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I know that not everyone feels this way, but I personally love to attend and throw holiday parties. The holiday music twinkling in the background, those festive fashions, and time to visit with people you don't see often -- what's not to love?

Some might also think that a holiday party is not the place to highlight health. I beg to differ. What makes a party special is the people, the conversation, and the dancing (if you're lucky) -- not the high-cal desserts or greasy finger foods. It is possible to throw a healthy holiday party that will please most of your guests. (I say "most" because there are always a few people who are impossible to please, no matter what!)

That said, here are my top 10 tips for throwing a healthy holiday party. Adopt as many as you like -- the more the merrier!

1. Offer no- and lower-calorie drinks galore so your guests have lots of healthy options. Here are a few to try:

• Holiday tea
• Diet soda
• Mineral water
• Coffee
• Light beer and wine spritzers made with club soda
• Holiday punch made with diet soda (like ginger ale or lemon-lime soda) and/or light cranberry juice

2. Serve fruit and vegetable trays. For appetizers and dinner, I use the 50% rule: I try to cover 50% of the food table with fruit and vegetable dishes. Here are some winter options for your fruit and veggie arrays:

• For fruit trays or fruit salads, try apple slices (spray with lemon juice to prevent browning), orange slices or wedges, melon cubes, grapes, canned pineapple, and cherry or grape tomatoes.
• For raw veggie trays, try jicama, baby carrots, celery sticks, sugar snap peas, broccoli, and cauliflower florets.

3. Keep dips and spreads as light as possible by substituting nonfat sour cream, light cream cheese, light or low-fat mayonnaise, and low-fat yogurt for the more caloric versions.

4. Look for ways to add beans to your dishes to beef up the fiber and plant protein, which will help your guests feel fuller faster. It's easy to use beans in salads, casseroles, and appetizers. One of my favorites is a light 7-layer dip that features canned, nonfat refried beans.

5. Serve whole grains or whole-grain blends. You can use half whole-wheat flour in nut breads, muffins, and even cookie recipes. You can use whole-wheat blend pastas, whole grain crackers, and whole wheat (or whole wheat blend) dinner rolls. Check the ingredient list and the fiber grams on the nutrition information label for the rolls and crackers to make sure you are getting a product with at least half whole wheat and more fiber.

6. Serve lean meats and fish. There are lots of festive meat options that are lower in fat (and saturated fat) and high in protein. Try cooked shrimp served with cocktail sauce, roasted sliced turkey breast, lean ham, and sliced lean roast beef. Grilled or broiled salmon filet makes a great appetizer when served with whole-grain crackers.

Gone are the days when people tended to think of vegetarians as a small group of earth-loving hippies who spent top dollar for bruised-looking produce at health stores. Vegetarians of every type, from the "flexitarian" (occasional meat eater) to the strict vegan, have gone mainstream.

These days, more and more people are seeking the health benefits of a diet rich in plant-based foods; foods that are now easily found on the shelves of neighborhood grocery stores.

According to the American Dietetic Association, approximately 2.5% of the U.S. adult population eats a diet free of meat, poultry, and fish. And a growing number of people are embracing the flexitarian way of life, which offers many of the health benefits of a vegetarian diet while still allowing occasional meat, fish, and/or poultry.

Of course, some people follow a vegetarian diet for religious or ethical reasons. But enjoying an eating plan rich in plant foods also has many health benefits, ranging from aiding weight loss to preventing disease, experts say.

The American Cancer Society, American Institute for Cancer Research, and American Heart Association all recommend a diet rich in plant-based foods. Such a diet contains an abundance of antioxidants, phytochemicals, and fiber, with low levels of saturated fat and cholesterol.

Indeed, the 2005 U.S. Dietary Guidelines and updated food pyramid (myPyramid.gov) promote a diet rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, and low-fat dairy -- foods that are the foundation of most vegetarian diets.

Veggie Lingo

"Vegetarian" can mean lots of different things. The various types of vegetarian diets include:

• Vegan. Strictest of all, eats only plant products.
• Lacto-vegetarian. Eats dairy products along with a plant-based diet.
• Ovo-vegetarian. Eats eggs along with a plant-based diet.
• Lacto-ovo vegetarian (the most common type). Eats both dairy products and eggs.
• Pesco-vegetarian. Eats fish along with a plant-based diet.
• Flexitarian. While there's no formal definition, this generally refers to a lacto-ovo vegetarian who occasionally eats meat, fish, or poultry. Sometimes called semi-vegetarian.

The Nutrition Low-Down

Vegetarian diets were once thought to be lacking in certain nutrients. But experts say that with a little planning, vegetarians can easily meet all their nutritional needs.

"You can get all the nutrients you need from a well-planned vegetarian diet, along with all the health benefits of a diet that contains lots of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and protein, yet tends to be low in fat and calories -- a perfect combination for losing weight and promoting good health," says Cynthia Sass, MPH, MA, RD, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.

To ensure adequate nutrition, Sass recommends that vegetarians eat a wide variety of foods, including unprocessed whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, and soy products. She recommends using myfoodpyramid.com to help plan meals.

Vegans may find it a little trickier to get enough vitamin B12, omega-3 fatty acids, protein, zinc, vitamin D, and calcium. But a registered dietitian can help devise an adequate vegan meal plan, Sass says.

You know those bottles of wine you picked up because they were on sale, and now you're wondering what you are going to do with them? I've got your answer: Cook and bake with the wine. You probably wouldn't want to cook with a special bottle of wine but those wild-card bottles collecting dust in the pantry -- why not?

When I think of wine, I think of a great fat substitute in recipes. I'm probably unusual in this regard, but I actually use wine more often in cooking than I do as a beverage with dinner.

When you take some of the fat out of dishes, you usually need to add another ingredient to replace the lost moisture. Here are some examples of how wine can do just that:

• Instead of sautéing veggies in heaps of butter or oil, you can sauté them in a smaller amount of oil plus some wine for flavor and moisture.
• Instead of making a marinade with 1/2 cup of oil, decrease the oil to 1/4 cup and add 1/4 cup wine.
• Instead of adding 3/4 cup of oil to a cake mix recipe, add 3/4 cup of white or dessert wine to the batter.

Here are my favorite ways to use wine in light cooking:

• Wine helps cook and add flavor to fish. Deep-fried fish dipped in tartar sauce, albeit tasty, defeats the nutritional purpose of eating fish. One way to add flavor and moisture to fish without adding fat is to cook it with wine. You can add wine to the pan while the fish is simmering, poach the fish over a saucepan of boiling wine, or drizzle fish with a tablespoon or two of wine and bake it in a foil package.

• Wine is a great ingredient in marinades. Wine is basically an acid ingredient (which helps tenderize the outside of the meat) and it has a lot of flavor. The wine-based marinade helps keep meat, poultry, or seafood moist while it cooks, too.

• Wine can help cook and simmer foods. Add wine to dishes you're cooking in a skillet on the stove, in a slow cooker, or in the oven. Simmered along with the food, it adds flavor and moisture to whatever dish you're making.

• Wine can be used in baking, too! For certain types of cakes, using wine or sherry in place of some of the fat not only lightens up the cake but adds complimentary flavors.

7 Secrets of Cooking With Wine

Ready to start experimenting with wine cookery? Here are seven basics you should know.

1. Play off the subtle flavors in wine.

Here are some of the subtle food-like flavors that can come through in wine -- which you may want to capitalize on by adding some to dishes containing these foods:

• White wine: melon, apple, pineapple, pear, citrus, vanilla, caramel, olives, and mushrooms
• Red wine: berries, peaches, currants, plums, cherries, oranges, chocolate, and coffee

Guess who's coming to Thanksgiving dinner? It could be a vegetarian or two.

For many hosts and hostesses this Thanksgiving, the odds are good that someone is coming to dinner who doesn't eat turkey or other animal meats. Over the years, I've been both the visiting vegetarian and the hostess welcoming vegetarian guests.

Interest in vegetarianism is on the rise, with about 6% of the American population saying they never eat meat (the figure goes up to 10% among those aged 18-34), according to a recent Vegetarian Resource Group Harris Interactive Survey.

Whether people become committed to vegetarianism due to religious, ethical, or health considerations, or out of concern for the environment or animal rights, they are all most likely receiving health benefits.

In a recent position statement, the American Dietetic Association says that the nutritional benefits of vegetarian diets include lower levels of saturated fat, cholesterol, and animal protein, as well as higher levels of fiber, folate, phytochemicals, and antioxidants such as vitamin C and E.

Vegetarians may also have lower body mass indexes (compared to non-vegetarians) and lower rates of death from heart disease. They're also likely to have lower blood cholesterol levels and lower blood pressure, as well as lower rates of type 2 diabetes and prostate and colon cancers.

If you're expecting vegetarians to dinner (who may or may not include yourself), there are two ways to look at it. You can either make sure you have so many vegetarian side dishes that your non-meat-eating guests can make a meal of them, or you can include vegetarian main dishes out of respect for their meatless mandate.

I'll tackle both in this article. Below, you'll find a recipe for savory vegetable gravy so your vegetarian guests can enjoy the classic Thanksgiving comfort food of mashed potatoes and gravy. There's also a recipe for a main dish, Yuletide Manicotti, and a festive dinner roll.

All of the recipes will be acceptable for lacto-ovo vegetarians (those who eat eggs and milk products). If you're expecting a vegan for dinner, experiment with vegan substitutes, such as soy milk, soy cheese, and soy-based margarines.

We do a lot of standing around and visiting with friends, family, and co-workers this time of year, don't we? And what are we doing with our hands while we are visiting? We're enjoying all those lovely finger foods. So many goodies and only 10 fingers!

I love finger foods. You don't have to commit to an entrée, a whole slice of pie, or an entire roll. You don't even need silverware -- grab a napkin and you're good to go. Finger foods invite us to enjoy a cute and petite portion of the appetizer du jour. Can't argue with that!

In honor of festive gatherings all over the country this season, here are a few lightened finger foods to perk up your party table. I've given these tried-and-true recipes a nutritional nip and a tuck, substituting reduced-fat ingredients where possible; reducing the butter, margarine or sugar ? you get the picture.

Wishing you all a happy holiday and a healthy New Year!

Lite (Liverless) Pate

The original recipe for this appetizer came from one of our Weight Loss Clinic members who posted on the Recipe Doctor message board. It sounded so good I just had to try it for myself. The light version worked wonderfully, so I want to share it with all of you.

2 cups shredded roasted, skinless, and boneless dark chicken meat (2 thighs and 2 drumsticks works well)
Pinch cayenne pepper
1/4 cup low trans-fat margarine with 8 grams fat per tablespoon (such as Take Control)
1/4 cup light cream cheese
1 teaspoon dry mustard
Dash celery salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (or more to taste)
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves (or more to taste)
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons brandy (add a tablespoon more, if desired)
1/3 cup dried currants or other dried fruits (such as cranberries)

• Add all ingredients to a large food processor bowl. Blend until mostly smooth.
• Spoon into serving bowl and chill at least six hours. Serve with thinly sliced bread and/or wheat crackers (preferably reduced-fat and higher-fiber).

Yield: 8 servings

Per serving: 129 calories, 10 grams protein, 5.5 grams carbohydrate, 6.5 grams fat, 1.5 grams saturated fat, 33 milligrams cholesterol, 0.6 grams fiber, 57 milligram sodium (not including celery salt). Calories from fat: 50%.