Healthy Holiday Recipes

The holidays are such a fun and special time full of many social gatherings... it can be tough to find healthy options to bring that others will enjoy too! I compiled some old and new recipes for you to look over and take to your next holiday party!

BREAKFAST
Blueberry Cream Scones
4 cups flour
½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2/3 cup room temp butter
1 cup half and half
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup frozen or fresh blueberries

Coaching: Preheat oven to 425. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt. Cut in butter. In a separate bowl, mix half and half, eggs, vanilla and then pour into the dry ingredients. Combine. Flour a surface an roll dough into a ball as you mix in the blueberries. Cut in half. Start with a ball and then flatten out the dough to about 1.5in thick. Using a knife, cut like a pizza into 6 triangles. Arrange on baking sheets (keeping them far enough apart to expand with baking). Bake 12-15minutes until golden on top.

Frittata
1 head of broccolli
half an onion
1 jalapeno
6 eggs
½ cup greek yogurt
½ cup milk
1 cup shredded cheese
½ cup parmesan cheese
salt & pepper

Coaching: Preheat oven to 375. Spray an 8x8 square baking dish. Dice the broccoli, onion, and jalapeno and spread evenly in the pan. In a mixing bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients EXCEPT the parmesan, and whisk for 1minutes to get the eggs frothy. Pour over top the veggies, sprinkle the parmesan, salt, pepper over the top and bake 30-45minutes until golden on top and eggs have set. Cool 10minutes before serving.

Hazelnut Biscotti with Chocolate & Ginger
Toast 1.5 cups chopped hazelnuts in the oven for 10min at 275
2eggs
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup flour (white,wheat,almond,gluten free,coconut, etc it all works!)
1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger
1/2 cup dark choc chips

Coaching: Combine all ingredients, mix well. Place on parchment covered baking sheet in a 1in X 4in log. Bake for 20min at 275. Let cool, slice diagonally into 1/2-1in sections. Lay cut side down on the tray and bake once more for 15min at 300. Cool and enjoy with your favorite hot beverage!

SIDES & ENTREES
Sweet Potato Casserole
4 large sweet potatoes or yams, roasted by wrapping in foil and putting in the oven for 90minutes at 300.
1/2  cup vanilla or maple greek yogurt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
pinch of salt
Add ins:
½ cup pure maple syrup
¾ cup chopped pecans* reserved for later

Coaching: Preheat oven to 350, spray a 9x9 casserole dish. Using an electric beater or a fork, smash up your roasted sweet potatoes (I keep the skin on since its super nutritious). Add all the ingredients and combine well. Pour into the dish Lastly, drizzle the maple syrup evenly all over the dish. Bake 20 minutes, add pecans on top, and cook another 10-20minutes.

Jalapeno Bison Chili
2lbs ground bison
2 cloves garlic
2 diced jalapenos
1 can (8oz) tomato sauce
1 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 cup water
1/4 cup masa flour (corn flour for thickening)
2 cans kidney beans rinsed and drained
1 can diced tomatoes

Coaching: Add minced garlic, jalapenos, and bison to a large pot and brown the meat on medium. Drain. Add the tomato sauce, spices, and water and simmer on low for 1 hour. Mix the masa with 1/2 cup water and add to the chili along with the rest of the ingredients. Simmer an additional 10minutes. Top with your favorite add-ons and enjoy! Serves 6.

Speedy Stuffed Squash
1 acorn, butternut, or kombocha squash cut in half and de-seeded
Brussell Sprouts (diced)
Handful of dried cranberries
Handful of pumpkin seeds
Balsamic glaze
Salt & Pepper

Coaching: Put all ingredients in a bowl and toss to combine. Add 3 tablespoons of water to the bottom of each half of squash. Fill with ingredients. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 425 for 45minutes covered in foil, then uncover for the remaining 15-30minutes. Cool 5min before serving. Serves 2.

DESSERT
Carrot Cake with a Kick
8oz can crushed pineapple (drained and pressed to remove excess moisture)
1.5 cups finely shredded carrots (about 3 whole carrots)
½ cup golden or normal raisins
¼ cup walnuts
¼ cup coconut

2/3 cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cup unbleached white flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup truvia brown sugar (or ¾ cup brown sugar)
½ cup greek yogurt
¼ cup apple sauce
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Frosting:
¼ cup greek yogurt cream cheese (or regular)
½ cup greek yogurt
2 tablespoons honey
½ teaspoon ginger
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 tablespoons coconut oil (melted)
Optional: Sprinkle ¼ cup crushed walnuts and a ¼ cup toasted coconut flakes over top the cake.

Coaching: Preheat oven to 350. Grate the carrots and place pineapple, carrots, raisins, walnuts, and coconut in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly until well combined. Fold in the carrot mixture. Spray a small cake pan, and pour in batter. Bake 35-45minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely.

For the icing, combine all ingredients and beat with whisk or electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Put in the fridge as the cake cools. Ice the cake, sprinkle with optional toppings, and keep in the fridge until eaten!

Almond Coconut Bites
¼ cup shredded coconut
¼ cup cacao nibs
¼ cup cacao powder
½ cup chopped almonds
7 dates (pitted)
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
Sprinkle of sea salt

Opt. Shredded coconut for rolling

Coaching: Place all ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until it starts clumping and if fully combined. Roll into balls and then roll the balls in the extra coconut. Freeze.

Pumpkin Rock N Rolls
¾ cup flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
¼ teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup truvia (or 1 cup sugar)
2/3 cup pumpkin puree
Optional: powdered sugar sprinkle

Cream Cheese filling:
8oz whipped cream cheese
1/2 cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Coaching: Preheat oven to 375. Combine dry ingredients. In a separate bowl or electric mixer, whisk the wet ingredients. Add the wet into the dry until just combined. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper and pour the cake batter into the middle of the pan. Using a spatula, spread and shape into a rectangle leaving at least 1 inch along every side of the pan. Bake 8-10minutes. Immediately after you remove it from the oven, start at one of the short ends and start rolling the cake towards the other short end with the parchment paper attached so it separates the cake during the roll. Cool completely as you prepare the filling. Mix all ingredients together, if it is too wet, add in a bit more powdered sugar. You want it easy to work with, but not drippy. After your workout, or a few hours, you can gently unroll to load the cream cheese filling. Leaving 1inch on all sides, spread the cream cheese evenly onto the cake. Reroll, removing the parchment paper as you go. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill. Before serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar and slice into 3/4in rolls. Enjoy!