high-fat foods like cheese and beef,” says Gibson. “Fifteen medium shrimp have less than one gram of fat and are a good source of protein.” For a healthy, elegant treat, serve shrimp with cocktail sauce that has plenty of horseradish.

For another impressive treat, Gibson suggests mixing smoked salmon with nonfat cream cheese. Put this on mini-bagels and garnish with capers and minced red onions. This has just 1.5 grams of fat in two tablespoons. Or top French bread with a mixture of crab meat, nonfat sour cream and seasonings. This hors d’oeuvre has less than one gram of fat per serving.

* Remember: ‘Tis the season.

Liven up all of your dishes with herbs and spices, says Beckley. “Not only do herbs and spices make dishes tasty, they help to lower the sodium content of food, which is important to some guests.”

The American Heart Assn. has a salt substitute seasoning recipe.

To make, mix two tablespoons dry mustard; two tablespoons onion powder; two tablespoons garlic powder; two tablespoons paprika, one tablespoon white pepper, one teaspoon ground thyme and two teaspoons crushed basil leaves.

* Dress up the vegetables.

Instead of throwing a vegetable tray together, make them attractive and inviting. Beckley suggests creating a wreath with vegetables which makes a great edible centerpiece. Attach to a Styrofoam wreath with toothpicks a variety of tasty, colorful vegetables like carrots, broccoli, turnips, radishes, celery, green onions, cauliflower, cherry tomatoes and yellow squash.

Offer fruit that has been cut into a variety of attractive shapes. They look particularly appetizing when put in a basket made from a cantaloupe or arranged in a hollowed-out watermelon rind.

* Try alcohol alternatives.

“Many guests are more interested than you’d think in appealing, nonalcoholic drinks,” says Beckley, who specializes in nutrition and its relation to chemical dependency. Feature alcohol-free, dressed-up drinks. Garnish fruit smoothies with fruit pieces and little umbrellas and put cinnamon sticks in hot spicy apple cider. “When appropriate, you can even put salt or sugar on glass rims,” she says.

Orange juice and grapefruit juice both mix with sparkling water for a fizzy cocktail and have the added benefit of being high in Vitamin C. A non-cola soda and cranberry juice make “red wine” and ginger ale and apple cider blend into a great “champagne.”

You could even serve hot cocoa topped with whipped cream or flavored decaffeinated coffees.

When it comes to eggnog, it’s best to make your own, because store-bought eggnog has 17 grams of fat in just one cup. Even light eggnog has seven grams per cup.

To make a low-fat version, the American Heart Assn. says to mix one cup nonfat dry milk powder with a half-cup water; one cup sugar; one teaspoon brandy extract; one-half teaspoon rum extract; two eggs; one-fourth teaspoon nutmeg and two cups skim milk. There are four grams of fat per cup.

* Bake guilt-free goodies.

“It’s possible to make many baked goods lower in fat by replacing oils with applesauce or nonfat yogurt,” says Gibson. “For brownies, instead of adding egg and oil to a mix, put in a half-cup nonfat yogurt, the same amount of water and bake according to package directions. This will cut the fat by half or more.”

You can also reduce the fat by half in the old favorite, chocolate chip cookies, says Gibson.

Cream together one-half cup soft margarine; one cup brown sugar; two egg whites and one teaspoon of vanilla. Then stir in 2 3/4 cup of reduced-fat baking mix and six ounces of chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes until lightly browned.