ITT: OMFG this woman is serios!

[edselman]

"Nancy Graves, associate professor and registered dietician, examines the ingredients of a fruitcake."

By Francine Parker

So, you stuffed yourself with too much turkey, ate too much dressing, watched too much football during the holidays and gained a pound or two or three or four . . .

With the holiday season around the corner, you decide to forgo a slice of chocolate cake with that rich icing you love and other fattening desserts and decide to bake a dessert that’s scrumptious, but healthy.

As you searched through the “Joy of Cooking,” flipped through pages of “Cooking with Rosie” and dust off a copy of “Patti Labelle’s Recipes to Sing About,” you ponder what to bake?

What about fruitcake, you think. It’s delicious and nutritious with all that fruit, right?

Wrong. According to one University of Houston expert, who analyzed the ingredients of three holiday fruitcake recipes for their nutritional content. One recipe contained apple juice, one was made with coffee and another included brandy.

Nancy Graves, associate professor and registered dietician in the university’s Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management, says nutritionally, there isn’t much difference between them. In fact, Graves said, “fruitcake does not contribute significant sources of any nutrient.”

It’s all in the ingredients, she adds. Typically, a fruitcake’s ingredients include flour, some type of fat like butter, eggs, baking soda, molasses, brown sugar and assorted dried fruit such as cherries, dates, cranberries or even apricots.

Although lacking in nutritional value, fruitcake is still a good choice for those seeking to keep a tradition that dates back to the Roman Empire.

The Romans’ recipe for fruitcake included pomegranate seeds, pine nuts and raisins that were mixed into barley mash. Honey, spices and preserved fruits were added during the Middle Ages. Crusaders and hunters carried this type of cake to sustain themselves over long periods of time away from home.

During the 1700s, Europeans baked fruitcake at the end of the nut harvest, stored it and then ate it the following year to celebrate the beginning of the next harvest. By the end of the 18th century, the English passed laws, which restricted the use of plum cake (plum being the generic word for dried fruit at the time) for only Christmas, Easter, christenings, funerals and weddings.

Traditionally, for an English wedding feast, the top layer of the wedding cake called the “Bride’s Cake,” was a dark fruitcake that was removed and stored for the bridal couple to savor on their anniversaries. A separate piece of fruitcake from the groom’s cake was wrapped in a wedding napkin, tied with a white ribbon and put at each guest’s place at the table. Single women would place it under their pillows and dream of their own would-be grooms.

Between 1837 and 1901, fruitcake was immensely popular. Legend has it that Queen Victoria received a fruitcake for her birthday one year, and she waited for a year to eat the cake as a sign of restraint, moderation and good taste.

Graves says eating such desserts and other less-than-healthy foods during the holiday season is fine. Just don’t overindulge, she warns.
“There are 365 days in the year, and for most families only a couple of dozen of those involve special occasions,” Graves said. “The remaining days spent not celebrating can offset a moderate holiday splurge. Part of the joy of the season is sharing with loved ones, so it’s okay to enjoy a portion of Grandma’s special fruitcake or pie that’s available only on these special occasions. The key is moderation.”

Tips for a healthy holiday season:
Take a brisk walk after a holiday meal or play with the kids to burn off extra calories.
Eat a light, healthy snack before going to a party so you won’t be too hungry.
After you’ve eaten, move away from the food to visit with friends and meet new people.
For appetizers and finger food for the children, stay away from fried foods. Try this: spread fat-free cheese, vegetables and chopped nuts on wheat tortillas, roll up and slice as pinwheels.
Give yourself permission to enjoy all foods without overindulging. It reduces stress and makes time with family and friends more fun.

cliffs:

1. Nut bag woman dissects a fruitcake.

2. I thought it was a parody site.

3. Nope, it isn't.

4. the woman is serios!

[Pepsiholic]

She's a nutjob

[2kSeattleMax]

Wish they didn't cut off the top of her head. Perfect chop material.

[Ihiz]

cliffs?

[edselman]

Originally Posted by 2kSeattleMax

Wish they didn't cut off the top of her head. Perfect chop material.

maybe you still can?

[gee]

fruit cake can actually be eaten so long after its cooked? thats pretty gross

[edselman]

Originally Posted by goink

fruit cake IS pretty gross

fixt

[gee]

Originally Posted by edselman

fixt

ive eaten it a few times. didnt think it was terrible
and i love this new barf smiley

[Conna]

[^^OwnJ00Nukka]

I'd hit it.