New Year, New You?

Want to start the New Year off right with healthier eating? Good for you. Here at The Hiland Home, we also love to cook and eat foods that are good and good for us.

But just because you want to make a change, that doesn’t mean you have to throw out your old cookbook and start fresh, or change your diet completely. There are a few things to remember about dairy and fitness that might be key to helping you keep your New Year’s resolution.

Lean Towards Low-Fat

One easy way to reduce calories of some of your favorite dishes might be to choose reduced-fat or low-fat Hiland Dairy Milk rather than whole milk in your recipes. Or, use Hiland Dairy Plain Greek Yogurt instead of heavy cream or buttermilk. (You’ll need to water it down a bit to get the right consistency first, though!)

Power Up with Protein

Proteins provide your body with energy and are one of the primary building blocks of body tissue. Proteins also help keep you feeling full because they take longer to digest than carbohydrates. Milk, cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt and Greek yogurt are all great sources of protein to help you power through your day.  So whether you’re trying to build up the muscle and bones of a growing kid or simply trying to keep your own body in tip-top shape, Hiland Dairy products offer a broad range of options to get your body the building blocks it needs while keeping you feeling full!

Choose Cheese Wisely

With a good flavorful cheese like Hiland’s Aged Sharp Cheddar, try reducing the amount of cheese in your recipe. If the flavor is still there, you can still create a masterpiece! Have a recipe that calls for ricotta cheese? Try substituting Hiland Dairy Cottage Cheese, which will cut the calories and fat while still providing a creamy texture and a great mild taste.

Use Yogurt Instead

To increase the nutrient benefit of your foods, you can choose yogurt instead of sour cream. For example, if you are using sour cream to make a dip or for use as a topping, just substitute Hiland Dairy Plain Greek Yogurt which will naturally have less moisture and may, therefore, provide a deliciously creamy texture.  Remember that yogurt has less fat than sour cream so you should keep cooking temperatures lower to prevent curdling.

When it comes to baking, plain Greek yogurt can also be used to cut the fat and calories of butter and oil, while boosting the protein and calcium content.

• Replace half of the oil or shortening in a recipe with 3/4 of the same amount of yogurt
• Replace 1/4 the amount of water or milk with yogurt to add creamy texture and flavor
• Instead of butter, try using as much yogurt

Don’t Forget the Calcium!

Studies have shown that calcium derived from dairy products is beneficial in helping individuals lose weight, especially in conjunction with a reduced-calorie diet. So, don’t forget the milk!

The Perfect Recovery Drink?

Exercise and nutrition go hand-in-hand. So if you are going to stick to a new workout schedule, you should plan on making Hiland Dairy Chocolate Milk part of your post-workout routine. In short, it can help you gain more lean muscle and lose fat. And that’s what it’s all about, right?

Stay tuned to TheHilandHome.com for more nutrition tips in the weeks to come.