25 Days of Christmas: Healthy Holidays with Felicia Rogers

25 Days of Christmas continues with Felicia Rogers!

Healthy Holidays

On December 25, 2008, something wonderful happened. It was the beginning of a lifelong journey. This was the day my fabulous thoughtful husband gave me Billy Blank’s Amped Tae-Bo workout set. No worries ladies, I asked for the gift.

On this day three years ago, I started eating healthier and exercising. Since then I’ve lost over sixty pounds. I’ve done things I never dreamed of doing such as hiking eleven miles (round trip) to Mt. LeConte in the Great Smokey Mountains, lowering my cholesterol, and dropping four sizes in clothing.

But even though I’ve enacted this change, I still struggle to maintain a healthy diet during the holidays. I’m an avid couponer and one site I frequent is Eat Better America. This site is great for more than just coupons. By joining I received recipes to try. And boy, have I! You mention a low fat cheesecake and I’m so there! From this website, I’ve tried Sweet Potato Casserole (http://www.eatbetteramerica.com/recipes/special-occasions/healthified-sweet-potato-casserole.aspx), Healthified Creamed Corn (http://www.eatbetteramerica.com/recipes/featured-brands/healthified-creamed-corn.aspx), and many others. So if you’re trying to eat delicious tasting, flavorful food this holiday season while maintaining your figure check out Eat Better America (http://www.eatbetteramerica.com/).

Now that I’ve shared some of my favorite healthy recipes I wanted to share one other. This is a family favorite.

Cherry Yum-Yum

Ingredients:

~1 stick Margarine

~3 cups graham cracker crumbs

~2 cans cherry pie filling (yes, the big cans)

~2 envelopes of Dream Whip

~1 cup of sugar

~1 cup of milk

~8 oz. Cream cheese (room temp)

Combine:

Melt the margarine and combine with 2 cups of graham cracker crumbs. Line bottom of 9x13 pan, reserving 1 cup of crumb mixture. Over this spoon, 1 can of cherry pie filling.

Combine in a mixing bowl:

Dream whip, sugar, milk, and cream cheese. Whip at high speed until stiff. Once stiff, spread over pie filling. Next, spoon in the next can of cherry pie filling. Garnish with reserved crumbs. Chill until firm, then serve.

I hope you enjoy my favorite recipe. And remember, if you’ve struggled in this area, I’m right there with you. And keep in mind, with perseverance lots of things can happen, even becoming a published author!

My latest work, There Your heart Will Be Also, a historical suspense with an inspirational twist.

Only daughter of an English lord, Sarra of Greenbriar, is used to getting her way. So when her father passes and the King begins sending suitors, she feels justified in taking matters into her own hands. Through a series of harmless pranks, Sarra works to keep the potential husbands at bay.

Cedric MacNeil is a Scotsman that has lost it all. Death claimed his parents and jealousy claimed his entitled position as Laird of his clan. Since his mother was a familiar of the English court, he leaves his native land and heads to England to fight on behalf of the English King. Tournaments are won, earning honor and glory for the crown. Cedric’s reward is the opportunity to gain what he wants most in this life, land.

But as he gets to know Sarra, he realizes he might get more than he bargained for.