Healthy Holiday Recipes

Christmas is one of our favorite times of the year! Especially excited this year because we need some joy after all that 2020 has brought on! :)

Here are a few holiday favorite recipes with a healthier spin on each for those of you that are wanting to enjoy without feeling like you've totally gone off the rails.

Dairy Free Holiday Nog

Ingredients

• 4 egg yolks
• 2.25 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1 can of full-fat coconut milk *see note
• ¼ cup coconut sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 - 1 tsp ground nutmeg**
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• pinch allspice
• *for lighter version, use light Coconut Milk
• **use 1/2 if serving right away, 1 full tsp if letting sit for 1-2 days

Instructions

1. Place egg yolks in a small mixing bowl and set aside
2. Combine remaining ingredients in a medium sized saucepan and bring to a simmer on medium heat.
3. Reduce heat to low.
4. Slowly add approximately ¼ cup of the hot liquids to the egg yolks while whisking continuously. Continue until you've added about one cup of the liquid mixture to the egg yolks before transferring the yolks to the pot.
5. Bring back up to medium heat and whisk while simmering for 4 minutes.
6. Remove from heat and serve immediately or pour in a mason jar and refrigerate.
7. Best sprinkled with a touch of ground cinnamon and nutmeg!
   

Baked Goat Cheese Hummus

This is a great alternative to your traditional hummus dip, the baked goat cheese just makes it a lot creamer and gives you the satisfaction of a warm appetizer. The best thing about this dish is that any flavor of hummus can be utilized and you can add your own spices or peppers to make it more flavorful and fun.

Ingredients

• 10 oz Hummus of choice, I use Roasted Red Pepper
• 4 oz crumbled goat cheese, divided
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• Cooking spray
• Garnish: parsley or another vegetable that matches your hummus flavor

Instructions

1. Combine Hummus, 2 oz crumbled goat cheese, chopped fresh parsley, and cumin. Transfer mixture to a round baking dish. Sprinkle with 2 oz crumbled goat cheese. 
2. Bake at 400° for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Garnish with parsley or garnishment of choice.
3. Serve with veggies or gluten free crackers

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Who doesn't love a good buffalo chicken dip? This is great for parties or just as a fun appetizer - it's best served hot with crackers and celery sticks.

Ingredients

• Cooked and shredded chicken. You can use shredded rotisserie chicken or boil up a couple chicken breasts. I use 2-3 breasts.
• 4 oz of your favorite dairy free cheese plus a little more for the top if you want. I used Daiya cheddar. 
• 8 oz dairy free cream cheese 
• 1/3 cup blue cheese dressing, I used Walden Farms - dairy free, calorie free
• 1/3 cup Franks Red Hot sauce, more if you want it spicier
• Top with rest of cheddar cheese and sprinkle cayenne or paprika on top.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350° 
2. Combine all ingredients and place in 9x11 or baking dish of choice depending on how shallow you want the dip. 
3. Bake uncovered 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted and warm throughout.
4. Serve with celery, radish, cucumbers, gluten free crackers or baguette.

Chicken Posole

This is a Mexican tradition, and another very easy recipe if you're looking for an alternative to traditional Christmas food!

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds chicken breast
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 1/2 quarts chicken broth, organic
• 3 cups water
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp salt
• 4 tbsp chili powder, or to taste
• 3 cups white hominy, rinsed and drained

Instructions

1. Place chicken breast in a crockpot on low overnight with 1/2 cup water, next morning remove and shred chicken.
2. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir onion and garlic until soft and transparent, about 5 minutes.
3. Add skillet ingredients along with chicken, chicken broth, water, oregano, salt, and chili powder to the crock pot. Cook on low for about 90 minutes.
4. Stir in the hominy and cook until tender, about 15 minutes more. Taste to adjust seasonings, adding more salt and chili powder, if desired. Serve in soup bowls with avocado and tortilla strips. Garnish as desired.

Mississippi Pot Roast (Italian Beef)

This is one of my FAVORITE recipes to make for holidays, and it is SO easy and tasty! If you like a good Italian beef, you're going to love this recipe! 

Ingredients

• 5-6 pound Chuck roast
• 1 jar of pepperoncini including the juice
• 14.5 oz can grass-fed bone broth (beef flavor)
• 2 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 2-3 cloves garlic
• 1/2 onion sliced into half moons (as long as you can tolerate it)

Instructions

1. 
Cut chuck roast into 2-3 inch cubes, brown on each side for 2-3 minutes.
2. Add pepperoncini and juice, Italian seasoning, garlic and onion in a slow cooker. Cook on low until roast is fork-tender, about 8-10 hours OR I cook in an instant pot on the meat setting.
3. Pull apart with 2 forks and enjoy! I serve on gluten free hoagie buns with a bit of Giardiniera or horseradish. Option to add cheese. 

Dessert! We know the holidays bring on a lot of cookies and other family traditions so we've got an exciting, and NEW recipe for this Christmas!

Chocolate Peppermint Protein Balls

Everyone likes a little sum'n sum'n now and then, so we created these to have on hand as a healthier alternative to the processed goodies and help you reach your protein goals! :) 

Ingredients

• 10 tbsp cocoa powder
• 6 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/4 cup almond butter
• 1/4 cup CLEAN chocolate protein or unflavored collagen
• ¼ - ½ tsp peppermint extract, use more if not using the candy cane option
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 2-4 tbsp crushed candy canes, or cacao nibs for a healthy crunchy option 
• 2-4 tbsp dairy free chocolate chips
• 2-4 tbsp water optional (see note)

Instructions 

1. Put everything except the candy cane or cacao nibs, chocolate chips and water into a bowl and mix well.
2. Slowly add water if needed. You may not need any water if your almond butter is runny. Start with a teaspoon and slowly add until you get a well mixed batter. If you add too much then the batter will be too soft to roll.
3. Add the candy canes/cacao nibs and chocolate chips and mix again.
4. Allow to chill in the fridge while you clean up, then roll into balls.
   
   *To make this nut free, you can use granola butter (we like Kween) or sunButter, this will change the flavor slightly but will allow it to be completely allergy friendly.
   **If your almond butter is runny you may not need any water, add slowly to get the consistency you prefer. You could also use milk if you want a little extra richness.

Gluten Free Sugar Cookies

What's Christmas without cookies, right?!

Ingredients

• 1 cup finely-ground almond flour
• a little over 1/8 tsp salt 
• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup 
• 1 1/2 tbsp coconut or vegetable oil
• up to 2 level tsp milk of choice or extra oil, as needed 
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• optional: pure almond extract

Instructions

1. Combine all liquid ingredients except milk. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients and stir very well.
2. Next, mix wet into dry and keep stirring, breaking up clumps as you mix—it may seem dry at first, and you can add the extra 2 tsp milk or oil, but do not add any more liquid than the recipe calls for. It will eventually form something that can either be squished into a ball with your hands or put into a plastic bag and smushed from inside the bag (the less-messy option).
3. Roll out dough to cut-out-cookie width, either between sheets of parchment paper or from inside the bag, then cut into shapes.
4. Freeze dough at least 20 minutes before cooking 10-13 minutes (depending on desired crispiness) at 325 F on a greased cookie sheet. Let cool another 10 minutes before even attempting to remove cookies from the sheet. They should firm up nicely.