Healthy Holiday Cooking: A Complete Guide

Healthy Holiday Cooking: A Complete Guide

The holidays are meant to be spent with friends, family and food. While your holiday plans may be a bit different this year, the festive nature of the season can be kept alive with great food and time spent in the kitchen. Now, when we say great food, we mean great in all aspects; great smelling, great tasting and most importantly, great for you! It's no secret that the holidays and health don't often go hand in hand. With all the festive parties and treats filling your calendar, it's easy to get off track. One way to ensure that your holiday diet remains nutritious is to cook healthy meals at home. If you hear the word healthy and automatically think of bland food, we're here to change your mind. With the right ingredients, you can savor all of the flavors of traditional holiday meals and ditch the added sugar and calories. Still, feeling skeptical? Use this guide to healthy holiday cooking to learn how to stick to your diet without compromising your favorite foods. Read on for more healthy eating tips for the holidays!

Keep Cooking Your Favorite Dishes

Healthy Holiday Cooking: A Complete Guide | Bob's Red Mill Blog Like we mentioned, eating healthy during the holidays doesn't mean you have to give up your favorite meals. With just a few modifications, even the most traditional dishes can be made lighter. By using less butter, swapping sour cream for Greek yogurt and mixing in healthy alternative sweeteners, you'll be able to keep all your favorites at the holiday table without compromising your healthy diet. Ready to get started? Make healthy turkey pot pies with this Gluten Free Turkey Biscuit Pot Pie Recipe.

Control Your Portion Sizes

One of the best ways to control your health is by controlling your portion sizes. When eating this season, try focusing on eating until you're satisfied, not until you're stuffed. Because it takes your brain a little while to communicate with your stomach, if you wait until you're stuffed to stop eating, then you've likely overeaten. Aside from the onset of calories, overeating can cause gastrointestinal problems. One way to better control your portion sizes is to be conscious about the food that goes on your plate. When filling your plate, make sure that at least half of it is filled with veggies and fruit. The other half can be left for more indulging dishes like mashed potatoes and protein. This way, you can continue eating the foods you love while also sticking to your healthy diet.

Tweak Sweet Meals

Healthy Holiday Cooking: A Complete Guide | Bob's Red Mill Blog No holiday cooking guide would be complete without a way to make desserts a bit cleaner. When it comes to lightening up your holiday meals, Dessert tends to sabotage your healthy eating. Pies, cookies and cakes fill the tables of holiday parties, inviting guests for seconds and thirds. While most dessert recipes are known for being high in sugar and calories, they don't all have to be that way. There are countless healthy ingredients like fruits and veggies that can be used to make delightful desserts. By using naturally sweet ingredients, you can skip the added sugar and provide a healthier option at the holiday dessert table. To make a dessert that is as nutritious as it is delicious, try out this Paleo Passover Apple Crisp Recipe.

Use More Fruits and Veggies

Now that we've discussed how fruits and vegetables can be used to make sweet dessert recipes, it's time we touch on how to add them into your dinner recipes as well. Adding fruit to your dinner dishes is an easy way to sweeten your meals naturally. Because fruits and vegetables are loaded with vitamins and nutrients, they make a healthy base for any dish. Use them to complement a homemade stir fry or swap pasta noodles out for a low carb zucchini noodle. The possibilities when making veggie-based meals are endless! For the perfect comfort food, make these Beef and Vegetable Hand Pies.

Choose Protein Wisely

Healthy Holiday Cooking: A Complete Guide | Bob's Red Mill Blog For a nutritious holiday meal, choose a recipe that features a lean protein like turkey or fish. Incorporating high-protein meals into your holiday menu will help keep you full and energized for all of the festivities. Additionally, if you're planning a small gathering and want to make sure guests don't go hungry, work protein into your snacks and appetizers. Offering small healthy protein bites like light cheese and nuts will keep guests happy until dinner is ready. Whatever you do, try to incorporate healthy, high protein foods into your Christmas recipes.

Limit the High Calories Beverages

With holiday meals come holiday beverages. While holiday beverages may be tasty, they're also commonly laden with sugar and calories. Indulging in multiple holiday beverages in one sitting can quickly increase your calorie count. Instead of restricting yourself to these beverages completely, be mindful of how much you're drinking. For an easy way to enjoy your favorite drinks while also watching your health, try alternating between your favorite holiday beverage and water. This will keep both your thirst and calorie count down! Looking for a rich and delicious hot chocolate mix? Follow along with this recipe. Cooking healthily during the holidays doesn't mean the meals have to be boring. With just a few tweaks, you can turn traditional holiday meals into healthier versions of themselvesand keep all of the original flavors! This season, use the tips we've mentioned on this list to whip up a plate full of taste and nutrition.
Bob's Red Mill
December 17 2020

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