There are certain foods and drinks that tend to be associated with the Christmas season. For me, one that comes to mind is egg nog. The creamy holiday drink is typically high in fat and sugar. It is often made with rum which adds to the already high calorie content. If that is not enough to keep you away, egg nog is made with raw eggs. Let's face it, who has time for salmonella food poisoning during this time of the year? If you love the flavor combination of nutmeg, rum, and vanilla but aren't crazy about gaining weight during the holidays or drinking eggs, this light egg nog recipe is for you. I made it with rum extract but if alcohol is a must for your holiday get-together, you can swap the extract for rum to make a light Christmas cocktail. Rum will add additional calories, but using this recipe, your drink will still be substantially lower than store bought varieties.
***For the alcoholic variation, reduce the milk to 4 1/2 cups and add 5 oz. of your favorite rum.

Back in the day before I knew anything about nutrition, I would always order Fettuccine Alfredo at Italian restaurants. The creamy dish seems to be quite a popular choice. Besides the huge portions of pasta served in restaurants, a dish made with Alfredo sauce is guaranteed to be overflowing with calories and fat. Because I now know quite a bit about nutrition (more than 4 years worth), I usually order some sort of grilled fish entree with steamed veggies. I love seafood and would choose it over pasta even it weren't for the nutrition facts, but every now and then I just want noodles covered with a cheesy cream sauce. When that sort of craving strikes, I make my own lightened Alfredo sauce. Made from fat-free milk and light cream cheese, this sauce is amazingly delicious. Nobody would ever know that it doesn't contain heavy cream or that is light in any way. It is great over plain noodles but I also like to add grilled chicken, mushrooms, and green peas for a complete family meal. I plan to make it again soon to use for the sauce on a white pizza. The whole recipe of Guiltless Alfredo Sauce will cover 1 pound of pasta.

1. In a food processor or blender, combine milk, cream cheese, flour, and salt. Process until smooth and set aside.
2. In a medium-large sauce pan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saute for about 30 seconds.
3. Add the milk mixture to the pan. Stir constantly for about 3-4 minutes until the sauce begins to simmer. Keep stirring and let it cook for a few minutes more. It should become thicker.
4. Remove from heat. Stir in Parmesan until melted and cover the pan immediately.
5. Let stand for at least 10 minutes prior to using. It will continue to thicken to desired consistency.