Cheers to a healthy holiday!
It’s the most wonderful time of the year…when we can find the time right? Between holiday gatherings, decorating the house and preparing for guests, we are all on the go trying to cross things off our list. A lot of us put ourselves on the back burner in favor of loved ones and trying to actually enjoy the holidays. We are eating out more, grabbing overprocessed and high sugar, prepared food to go and over indulging at parties.
So let me help you cross at least one thing off your list with the following healthy, festive recipes for whatever you may be celebrating. These recipes are predominately gluten-free, dairy-free and mostly oil-free so adjust per your dietary needs. Enjoy!
Recipes adapted from Healthy Living Revolution Cookbook
Pomegranate-Cranberry Spritz
2 servings
1/4 cup pomegranate juice
1/4 cup cranberry juice
1 cup seltzer water or club soda
1 tsp. lime juice
Garnish with lime slice, pomegranate seeds, fresh cranberries, mint or rosemary
Step 1: Stir ingredient pomegranate and lime juice together and pour over a glass of ice
Step 2: Add seltzer water and garnish per your preference
ICE CUBE VARIATION - Makes 12 ice cubes
1 orange rind, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
1/4 cup fresh cranberries
1 cup cranberry juice
Club soda
Step 1: Divide orange rind, pomegranate seeds and cranberries among an ice cube tray/mold.
Step 2: Pour cranberry juice into ice cube molds until full and then freeze overnight.
Step 3: Divide flavored ice cubes among glasses and pour club soda over them
Scalloped Potatoes
Appx. 8 servings
2 Tbsp. olive oil or vegan butter
1⁄2 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. tapioca flour, potato starch, or gluten-free flour
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1 tsp. salt
1⁄4 tsp. pepper
2 1⁄2 cups non-dairy milk
6 large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced, use a mandolin if you have one
1 Tbsp. fresh thyme, chives, or herb of choice
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 °F.
Step 2: Place the oil/butter in a saucepan and melt over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and
garlic. Cook for about ~5 minutes until softened.
Step 3: Stir in the flour and nutritional yeast. Add 11⁄4 cups of the milk and stir well until smooth.
Step 4: Add the rest of the remaining 11⁄4 cups of milk, and turn the heat to medium high. Cook while
stirring constantly for a minute or two to allow the sauce to thicken. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 5: Place the thinly sliced potatoes in a casserole dish and pour the sauce over the top.
Step 6: Cover the dish and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and continue to bake for one hour
and 10 minutes.
Before serving, sprinkle with fresh thyme, chives, or herb of choice.
Creamed Corn
Appx. 4 servings
2 cups frozen (or fresh) corn kernels
1 can (15 oz.) full-fat coconut milk
1⁄4 tsp. kosher salt
1⁄4 tsp. black pepper
Handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1⁄4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp. scallions, chopped
Step 1: Combine corn and coconut milk in a saucepan over medium heat, and bring to a simmer.
Step 2: Cook ~15 minutes, until coconut milk has evaporated a bit and thickened.
Step 3: Once the mixture has reached the desired consistency, mix in parsley, red pepper flakes, and
scallions. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Baked Potato Latkes
Appx. 4 servings
1 large russet potato, peeled and grated (2 cups)
1⁄4 yellow onion, grated
1⁄4 cup plus 1 Tbsp. coconut flour
1 tsp. ground flaxseeds mixed with 3 Tbsp. water
3⁄4 tsp. kosher salt
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1⁄4 tsp. paprika
Step 1: Preheat oven to 400°F. Oil a baking sheet well but not too much that the latkes will get soaked.
Step 2: Place all of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
Step 3: Scoop about 1⁄4 cup of the mixture for each latke onto the prepared baking sheet. Flatten to
about 1⁄4 inch thick.
Step 4: Bake for 8 minutes and flip. Bake again until golden brown, about 8 minutes. The crispier you like them, the longer you will bake them.
Optional: Serve topped with applesauce
Matzo Ball Soup
Appx. 6 servings
BROTH
2 cups vegetable broth
11⁄2 cups onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, sliced
2 shallots, chopped
2 large leeks, sliced
2 cups carrots, sliced
1/2 cup fresh dill
1/2 cup fresh parsley
6 cups water
Step 1: Saute onion, garlic, shallots, carrots leeks, and a few pinches of kosher salt in a stock pot. Cook and stir for ~ 10 minutes, until the vegetables have softened.
Step 2: Add vegetable broth and herbs to pot and bring to a boil.
Step 3: Add the rest of the water and reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 1 hour.
Step 4: Strain the broth, pressing the vegetables with the back of a spoon to extract all of the liquid. You can toss these vegetables or save them to put in your finished soup to add texture.
MATZO BALLS
11⁄2 cups boiling water
11⁄2 cups quinoa flakes (or gluten free matzo meal)
1⁄2 tsp. kosher salt
1⁄4 tsp. black pepper
1⁄2 tsp. onion powder
2 Tbsp. cooked potato puree
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 300°F.
Step 2: Bring 1⁄2 cup water to a boil over medium-high heat.
Step 3: In a bowl, mix together the quinoa flakes (or matzo meal), salt, black pepper, and onion powder.
Step 4: Add the boiling water and potato puree and mix well.
Step 5: Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Step 6: Once cold, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or oil and form Tbsp.-size balls of the matzo mixture and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
Step 7: Bake for 10 minutes. Carefully turn them over and bake for another 10 minutes.
SOUP
6 cups rich leek-onion-shallot broth (above)
1⁄2 cup onion, diced
1 cup carrot, sliced
1 tsp. sea salt
2 Tbsp. minced fresh dill
Step 1: Saute onion, carrot and pinch of kosher salt, ~ 10 mins until vegetables are softened.
Step 2: In a large pot, heat all of the broth over medium heat. Add the vegetable mixture.
Step 3: Simmer and cook ~ 10 to 15 minutes until carrots are tender.
Step 4: To serve, place 2-3 matzo balls in each soup bowl and pour broth on top. Serve topped with fresh dill.
Now it’s time to RELAX! So raise a mocktail, grab another serving without the guilt and throw on your favorite holiday movie!
If you are still feeling stressed and overwhelmed with the holidays or you want to learn more about how what you eat impacts your health and chronic symptoms, contact me for a free strategy session. I’ll assess your current lifestyle habits and nutrition to give you some simple ideas to get you started towards better health that can easily fit into your daily life.
