4 Healthy Holiday Recipes

The best part about the holiday season? The food! The downside is that there's probably a good amount of food that's not necessarily great for our health, leaving us feeling guilty for having eaten everything we did over the holidays.

If you're worried about preparing (and eating) some delicious but still healthy holiday dishes this year, I've got you covered. Here are 4 recipes for you to enjoy without the guilt.

 

1. Gingerbread Loaf

Ingredients:

1½ cups Whole Wheat Pastry Flour

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1½ tsp. Cinnamon

1 tsp. Ground Ginger

¼ tsp. Ground Cloves

¼ tsp. Salt

¼ cup Coconut Oil

¼ cup Pure Maple Syrup

¼ cup Molasses

1 Egg, at room temperature

1 tsp. Vanilla

¾ cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk

For the glaze:

2 tbsp. White Chocolate Chips

1 tsp. Coconut Oil

For the topping:

2 tbsp. Dried Cranberries

2 tbsp. Pistachios

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and line a loaf pan with parchment.

2. Whisk coconut oil, maple syrup, molasses, egg, vanilla, and almond milk until smooth.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt. Add to the first mixture.

4. Pour the batter into a loaf pan and sprinkle the top with coarse sugar.

5. Bake for about 35-45 minutes.

6. To make the topping: add white chocolate chips and coconut oil to a small bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals until the chocolate is smooth and melted.

7. Drizzle the topping over the cooled loaf, and top with cranberries and pistachios.

Recipe by: Ambitious Kitchen

 

2. Roasted Mushrooms and Radicchio

Ingredients:

6 Shallots, cut into ½-inch thick wedges

5 tbsp. Olive Oil, divided

1½ lb. Mixed Mushrooms (if large, tear them)

1 small head Radicchio, cut into large pieces

½ cup fresh Flat-Leaf Parsley

2 tbsp. Balsamic or Sherry Vinegar

Salt and Pepper

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Toss together the shallots and 1 tablespoon of oil onto a baking sheet.

3. Season with salt and pepper

4. Roast for 15 minutes

5. Add mushrooms and 2 tablespoons of oil to the baking sheet and toss it to combine. Roast until both shallots and mushrooms are tender (about 25 minutes).

6. Transfer mushrooms and shallots to a bowl. Add in parsley, radicchio, vinegar, and remaining oil.

 

Recipe by: Country Living

 

3. Spicy Tomato Bacon Bites

Ingredients:

1 can of Diced Tomatoes, drained

2½ cups Bacon Crumble

1 cup Shredded Swiss Cheese

8 oz. softened Cream Cheese (or 1 cup Mayo)

45 frozen Phyllo Pastry Cups, thawed

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix in the drained tomatoes, bacon, Swiss cheese, and cream cheese in a bowl until blended.

3. Spoon the mixture into the phyllo cups until they are full. Place on a baking sheet.

4. Bake 15-20 minutes until heated or the cheese is melted.

*If you want something a little spicier, use the mild or hot flavors of diced tomatoes.

 

Recipe by: Classy Clutter

 

4. Mini Pecan Cranberry Goat Cheese Balls

 Ingredients:

8 oz. Honey Goat Cheese

½ cup Pecans

½ tbsp. Unsalted Butter

2 tbsp. Brown Sugar

¼ - ½ cup Dried Cranberries

¼ tsp. Ground Cinnamon (optional)

1 tbsp. fresh chopped Parsley

pinch of Salt

 

Directions:

1. Remove goat cheese from the wrapper and cut it into 8-10 discs. Set aside.

2. Heat a small pan to medium heat and melt your butter.

3. Once the butter starts to bubble, add your pecans, brown sugar, and a pinch of salt. Using salted butter? Skip the salt or season to taste.

4. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often to prevent sugar from burning and pour over a large sheet of parchment paper in a thin layer. Allow cooling for several minutes until the candy coating hardens.

5. Fold the parchment paper in half, trapping the cooled pecans, and crush with a hard object of choice (anything from a kitchen mallet to a wine bottle works) and then roughly chop with a knife until minced.

6. Finely chop cranberries and add to the pecans.

7. Combine pecans, cranberries, and parsley on a plate or cutting board. Mix well.

8. Take a goat cheese disc and press it into the pecan coating on each side, then roll it into a ball. Coat again as needed by rolling the completed ball in the mixture once more and transferring it to a cheese board or appetizer plate.

9. Repeat for each disc until you have a party-perfect plate of goat cheese balls.

10. Dive in with your choice of crackers/fruit/veggies.

 

Recipe by: Peas and Crayons

 

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