New Year's celebrations can be a challenge for recovering heart patients and their families, especially if entertaining is on their agenda. Many people get carried away over the holidays and just give up trying. But there are plenty of things you can do to make your celebration lots of fun for everyone and care for yourself or your family at the same time.

"There's nothing wrong with fancy, ritzy, fun food during the holiday season," comments Seton Medical Center Williamson clinical dietitian Hillary Moncivais, RD, LD. "You can have tasty, wonderful, familiar goodies like you find at most New Year's buffets and they can still be heart healthy."

Hillary works with cardiac patients who are in outpatient rehabilitation. One of the goals is to teach these patients and their families how to manage a heart-healthy diet. She is teaming with Seton Medical Center Executive Chef Dean Quinn to provide information, tips and scrumptious recipes that are healthy, with decreased fat and sodium but no sacrifices in taste.

"This time of the year, I always begin fielding questions about holiday eating from my cardiac rehab patients. They want to know how to prepare foods that keep them from falling off the wagon, so to speak. I advise them to host their own party and stay in control," adds Hillary.

Class participants will sample all the recipes prepared and have an opportunity to ask questions about preparation technique in addition to nutritional tips. The following are a few of the recipes that will be prepared and sampled:

Texas Caviar

Eating black eyed peas at New Year's conveys good luck, at least according to traditions in the South.

Ingredients

2 cups black-eyed peas (fresh cooked or canned)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small can of chopped green chiles
1 tbsp of minced jalapeno, no seeds
2 dashes of your favorite hot sauce
2 tbsp diced onion
2 tbsp diced celery
2 tbsp each of red, yellow and green Bell peppers
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tbsp fresh cilantro, minced (or more, if you are a cilantro fan)
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced

Directions

• Drain peas, rinse with cold water and drain again.
• Combine olive oil, chiles, cayenne, onion, celery, vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl and mix well. Pour over peas and stir gently.
• Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
• At serving time, add chopped tomatoes and cilantro, and mix carefully. Serve with baked chips, pita chips, vegetable chips, low fat crackers, and or endive spears

Cucumber Tapenade Canap

If your, a family member or a guest have diabetes, this recipe also will be helpful for you.

Ingredients

16 1/4-inch-thick slices of seedless cucumber
8 tsp tapenade, olivada, or other black olive paste (available at specialty foods shops and some supermarkets)
32 julienne strips of drained bottled roasted red pepper, each about 1 inch long
16 flat-leafed parsley leaves

Directions

• In the center of each cucumber slice put 1/2 teaspoon of the tapenade, drape 2 of the pepper strips in an X over it, and garnish each canap with a parsley leaf.
• The canaps may be made 30 minutes in advance and kept covered and chilled.

Bloody Mary Shrimp

It's easy to reduce sodium and fat and still maintain taste with the scrumptious shrimp recipe.

Ingredients

1/2 cup vodka, chilled 2 cups low sodium V8 juice, chilled 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice 1 tbsp low sodium Worcestershire sauce 1 tbsp drained bottled horseradish 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce such as Tabasco Dash black pepper

32 peeled, deveined, cooked medium shrimp 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, divided Fresh celery stalks, cut into bite-sized pieces

Directions

• Mix first seven ingredients in pitcher and chill at least 2 hours.
• Toss shrimp with 1 tablespoon lemon juice in large bowl. Thread 1 shrimp and celery on toothpick. Repeat with remaining shrimp and celery.
• Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Display in shot glasses garnish with shrimp and celery.
• Garnish: lemon slices; small celery ribs.

Champagne Punch

This festive punch has reduced calories but no reduction at all in taste.

Ingredients

1 cup Triple Sec
1 cup Brandy
1/2 cup Chambord (French raspberry liqueur)
2 cups pineapple juice
1 quart chilled diet Sprite or diet 7-Up
2 750 ml bottles of champagne or sparkling wine

Directions

• Thoroughly chill all ingredients.
• Mix in a large punch bowl and serve.