Traditional Easter Dinner that Won't hurt the Waist line

I love Easter Dinners with my family. When  I was a child, my mother would make Chinese rice and ham for dinner each year. When ever I asked her why Chinese rice, she would tell me it was the best combination with ham. Of course, I did not understand but played along. Now that I am older, we don't necessarily make Chinese rice and ham on Easter Sunday. Here's a recipe I discovered on Foodnetwork.com and thought I would try.

Tangerine-Glazed Easter Ham With Baby Carrots

Ingredients

• 1 (8 to 10-pound) smoked ham, bone-in, skin on
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bunch fresh sage leaves
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut in chunks
• 2 tangerines, sliced thin, seeds removed
• 2 cups tangerine juice
• 2 cups light brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon whole cloves
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 11/2 pounds carrots, peeled

Directions

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
Put the ham in a large roasting pan, fat-side up. Using a sharp knife, score the ham with cuts across the skin, about 2-inches apart and 1/2-inch deep. Cut diagonally down the slashes to form a diamond pattern; season the meat generously with salt and pepper. Chop about 8 of the sage leaves and put it in a bowl; mix with the oil to make a paste. Rub the sage-oil all over the ham, being sure to get the flavor into all the slits. Bake the ham for 2 hours. Now there is plenty of time to bang-out the tangerine glaze.
For the glaze: Place a saucepan over medium heat. Add the chunks of butter, tangerines, tangerine juice, brown sugar, water, and spices. Slowly cook the liquid down to a syrupy glaze; this should take about 30 to 40 minutes.
After the ham has being going for a couple of hours, pour the tangerine glaze all over it, with the pieces of fruit and all. Scatter the remaining sage leaves on top and stick the ham back in the oven and continue to cook for 11/2 hours, basting with the juices every 30 minutes.
Scatter the carrots around the ham and coat in the tangerine glaze. Stick the ham once again back in the oven and cook for a final 30 minutes, until the carrots are tender, the ham is dark and crispy, and the whole thing is glistening with a sugary glaze.
Set the ham on a cutting board to rest before carving. Serve the carrots and tangerine glaze on the side.

Roasted Asparagus

Ingredients

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• 2 pounds fresh asparagus
• Good (extra virgin) olive oil
• Kosher salt, plus extra for sprinkling
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Break off the tough ends of the asparagus and, if they're thick, peel them. Place the asparagus on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, then toss to coat the asparagus completely. Spread the asparagus in a single layer and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Roast the asparagus for 25 minutes, until tender but still crisp.

Broccoli and Cheddar-Stuffed Potato Skins with Avocado Cream

Tip: You can substitute sour cream with plain, non fat yogurt if desired

Ingredients

• 8 small Idaho potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds total), scrubbed and dried
• 4 teaspoons canola oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 ounces broccoli florets, coarsely chopped (about 4 cups)
• Cooking spray
• 3 pieces Canadian bacon, finely diced (about 3 ounces)
• 3/4 cup grated extra-sharp Cheddar (about 3 ounces)

Avocado Creme:

• 2 scallions, thinly sliced, greens reserved
• 1 medium avocado
• 2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Pierce potatoes several times with a fork and wrap in paper towels. Microwave on high for 13 to 15 minutes, until potatoes are cooked through. Remove from microwave and cool until potatoes are easy to handle. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, scoop all but 1/8 inch of the inside of the potato, leaving skin intact. Reserve scooped potato flesh for another use.

Brush both inside and outside of potatoes with oil and sprinkle with salt. Place potatoes, skin-side down, on a baking sheet and bake until skins are crisp and edges are golden brown, about 20 minutes.

In the meantime, prepare the filling. Steam the broccoli until crisp-tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Drain and set aside. Spray a nonstick pan with cooking spray and preheat over medium-high heat. Add the Canadian bacon and cook until crisp stirring often, about 3 to 4 minutes. Reserve.

To make avocado cream, combine scallion whites, avocado, sour cream lime juice, cilantro, garlic and salt in the small bowl of a food processor and process on high until smooth. About 30 seconds.

Toss the broccoli with cheese and spoon filling evenly among potatoes. Lower oven to 400 degrees F and return potatoes to oven until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the avocado cream on top of broccoli-filled potatoes, then top with scallion greens and 1 teaspoon crisped bacon bits.

Yield: 8 servings (1 serving equals 2 potato halves, 1 tablespoon avocado cream, 1/2 teaspoon scallions and 1 teaspoon bacon bits)

Per Serving:
Calories 180; Total Fat 10 g; (Sat Fat 3.5 g, Mono Fat 2 g, Poly Fat 1 g) ; Protein 8 g; Carb 15 g; Fiber 3 g; Cholesterol 20 mg; Sodium 380 mg

 And there you have a nutritious, yet, tasty Easter meal. Enjoy!