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Today may be called “Fat Tuesday,” but you don’t have to take that literally. Don’t worry about your waistline with this spiced-up, Mardi Gras-inspired menu.

Cheers!
Start your celebration and feel like you’re strolling down New Orleans’ French Quarter with a Hurricane cocktail. The unique flavor of passion fruit makes this drink extra special — leftovers make great breakfast smoothies. If you can’t find passion fruit juice, pineapple juice works well too. Replace the rum with ginger ale or sparkling water for a light and fizzy “virgin” treat.

One-Pot Wonder
Creole flavors are bold and all about spice — look no further than jambalaya! Fresh ingredients and spices are a great way to keep calories low. Some recipes can be weighed down with fatty meats, but leaner ham and shrimp keeps this jambalaya recipe light and satisfying. Feeling especially authentic? Try using crawfish instead of shrimp. Or go for a vegetarian version with whole grain farro and yummy okra (a southern favorite). Serve up your jambalaya with a lightly dressed salad.

Sweet Treat
Bananas Foster is a classic New Orleans recipe, but the calories add up thanks to tons of butter and sugar — and then it’s poured over ice cream! Have all the flavor for a fraction of the fat and calories by opting for a Banana Cream Pie instead.

Mardi Gras recipes to try:
• Hurricane Cocktail
• Jambalaya with Shrimp and Ham
• Farro Vegetarian Jambalaya
• Basic Green Salad with Vinaigrette
• Banana Cream Pie

Mmm, the mighty aphrodisiac… Some mythical foods symbolize love and fertility and have been around for centuries. Whether you believe in their powers or not, here are some that might (ahem) perk up your Valentine’s Day dinner.

Setting the Tone
Creating the right atmosphere is part of a romantic evening — candlelight, music, a cozy table and your finest dishes. Get the kids, pets, parents or any other interruptions out of the house (my dog needs more attention than my kids sometimes). Once the mood is set, prepare to bring out the food.

1. Oysters
In ancient times, the “law of similarity” reasoned that a food possessed sexual powers if it resembled the male or female’s special parts. Oysters were no exception with its similarity to the “hidden female treasure.” This seafood may have gained its reputation when doctors discovered zinc deficiency (oysters are very high in zinc), and began recommending it. Zinc is involved with taste perception and sexual organ development, but please, don’t start zinc supplements just yet — it won’t enhance what already you do or do not have.

2. Chocolate
Chocolate’s reputation as an aphrodisiac may have stemmed from the Aztec ruler Montezuma, who supposedly drank up to 50 cups of the chocolate drink before heading to his harem. He also gained a reputation for being an amazing lover, but was it really all that cacao? Rumor also has it that Mayans used cacao beans to pay for some female loving at the going rate of around eight beans per woman. There is no need to consume as much chocolate as Montezuma. Just an ounce of dark chocolate is all you need. The darker the chocolate the more antioxidants it has. (Learn more about chocolate.)

3. Alcohol
Champagne and wine usually are most popular for toasting love. Alcohol allows you to lower your sexual inhibitions and go for it! Unfortunately, too much alcohol also inhibits the physical response to sexual desire and racks up those calories — factor about 150 per glass. For a satisfying Valentine’s experience, your best bet is to stick to a glass or two.

4. Truffles
We mean the mushrooms, not the chocolate candy. Folklore has it that Napoleon ate truffles to increase his sexual prowess. Some conjecture that truffles’ musky scent is reminiscent of male pheromones. Experts consider both the white and black varieties to be aphrodisiacs, but the rarer black one is thought to be more potent (though both are quite pricey).

5. Asparagus
The Vegetarian Society claims that feeding asparagus for three consecutive days to your lover will result in the most powerful libido boost. Great boiled or steamed, asparagus contains the antioxidants vitamins A and C. Vitamin A also helps create healthy skin and hair, desirable features in any lover.

Set the Mood: The Drink
Start the meal with a crisp and fruit-filled red wine spritzer. Reduce calories by replacing some of the alcohol with sparkling water (save some calories for dessert). If you can’t imagine V-Day without some champagne (who could blame you?), try a bellini instead.

Prep the Palate: Finger Food
Send your senses soaring! Melt sensuous figs into a quick-and-easy jam. With some crusty bread, tart apple and a sprinkle of cheese, this simple appetizer is the perfect combo of sweet and savory.

Fresh and Simple: The Main Course
This luxurious and flavorful fish dish is piled high with tomatoes and olives. Serve with roasted potatoes for a light but satisfying main course. If you would rather go with a pasta dish, try the similar flavors in pasta puttanesca.

Romantic Finale: Dessert
It just isn’t Valentine’s without chocolate! Dress it up for the occasion with orange liqueur and fresh orange zest. The chocolate is plenty of decadence; stick to fresh fruit for dipping.

Get the recipes:
• Red Wine Spritzers
• Pecorino Romano with Apples and Fig Jam
• Fish with Tomatoes, Olives and Capers
• Roasted Potatoes
• Chocolate Orange Fondue

Don’t think you’ll ever be hungry for one more Christmas cookie? Think again!

Instead of tossing those holiday leftovers to avoid more over-indulging, use them to your advantage. Here are some practical tips and recipes to help you reduce food waste and space out the calories.

1. Give It Away Now! - If you hosted the holiday festivities, plan ahead and have resealable plastic bags and food storage containers handy to send guests home with goodies. This works perfectly for cookies, candies or other sweets.

2. Zip It Good – Make sure to store all leftover foods in airtight containers; this keeps things fresher longer and gives you more time to finish off the stash.

3. Chill Out – Utilize your freezer – soups, cooked vegetables, breads, pastries and cookies all freeze very well and can be thawed for later indulging.

4. Recreate the Plate – Serve small portions of leftover turkey, roast beef or ham along with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables for sandwiches, salads, wraps or a light main course.

Try:
• Roasted Turkey with Papaya-Cranberry Salsa
• Turkey Avocado Wrap

5. Mix It Up – Toss left over veggies and seafood with small portions of pasta or brown rice.

6. Veg Out – Reduce portions of high calorie favorites by adding fresh or frozen vegetables to creamy soups or leftover mashed potatoes.

7. Go Nuts – Add remaining nuts and dried fruit to a simple and light spinach salad.

Try: Spinach Salad with Dried Cranberries, Walnuts and Pomegranate Vinaigrette

8. Be Creative – Combine herbs and roasted root vegetables along with a pinch of low fat cheese to make quesadillas, minis pizzas or omelets.

9. Safety First – Most foods will stay fresh for up to seven days, but if it looks or smells even a little funky, throw it out!

10. Feel the Burn – Work off some of those extra calories! Make sure to get some exercise in the weeks following holiday get-togethers. Prep leftover plates and march them to your neighbors (especially any ones up a hill).

Hanukkah is my favorite Jewish holiday — all the lights, songs, presents, parties and, of course, fried foods. Every night we light candles, sing together and then snack on the Hanukkah classic, fried latkes (potato pancakes). Eating lots of fried foods can surely lead to holiday weight gain, but there are ways to indulge in these favorites without increasing your waistline.

Latkes are traditionally made by mixing grated potatoes and onions, eggs and matzo meal or flour. Then they’re formed into “pancakes” and deep fried, and served with sour cream, horseradish or applesauce.

One simple substitution is to use egg substitutes instead of fresh eggs in the batter. You could also cut down the amount of potatoes in the batter and add in parsnips, squash or carrots instead. Skip the traditional frying, and instead form the uncooked cakes, spray them with canola oil and bake at 450 degrees Fahrenheit until golden brown.

If you just can’t live without that traditional fried flavor, decrease your portion sizes. Create smaller-sized latkes and eat one or two with 1-2 tablespoons of applesauce, horseradish or plain Greek yogurt. Stay away from the regular sour cream as it adds unnecessary calories, fat and cholesterol.