Easter Dinner (healthified!)

In lieu of my Weight Loss Journal this week I am posting my plans for Easter Dinner. 

It's almost Easter! We here in the Ozarks can see things to bloom. This last weekend we saw my Dad's plum trees beginning their spring journey. This probably means more plum jelly canning for my parents, but we are always happy to enjoy their labors! 

I love that Spring speaks of things reborn and renewed. Easter is such a special time for a Christian. It is a time for Celebration!  Jesus said, “I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).”  John 10:10

The picture at the top of this page is circa 2002. It is my Easter Dinner table. Josiah was just a baby and our guests were my parents, my little bro and sister and law and their twins. How in the world did we get everyone around that table?

We always celebrate the day with church and family. Easter Dinner is an important part of that time together.  This year is going to be extra special because we will be celebrating my Mom's birthday as well. I won't tell you how old she was but I will say that I turned 32 on my last birthday and she had me when she was 20. 

I realize that some of you are waiting for lightening to strike me where I sit. I turned 32 just recently just a few years back  more years than I care to admit.  

Family holidays are now a little bit more challenging now that I am on my weight loss journey. However, over the past few years I have found that there are plenty of yummy solutions to enjoying a healthy Easter Dinner. 

If you are worrying about how you are going to manage Easter Dinner I encourage you to start planning now. I've said it time and time again. You will have a harder time succeeding if you don't have a plan. 

I should probably apply the same philosophy to my laundry. 

Anyhoo. 

This is what our Easter Dinner is going to look like this year. My mom and I took a peek down in their Food basement this past weekend. They store all kinds of garden produce in a variety of forms. We are going to use quite a bit of their harvest.  I should also mention that I follow the Trim Healthy Mama eating principles. 

Prime Rib - I know! My Little Bro is providing the meat. In years past, we have enjoyed ham, pork loin and even Salmon. I am a big believer in using what you can find for a good deal. Even a Roasted Chicken is a tasty and special choice. 

Cheesy Spaghetti Squash  - This is my alternative to the Hash Brown Casserole.  We will fix a cheesy potato casserole to serve along side for all the kiddos and those who aren't watching their waist line.  It is also nice that my parents have a couple of big Spaghetti Squashes waiting to fixed up.They are what is left of my Dad's fall garden. 

Slow Cooker Green Beans - Another garden dish. I like to cook my beans with onion, chicken stock and just a little bit of ham. I will put these on before we leave for church in the morning. 

Corn on the Cob - Once again another treat from the garden. This corn has been wintering in the freezer. Some of our favorite family dishes involve corn. Instead of the creamy corn casserole we usually enjoy, we are just going to roast this corn and serve with a little butter salt and pepper. I won't be having much corn. I have to enjoy it in moderation. 

Pea Salad - This is my nephew's favorite. This recipe is a good copy of the 
way my mom makes it. Another family favorite is the Broccoli Salad. This recipe is similar to mine, but I don't include cheese or tomatoes. I do add nuts. It's the way I roll. 

It wouldn't be Easter without Deviled Eggs. 

We will also have a few loaves of fresh bread (made in the bread machine). Just because bread is pretty much poison for me doesn't mean everyone else can't enjoy it. If you need bread this your meal you might try out these gluten/grain free Biscuits. 

I have made it pretty clear that Dessert is always my downfall. This year my Mom requested a Coconut Cake for her birthday. I am not going to even pretend to make it healthier. This, however, doesn't mean that I am not going to fix up a few sweet treats that are on the lighter side. 

I am to please. 

This Light Lemon Cheesecake is perfect for a Spring Day. I am also going to make a lighter version of my favorite Blackberry Cobbler with Blackberry's from the garden. 

I have interesting story to tell about blackberry's from the garden. I wrote about it ages ago. In fact, it only has 4 views. Be a pal. Go read it. Poor little post. 

Here are a few more tips for a Healthier Easter Dinner. If you are part of an Easter Potluck bring a dish that you can enjoy. Stay away from the dessert table or make a small tasting plate. I like to bring fruit to enjoy. A vegetable tray is always good to have around for those of us who have the munchies. 

If you have a hard time staying away from those chocolate eggs considering buying instead a dark chocolate bar. The darker the better. I look for those marked 85% and above. 

So anybody have any wonderful Easter plans?