Healthy Holiday Recipes
Cooking this holiday season? Here are some healthy holiday recipes
It can be hard to eat healthy during the holidays — meals are big, portions are huge and desserts are everywhere.
The average American gains between seven and 10 pounds over the holidays, and it starts in October! According to a study from Cornell University, it takes over five months to lose that weight.
Read here to identify what holiday foods should you definitely avoid, and check out two healthy recipes below.
Sausage, Sage and Apple Stuffing (12 servings)
From Eat Yourself Skinny
Ingredients
8 cups sourdough bread, 1-inch cubes
6 oz. mild Italian sausage
1½ cups onion, chopped
1¼ cups fennel bulb, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
3 cups chopped, peeled Golden Delicious apple (about 2)
6 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbsp fresh sage, chopped
⅓ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1¼ cups chicken stock
¼ cup apple cider
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
½ tsp. black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F.
- Bake bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet for about 20 minutes or until golden. Cool and place in a large bowl. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and cook sausage until browned and crumbled. Add sausage to bread in bowl.
- Return skillet to medium-high heat and add onion, fennel and celery to pan. Saute for about seven minutes until crisp and tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in apple and garlic; saute for five minutes until veggies are tender. Add sage and cook for an additional minute, stirring occasionally. Remove pan from heat and stir in chopped parsley. Add onion mixture to bread mixture and toss well to combine.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together chicken stock, apple cider, eggs and black pepper. Gently combine egg mixture with bread mixture. Spoon stuffing into an 11×7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray and bake at 350º F for about 45 minutes until top is browned. Enjoy!
Quinoa and Mushroom-Stuffed Butternut Squash (6-8 servings)
Ingredients
4 lbs. butternut squash; 2 regular-sized squashes
2 cups quinoa
1 cup chanterelle mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup white onion, chopped
½ cup parmesan
3 tablespoons olive oil, separated
2 cloves garlic, minced
water
salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
- Preheat oven to 450º F
- Cut squashes in half, take the seeds out and place, cut side up, in two 11×7 baking dishes. Season with salt, pepper and olive oil (one tablespoon per squash), and add 1/4 inch of water to baking dishes.
- Cover baking dishes with foil and bake for around 40 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork.
- Reduce oven temperature to 375º F
- In a small pot, bring 4 cups water to a boil and then add quinoa. Reduce to a simmer and let cook for 15-20 minutes, or until quinoa has absorbed all water. Remove from heat.
- In a pan, heat remaining olive oil and sauté mushrooms and onions on medium heat. Add in the garlic after a few minutes. Cook until fragrant and onions are translucent.
- After squash has cooled, scoop out the insides, leaving about a 1/4 inch of flesh.
- In a large bowl, combine quinoa, butternut squash, mushrooms, onions and garlic, and parmesan cheese. Mix well and season with salt and pepper.
- Spoon mixture back into the hollow butternut squashes and return them to the over to back for 20-25 minutes, or until top is golden brown.
For more ideas, visit The Food Network’s suggestions for healthy indulgences.