6 Nutritious Recipes for Your Feast
By Brandi Goodman
Your holiday meal should include nutritious offerings. Be sure to have vegetables, fruits, and whole grains in the mix so everyone at the table can get an assortment of nutrients and vitamins meant to nourish the body and keep it healthy. Consider these six nutritious recipes for your feast or find your own favorites.
Ham With Red Pepper Glaze
Ham isn't the healthiest meat choice, but it is one of the popular options at Christmastime. If you want to enjoy this for your entree then try a ham with red pepper glaze. Look for one that isn't smoked or cured. Cloves of garlic, thyme, crushed red pepper, and extra-virgin olive oil make up the majority of this recipe. You can create a glaze using light brown sugar, organic honey, ginger, and red pepper jelly.
Roasted Beet Salad
For a green and red concoction that perfectly adorns a Christmas table, try a roasted beet salad. You'll gain the benefits of Vitamin C, fiber, and folate from the beets and antioxidants from the red onion. Leave the greens attached to your beets to get your second color. Chopped, toasted walnuts are good in this recipe as well, providing additional antioxidants and even protein.
Peanut-Apple Crunch Balls
You don't have to provide a full pie or other high-calorie dessert. Something small and simple will do the trick. Peanut-apple crunch balls can help satisfy your sweet tooth while also providing some health benefits. Apples are a great option to include with desserts because they provide lots of Vitamin C that acts as an antioxidant. They also give fiber to boost the digestive system. Peanuts provide fiber, protein, and potassium.
Christmas Breakfast Casserole
Perhaps you're in need of a morning recipe instead of dinner. A healthy Christmas breakfast casserole could be your solution. Artichoke hearts, spinach, tomatoes, red pepper, feta cheese, garlic, eggs, and whole wheat bread make up the majority of this recipe that gets thrown into the oven until complete.
Cream Cheese and Cherry Pepper Bites
You might want to include an appetizer at the table that guests can snack on before a later meal. Cream cheese and cherry pepper bites are made with just three ingredients, making them an easy option. Use whole wheat pie crust or dough that you can cut into 24 pieces to make in a mini muffin tin. You only need to add a dollop of cream cheese and top it off with cherry peppers for a quick bite-size snack. You can sprinkle on some herbs if you wish for enhanced flavor.
Whole Grain Stuffing
Stuffing is a popular addition to the holiday table. Rather than using a box mix it's best to create a homemade version with better ingredients. Whole grain bread should be utilized to get the fiber and B vitamins it provides. Vegetable broth, onion, celery, and seasonings need to be added to the mix along with sage, parsley, pepper, and olive oil.
There will be plenty of unhealthy choices throughout the holiday season. Be sure you're getting at least some nutritional items on your menu so you and your family can enjoy the health benefits they have to offer. You don't want to end up with a stomach ache or worse from filling your belly with nothing but unhealthy options and never eating things that are good for you.
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