5 Days of Healthy Christmas Recipes

With all the holiday parties happening and the big Christmas dinner feast quickly approaching, we often think of it as a time where overindulgence always wins and healthy options are no where to be found. Here are some recipes to "healthify" your next holiday meal. 

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Guest Contributor: Kelly Jones

Cranberry sauce from the can is unfortunately full of preservatives and sugar - adding to the holiday "bulge". The good news is the homemade version is easy and bursting with flavor. My dear friend Kelly has been gracious enough to share her homemade cranberry sauce recipe with us for the holidays.

Shrimp Spinach Artichoke Dip

Have you ever tried a spinach dip you didn’t like!? This one that will have you scrapping the bowl clean . Get your spatula ready to make a double batch, one for that upcoming party and the other for yourself – you won’t want to share!

Citrus Boost Smoothie

Take a swig of this recipe to get your vitamin C and boost your immune system.  Jammed pack with citrus fruit, this one will help you stay free from the cold going around the office.

Candied Sweet Potato Bites

Here is another one of my sweet potato favorites. Roasted until crispy with a sweet spiced glaze, you can’t go wrong with these Candied Sweet Potato Bites.

Skinny Broccoli Tortellini Salad

This dish makes a great appetizer. Pasta salads full of deliciousness are the best. The BEST! This Skinny Broccoli Tortellini Salad has been on the top of my list for years, and now I’m sharing it with you.

What's so great about Apple Cider Vinegar?

Do you have a bottle of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in your pantry? Ever use it as a medicine?

Product Review: Brad's Raw Crunchy Kale

 

I have been waiting impatiently on a sale to try Brad’s Raw Crunchy Kale and was surprisingly disappointed. I don’t like to post negative reviews, but also don’t like to see people waste their money.  

Everyday Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

This is the balsamic vinaigrette I make for my salad everyday. I don't know how, but I haven't gotten sick of it yet. It's quick and simple (four ingredients). When I have more time or for a special occasion, I make a more complex version of this (post coming soon), but here is the simple version that is full of flavor. Great for when you are on the go.

To help you along, here is my FIRST (here goes!) how-to video to help you make this amazing dressing. Let me know what you think, friends!

 

Fall Veggie Pizza

Are you in the mood for a pizza? Fall vegetables? How about a Fall Veggie Pizza? Well good because that’s what is in store here. My Fall Veggie Pizza is loaded with butternut squash and kale, this is a great way to get your veggies, while also enjoying an American favorite. Fall is all about comfort food, getting into the season of giving and many times that means sharing food with friends and family. Right? This Fall Veggie Pizza is great for serving to guests. My (unbiased, not paid, I promise) taste testers gave me two thumbs up on this one.

Classy Quesadilla

Cheesy goodness between two pieces of bread, the adult grilled cheese if you will, who doesn’t love a quesadilla? Usually not the poster child for health, but sometimes they boast redeeming qualities… sometimes. Many menus offer a veggie quesadilla or a side of fresh salsa to make it seem healthy, but usually they still end up greasy, normally filled with meat and cheese, right? That's where the Classy Quesadilla comes in. This recipe transforms this street food into a healthier and yes, classier meal. Maybe you’ll even eat it with a knife and fork (haha).

Kale Tips & Tricks

Kale is a unique leafy green that people seem to either love or hate. I hope you are reading this because you love kale or you are ready to give it a second chance. In my clean eating adventures I’ve had a great experience with kale, and now I want to share some of what I’ve discovered with you. In case you missed the memo, Kale is also full of nutrients...

Kale and Beet Salad with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

Kale can stir up mixed emotions, people either love it, hate it, or as I say - haven’t had it prepared well yet. Here is your chance to try it in a flavorful combo with beets, carrots, pecans, cranberries and feta. I’ll explain how to turn your kale from dry and gritty to soft and chewable in simple steps.

Turkey Sausage Rigatoni Bake

Warm and hearty pasta like this dish is great for fall meals! Pasta bakes are diverse, allowing you to bake ahead of time and warm up when you need it, or re-heat the leftovers. Also, easy enough to make anytime of the week. 1.Cook pasta 2. Cook sausage and onions 3. Mix all ingredients together and bake – done!

Sweet Potato Boats with Avocado Salad - $$

Sweet potato season is here!  In the fall they are easy to turn to for a healthy comfort food.  For me sweet potatoes are a standard during the holidays and have recently become a staple in my kitchen. They also make a great snack by themselves. Check out my chip recipe here.  Or baked – cut one in half and pop in the oven for 20-30 minutes and then add a little butter. Easy. The sweet potato boat improves upon this 10-fold. This recipe takes one of my favorite healthy snacks to a new level – the dinner table! You could eat these by themselves for lunch or as a side with dinner (or I’ve eaten a couple “boats” as my dinner on a night I’m not super hungry).

Quinoa Veggie Salad - $$

I must admit, I haven’t been very creative using quinoa until now, partially because it’s still new to me. I put it on salads and even eat it plain with oil for a quick healthy snack, so creating this recipe was out of my comfort zone and I second guessed myself a hundred times. One thing I try to remember with my recipes is that it’s ok to mess up. Luckily this was not one of my mess ups.

Honey Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing - $

This simple vinaigrette is quick and effortless, just like a salad dressing should be. I would describe it as light, sweet and tangy. I’ve tried this on different types of salad and it’s always good. For freshness I try to use hand squeeze the lemon, but lemon juice from the fridge is fine too. If you are using this dressing on a kale salad I recommend adding the dressing about 20 minutes before you eat to let the leaves soften (let the oil and ACV do their job!). 

Fruit & Walnut Salad - $$

Since I’ve been eating so many fruit smoothies lately, (checkout my top smoothie recipes here) I forgot how easy it is to throw together a fruit salad – there really is no rhyme or reason to what you include. Mix in your favorites and serve. This one started off as a melon salad and I added the grape for the color and the strawberries are just a must have for me. I’ve been adding them to everything this summer, from green salads and breakfast bowls to smoothies and desserts. It makes me wish I had kept up with the strawberry plants my dad bought me when I was a half-hearted 4-H member in elementary school. As always – if you grow any fruit you can save yourself some serious cash. If not this salad could easily cost $10 (but that’s for a large bowl that serves 4-6 people). I used about a half of the cantaloupe and melon so there was plenty of leftover un-cut for other uses throughout the week.

DIY Spicy Chicken Marinade - $

Just in time for the holiday weekend, here is a new marinade to try on the grill or in the oven. Quick and easy is the name of the game so this recipe doesn’t require a food processor for peppers or other ingredients, just a good old whisk.

Lean Green Smoothie - $$

Sometimes I just need to hit the reset button on a slow morning or post weekend after I’ve over indulged on treats. Why not drink your way to feeling better? With whole food ingredients, smoothies are a great way to get vital nutrients, especially when you are in a rush to quickly cleanse your body and give you fuel for the day. Hard to go wrong sipping one of these babies!

Red Cabbage Detox Salad with Ginger Vinegar Dressing - $$

Detox, detox, detox!  This is a home run, if you are looking for a cleanse or just a refreshing and healthy meal. Did I mention this is a detox salad? (haha)

Adapted from the Standard Process Diet recipe - Asian Slaw with Warm Ginger Lime Dressing, I’ve added my own twist. The original recipe calls for it to be warm and that didn’t sound great to me so this is just a tossed salad. If I ever try it warm, I’ll be sure to let you know how it goes, and you can do the same for me. Please and thank you.

Ratatouille - $$

What a classic dish. I’ve been making this since I did my Standard Process diet. Before then I think Ratatouille scared me. The french name alone makes it sound complicated, and this was not something my family cooked a lot growing up… if ever. If you are looking for vegetarian summer goodness – this is it!

Avocado Boats with Quinoa-Tomato Salad - $$$

Often times I find myself eating avocado by itself because I’m afraid if I wait another day it will go bad, or I’m in too much of a rush to think of something to do with it.  For a long time I only thought of using avocado to make guacamole or sometimes add to a salad. My energetic side said it was time to jazz up my meals with more avocados. So I present to you the Quinoa-Tomato Salad Avocado Boat.

Strawberry Mint Iced Tea - $

Perfect summer weekend drink! Enough said. Well I guess I should tell you some more about it, huh? I’ve been toying with the idea of a brewed iced tea for a while since I’m a regular hot tea drinker and I think you’ll like it.

Two Top Chicken Marinades - Spicy Red and Garlic Lemon

There are so many off the shelf marinades out there, from bottles of sauce to packets of spices. Too many to choose, and most loaded with processed ingredients. Here are two marinades I made to satisfy the needs of a summer BBQ or a week night dinner.  Both are healthfully crafted with vinegars and spices to help you avoid temptations at the grocery store. So grab a bowl and mix it up for yourself.  

Cold Seasme Thai Noodles - $$

On a hot summer day the last thing I want to do is cook a hot meal, which is why I created this simple noodle dish! This recipe is great for a summer day or for taking to a party so you don’t have to worry about keeping it warm. Yes, you need to cook the noodles, but once the steam has left the building the rest of the prep is “cool”. This is also a cheap way to get your veggies. Carrots, cucumbers and peas are usually the same price year round. The red pepper I look for on sale or you can switch out with green. 

Alternative Eats: French Fries vs. Sweet Potato Fries

There are tons of healthier alternatives for junk food turning up at the grocery store these days, you just have to know what they are.

Today’s alternative eat: Sweet Potato Fries

Which will win?

Left: Ore Ida Extra Crispy Fries ($3.50) 

Right: Alexia Sweet Potato Fries ($3.99)

4 Smoothie Recipes To Mix Up Your Routine

It's summertime and smoothies are the perfect healthy treat. This week a few of my co-workers and I hosted a smoothie bar at work where we crowd-tested 4 of our favorite recipes! Now I’m sharing them with you. Hopefully one of these will peak your taste buds and you can add it to your routine. Since going on my diet I've been drinking a smoothie/shake every morning as my breakfast. You can read more about that in my post here. 

Drinking your breakfast – Do meal replacement shakes work?

If you have been reading my blog you’re probably wondering “Does this girl eat breakfast?!”, because I haven’t posted a single breakfast recipe yet! I do love a good American breakfast of bacon and eggs and I will never say no to brunch, but since I started my diet earlier this year I have been making shakes and smoothies as my breakfast, (at least Monday-Friday). I thought this wouldn’t work for me at first. I mean seriously, I’m supposed to drink 16 oz of liquid and that is supposed to hold me over till lunch? Really? Yes, surprisingly this has turned into my routine and most days I’m alert and ready to take on the day when I take my last sip. I can’t lie, I usually supplement with a granola bar or small helping of veggies before lunch, but for the most part this has curbed my hunger in the morning and my stomach seems to agree, no more weird tummy grumbles mid-morning (common pre-diet after eating my old routine of yogurt and oatmeal!).

Anytime Lentil Stew - $$

I call this "anytime" stew for a couple reasons. For one, your can eat it as a snack, for lunch or dinner. Another is that the ingredients are not seasonal, (unless you are an overachiever and can your own tomatoes and grow kale) so you can make it anytime of the year. It looks like a bowl of mush at first but this dish is packed with flavor from the tomatoes, garlic and sautéed kale. 

Chicken, Spinach, Tomato, and Sun Dried Pesto Skillet with Pasta - $$

Do you like spinach? Do you like tomatoes? Then I think this dish will be a hit! This recipe shares similarities with Chicken Florentine but is dairy free! If you are looking for a hearty meal that doesn’t throw all your best intentions for healthy eating away, this dish is perfect, coming in at around 550 calories (counted courtesy of myfitnesspal.com).

Alternative Eats: Does Greek Yogurt Make Tuna Salad Taste Better?

This week I did a "Mayo Vs. Greek Yogurt Tuna Salad Experiment".

I've been seeing a lot of recipes lately for tuna salad made with Greek yogurt. Intriguing. Greek yogurt is either loved or hated in my observances. I like greek yogurt but the question remains - could tuna salad taste better with greek yogurt instead of mayo?  Will it make traditional tuna salad seem old and antiquated? I wanted to know for myself, so I did a test with a somewhat traditional tuna salad recipe: one batch using mayo and one using plain greek yogurt.

Red Roasted Cauliflower

Cauliflower is pretty bland by itself and gets overlooked against its competitors that are more tasty and colorful, but this recipe is full of flavor and gives it a nice red hue. This is the perfect side dish for chicken or fish. Sometimes I make this for a snack because it’s quick and little mess. I get stuck in a habit of only making broccoli and carrots, so this recipe is nice to mix it up. 

Asian Summer Slaw

This salad is packed with fresh veggies, nutrients and is sure to be a hit at the dinner table! Perfect for a summer barbecue or picnic with friends. The recipe makes a lot, (not my usual 1-2 serving size) but it keeps well in the fridge. I usually end up taking leftovers with me for lunch. If you take this to a barbecue I doubt you'll have that problem (it's bound to be a hit!).

Alternative Eats: BBQ Chips

There are tons of healthier alternatives for junk food turning up at the grocery store these days.

Today's alternative eat: Quinoa BBQ Chips

Simply 7 brand found at Giant Supermarket
$3.50

Simple Nature brand found at Aldi
$1.99

Reach for these quinoa based chips instead of the national brands next time you are in the store. Even if you don't like quinoa, I have a feeling you will like this new take on BBQ chips. They have plenty of flavor with a bit of a kick. Find them in the organic aisle at your grocery store or Aldi if you have one nearby (one of my favorite groceries).

The Reason I Started My Blog - Standard Process

I was ready for a life change. As you may have read on the “about” page, my doctor diagnosed me with a stomach ulcer and other GI issues so I knew it was time to take matters into my own hands. My half-hearted attempt at “watching what I ate” wasn’t working (eating a salad for lunch wasn’t enough). For a long time I thought my exercising would completely off-set any bad eating habits but it’s hard to have one and not the other and see results.

Standard Process Diet Day 2-7 (week one)

Once I got past the first couple days the diet started to get easier, and I fell into a rhythm preparing food and learning what worked for me. There were proud moments when I made delicious recipes I never thought possible, and some fails (all part of the learning experience, right?). One key tool to my diet was keeping a journal. I maintained a journal that I wrote what I ate and how I felt each day. I also kept a page for my measurements and weight, which I wrote down every week (not everyday or I may have wanted to give up).

Easy Garlic Hummus

Who doesn't love a good hummus! Unfortunately for me, I didn't make this until the very end of my diet. Organic fresh made hummus from Whole Foods was my splurge while on my Standard Process Diet - so I could have saved some $$ with this recipe. Hopefully you will! 

This healthy snack’s main ingredient - chickpeas, are full of protein, fiber and good-for-you carbs. Another plus, hummus won’t go bad for a while.  I keep mine for about a week and store in a glass bowl with a lid. 

Strawberry, Pear & Spinach Salad - with Blueberry Balsamic

 

This is a great summer salad because all the ingredients are in season (I usually try make this when I can score a sale on the berries). Enjoy the freshness and flavor of the berries, pear, spinach, dressing and the fullness of quinoa. Quick to prepare and eat on a hot day in the summer time. Also eye-catching, I love the bright colors of this salad which make it look even more appetizing! Enjoy!

Standard Process Diet - Day 1

Don't worry I'm not going to bore you with a post for every day of the diet but the first day was important.

The first day of the diet was exhausting to say the least (not going to sugar coat it). I would recommend starting the diet on a weekend or day you are not working/busy - unlike me. I started on a Monday morning. I spent the night before prepping food and planning my food list for the week. Also there were several grocery trips made to stock up on all of earth's goodies (I may have gone overboard).

Balsamic Grilled Veggie Sandwich

What happens in my kitchen with leftover rolls...

 

Shopping in the grocery store for one (sometimes two) I have no choice but to buy more than what I need of many things. One of them is hamburger rolls. Who needs 8 rolls when you are making dinner for two? A week ago I made a special BBQ pulled chicken dinner and of course there were leftover rolls. So I was determined to do something meatless and healthy with them the next day. Looking around my fridge I found some fresh mushrooms, spinach, roasted red peppers, pesto, and viola... I had one of my new favorite recipes!  In this case grilled really means pan because I don't have a grill. 

Olive Oil Friend Not Foe

Before I started cooking healthy I rarely used olive oil or extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), and mostly stuck to canola and veggie oil. I had some in the pantry but it was the cheapest money could buy and tasted blah.  After starting on my journey to better health, I quickly learned there is so much more to olive oil. Now I use it in anything that does or doesn’t call for it (too much of a good thing? Maybe.).

There are several types of olive oils. The one I’m focusing on here is EVOO - considered the best of the olive family because it is the least processed, from the first pressing of the olives. 

Note: I’m not claiming to be an olive oil connoisseur here – there is a whole world of high end oils and experts out there – that’s not me! Keep reading if you consider yourself low on the olive oil knowledge scale.