The holidays are just around the corner and the bulky sweaters are out in full force. That doesn't mean we should put our healthy routines on hold until New Year's! The Laughing Cow is here to help keep your taste buds and waistline happy through the end of 2010 and beyond.

The holiday season through the New Year is filled with many joyful events, from potlucks to family gatherings, many of which feature some particularly decadent foods. Plus, our own kitchens tend to fill up with special treats as well. While enjoying all the good company and all the good food, it can be easy to enjoy a few too many of Aunt Ann's macaroons or Grandma's famous candied yams.

Never fear, smart snacking is a great way to curb your appetite ahead of these gatherings, so you can enjoy your favorites in moderation. We recently interviewed Cynthia Sass, registered dietitian and author of the new book, Cinch! Conquer Cravings, Drop Pounds & Lose Inches, coming out December 28, and asked her what key ingredients define a smart snack.

"To keep you energized and nourished and curb cravings, a smart snack should include a combo of protein, good carbs and healthy fat, such as a fresh pear, a Mini Babybel, almonds and whole grain crackers, or a parfait made from nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt, sliced pineapple, cooked, chilled quinoa, and pumpkin seeds," said Sass.

What says the holidays and harvest more than apple pie? Here is our Apple Pie á la TLC version to satisfy your craving and keep the bulky holiday sweaters in the closet.

Apple Pie á la TLC

Ingredients (makes one serving):
2 graham cracker squares (one full 2.5 x 5-inch cracker split in half)
1 whole wedge of The Laughing Cow Light Original Swiss Cheese
4 apple slices
Dash of ground cinnamon
Dash of brown sugar


Directions:
Spread each graham cracker square equally with cheese. Top each cracker with 2 apple slices and sprinkle with ground cinnamon and brown sugar.

PER SERVING: 130 calories, 3g fat, 300mg sodium, 22g carbs, 3g fiber, 12g sugar, 3g protein

See some other ideas for snacking with apples on our blog.

Don't forget to stay active these next couple of months. There is nothing like the feeling of the cool, crisp air to bring an invigorating smile to your face and there are many fun activities to enjoy!

• Go for a hike, run or bike ride to soak in the fall foliage scenery.
• Get involved with a charity walk or run in your local area. Many cities host "Turkey Trots" on Thanksgiving Day to get the whole family moving before the feast.
• Once the snow starts to fall, snowshoeing is an old-timey, but fun and challenging workout.
• If the opportunity presents itself, ice skating and skiing are great options for breaking the workout routine.
• Cold weather can also be a great excuse to bust out the fun, cheesy workout dvds you're embarrassed to do in front of other people!

The Laughing Cow Wedges and Mini Babybel are easy to bring with you on the go, so don't forget to fuel up for your workout! We asked Cynthia Sass for her advice on pre/post workout snacking as well.

"I try to match my snack with my workout. My favorite activity is hiking, especially in the fall. An hour or so before, I fuel up on easy-to-digest carbs along with a little bit of protein and fat to keep my blood sugar steady (like a banana and natural peanut butter) and munch on a heartier combo of carbs, protein and fat after to refuel and help my muscles recover (like whole grain crackers, edamame, baby carrots, and pesto for dipping). And of course plenty of H2O!"

Catch up on happy living, smart snacking and other cheesy updates all month long on our blog at thelaughingcow.com. If you haven't already done so, please invite your friends to join us at thelaughingcow.com for recipes, cheese chat, videos and other tasty topics! You can also find us on Twitter @TheLaughingCow and on our Facebook page.

There will be chances to win cheesy treats and other prizes through the end of the year on The Laughing Cow blog, Twitter and Facebook--make sure you're connected with us!