During the holiday season, you’ll likely find yourself cooking more than expected. Not only that, but you may cook different dishes for different occasions and different meals for various people. If you love to cook, this prospect may make you super excited that the holiday season is here. After all, any excuse to cook for others is welcomed!
With this influx of food during the season, it’s understandable to be concerned about trying to stay healthy. It’s not impossible to do so, but it is hard. However, you can make healthy recipes that are also easy to cook. These are three such recipes that work for different occasions.
Photo Via Betty Crocker
Whether you’re cooking just for your family or for many more people, a wonderful meal that’s easy to make and share is a guaranteed winner. Add in the fact that it’s healthy, and you’ll have a winning combination for an early morning holiday party. Talk about a win-win!
This casserole allows you to use frozen vegetables with fresh vegetables, as well as eggs and cheese. It’s a hearty dish that’s choke full of healthy carbohydrates, fats and protein. Plus, it’s fairly easy to make because you cook some ingredients, mix everything together and then bake it in the oven. Casseroles are great because they’re easy to share with others. Everyone will love eating, but you’ll especially love how healthy it is.
Even if you’re not hosting Christmas at your home this year, you may be called upon to make a side dish. Whether it’s for a potluck style dinner or not, making a side dish for someone else’s Christmas dinner or holiday party is a possibility. But what on Earth should you make?
If you’re looking to make a healthier option, a salad is a great choice. This recipe in particular includes fruit, greens, nuts and vegetables— however, you could easily add in some cooked meat (i.e. chicken or turkey) if you wish. Whether you do that or not, the accompanying homemade dressing will be just fine as a way to add more flavour and healthy fats. This salad is the perfect side dish for any holiday party.
Via Live Well, Bake Often
No Christmas dinner or holiday party is complete without dessert. What better dessert is there for this time of year than Christmas cookies? You may believe that making a healthy dessert is impossible, or that it won’t taste good. But you’d be wrong about that.
One popular Christmas cookie recipe is sugar cookies. They’re sweet, easy to make and can be unique from how you decorate them. This healthier sugar cookie recipe calls for healthier alternatives— whole wheat flour and low-fat cream cheese. There’s also a healthy icing recipe alongside these cookies. Instead of royal icing, this icing has less powdered sugar and 2 percent Greek yogurt as better choices. So not only are you serving healthy cookies, but you’re also decorating them with beautiful and healthy icing. Your family and friends (as well as yourself) can indulge in these sugar cookies with no guilt whatsoever!
Being extremely healthy during the holiday season will most likely be impossible to do because you can’t control what others make. However, you can try to keep some of that control by making healthy dishes for parties and dinners alike. Plus, you’re able to make tasty dishes that many people will love!