6 Recipes for a Healthy Holiday Meal

By Nutritional Weight & Wellness Staff
December 20, 2022

Cookies, pie, potato bakes, festive drinks, and casseroles are part of the holiday celebrations for many of us each year. Unfortunately, these traditional dishes and treats often leave us feeling crabby, give us tummy aches and heartburn, make our joints ache, and maybe even put us to sleep. It’s enough to make you think, “Bah humbug,” after it’s all said and done.

The good news is that there are delicious holiday dishes you can make this year to start some new food traditions with your friends and family. We checked in with our experts, the nutritionists at Nutritional Weight & Wellness, to see what they’re making this holiday season and came up with a balanced, yet delicious, holiday spread. So whether you’re hosting the whole family affair, asked to bring a dish, or just looking for something to nibble on while watching the New Year’s Eve ball drop, try these tasty recipes! They use real food ingredients that help balance your blood sugar, nourish your body, and tickle your tastebuds.

1. Appetizers on the plan? Lil’ Dipper Veggie Dip

Ingredients:

• 1 c. sour cream
• 1 c. mayonnaise
• 2 tsp. parsley
• 2 tsp. dried onion
• 2 tsp. dill
• 1 tsp. seasoned salt
• 1/8 tsp. garlic powder

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together.
2. Store in refrigerator overnight to let flavors mix before serving. Serve with a variety of vegetables. Bonus points for arranging them in a holiday shape!

Serving size is 1-2 Tbsp.

2. Stick a toothpick in these hearty apps: Wild Rice Meatballs

Ingredients:

• 1¼ lb. ground beef
• 1 organic egg, slightly beaten
• ½ c. onion, finely chopped
• 1 c. cooked wild rice
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. garlic powder OR finely chopped garlic to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Combine ingredients and shape into 12 meatballs, approximately 1½ inches in diameter.
3. Place meatballs on baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes or until brown.

Serving size is 3 meatballs as a meal.

 

3. A satisfying main dish: Pulled Beef

Ingredients:

• 2 lb. chuck roast or stew meat
• 1 large yellow onion, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ c. chicken or beef broth
• 1 Tbsp. of Nice Spice – Big Easy Louisi Cajun
• ½ tsp. black pepper

Directions:

1. Set slow cooker on low.
2. Put meat in pot.
3. Add broth to pot.
4. Put onions and garlic on top of meat.
5. Add spices on top of meat and onions.
6. Cover and cook for 8-10 hours.
7. Take two forks and shred the meat.

Serving size is four to six ounces.

4. Bacon makes everything better: Bacon Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients:

• 2-3 lbs. of Brussels sprouts, quartered
• ½ lb. of mushrooms (optional), chopped
• ½ of a large onion, diced
• 1 lb. bacon, chopped
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Lard, coconut oil, butter or olive oil to roast

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 375. Place quartered Brussels sprouts, chopped onion and mushrooms onto a roasting pan.
2. Add 2-3 tablespoons of the fat of your choice (lard, coconut oil butter or olive oil) to the Brussels sprouts mixture.
3. Roast mixture for approximately 30 minutes. Toss one to two times during cooking process to coat the mixture evenly with the fat.
4. While the Brussels sprouts are roasting, make the bacon on the stove. Chop the cooked bacon, saving the bacon grease.
5. Remove the Brussels sprouts mixture from the oven and add the chopped bacon and bacon grease to the Brussels mixture. Toss to evenly coat.
6. Place Brussels mixture back into the oven for another 10-15 minutes, or until the Brussels are crispy and have a tan to dark brown crisp on the outer leaves.

Serving size is one cup.

5. Just the right amount of sweetness: Mashed Sweet Potato Casserole

Ingredients:

• 4 c. hot mashed sweet potatoes
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 2 eggs
• ¼ c. cream or coconut milk

Topping:

• ¼ c. chopped pecans
• ¼ c. unsweetened coconut
• 2 Tbsp. coconut flour
• 2 Tbsp. butter, melted

Directions:

1. Mix the mashed sweet potatoes, butter and eggs together.
2. Beat in ¼ c. of cream or coconut milk.
3. Pour mixture into a 2-quart casserole dish.
4. Combine all topping ingredients and place on top of the sweet potato mixture.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

Serving size is ½ cup.

6. Finish with a balanced treat: Mocha Mousse

Ingredients:

• 1 can full-fat coconut milk (blended first)
• 2 ½ Tbsp. chia seeds
• 1 scoop NutriKey Wellness Whey Protein - Chocolate
•  1 scoop NutriKey Key Greens & Fruits - Espresso (try Key Greens & Fruits – Chocolate made with monk fruit to skip the mocha flavor)

Toppings (optional):

• 3 raspberries
• flaked unsweetened coconut
• ½ tsp. dark mini chocolate chips
• ½ tsp. toasted sunflower seeds
• ½ large strawberry

Directions:

1. Add milk and chia seeds to blender; blend about 30 seconds.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients to the blender.
3. Blend until very smooth and creamy, adding a bit of water if it’s too thick to blend.
4. Scoop the mixture into three custard cups, place in the fridge for at least 60 minutes.
5. Top each cup as desired, see suggested toppings above.

Serving size is one custard cup.

 

Bonus! Not a mocha or chocolate fan?: Gluten-Free Cranberry Maple Pear Pie

Crust Ingredients:

• 1 ½ c. Bob’s Red Mill® Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour
• ½ c. corn flour
• ¼ c. fine ground pecans
• ½ tsp. salt
• ¾ c. butter
• 1/3 c. plus 2 Tbsp ice water

Filling Ingredients:

• 4 ½ tsp. cornstarch combined with 2 Tbsp water
• 12 oz. cranberries
• 1 c. maple syrup
• 4 large Bartlett pears, peeled and sliced (slightly under ripe, not too soft, not too hard)

Directions:

Pie crust:

1. Combine flours, pecans and salt.
2. Cut in butter until mixture resembles cornmeal. 
3. Add water and stir to make a dough. 
4. Divide dough in half.
5. Roll out both halves on gluten-free floured surface (can use corn flour). 
6. Use one half to line a 9” pie shell; reserve the other half for the top.

Pie filling:

1. Cook berries in syrup until boiling.
2. Add cornstarch mixture. 
3. Simmer until thick, 1-2 minutes; remove from heat and cool slightly, add pears.
4. Pour filling into unbaked pie shell. Cover with remaining half of dough and crimp edges. 
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes, or until golden brown around edges.

 

As a holiday gift to you, click here for printer-friendly PDF versions of these recipes.

We hope you enjoy the recipes and have a nourishing, delicious holiday season!