Healthy Christmas Holiday Recipe Book

Healthy Christmas Holiday Recipe Book

Christmas Breakfast Mini Mushroom and Sausage Quiches 8 ounces turkey breakfast sausage, removed from casing and crumbled into small pieces 1 teaspoon extra- virgin olive oil 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced 1/4 cup sliced scallions 1/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 5 eggs 3 egg whites 1 cup 1% milk Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 325 F. Coat a nonstick muffin tin generously with cooking spray (see Tip). Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium- high heat. Add sausage and cook until golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool. Add oil to the pan. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to the bowl with the sausage. Let cool for 5 minutes. Stir in scallions, cheese and pepper. Whisk eggs, egg whites and milk in a medium bowl. Divide the egg mixture evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle a heaping tablespoon of the sausage mixture into each cup. Bake until the tops are just beginning to brown, 25 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Place a rack on top of the pan, flip it over and turn the quiches out onto the rack. Turn upright and let cool completely.

Baked Apple Cinnamon French Toast 3 cups nonfat milk 2 cups pasteurized liquid egg whites, such as Egg Beaters 3 tablespoons honey 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon 1 1- pound loaf sliced whole- wheat bread (or bread of choice) 1 cup chopped dried apples, (3 ounces) 1/2 cup raisins 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon confectioners sugar Whisk milk, egg whites, honey, vanilla and salt in a large bowl. Trim crusts off 8 bread slices and set aside. Cut the crusts and the remaining bread into 1- inch pieces. Toss with dried apples, raisins, cinnamon and nutmeg in another large bowl. Coat a 9- by- 13- inch baking pan with cooking spray. Transfer the bread mixture to the pan. Lay the reserved crustless slices evenly on top, trimming to fit. Whisk the milk mixture one more time, then pour evenly over the bread. Press the bread down with the back of a wooden spoon, making sure it's evenly moist. Cover with parchment paper, then foil, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours. Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake the casserole, covered, for 40 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until puffed, set and lightly browned, about 20 minutes more. Let stand for 10 minutes; dust with confectioners' sugar and serve.

Appetizers and Snacks Caprese Skewers 16 small fresh mozzarella balls 16 fresh basil leaves 16 cherry tomatoes Thread mozzarella, basil and tomatoes on small skewers. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Spiced Almonds 1 cup whole shelled (unpeeled) almonds 1 teaspoon extra- virgin olive oil 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper Preheat oven to 350 F. Toss almonds with oil, cumin, salt and cayenne pepper in a pie pan. Bake, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and lightly toasted, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool.

Christmas Dinner Coffee- Braised Pot Roast with Caramelized Onions 1 4- pound beef chuck roast, trimmed of fat 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste 4 teaspoons extra- virgin olive oil, divided Freshly ground pepper, to taste 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon dried thyme 3/4 cup strong brewed coffee 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water 2 large onions, halved and thinly sliced (4 cups) Preheat oven to 300 F. Season beef with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium- high heat. Add beef and cook, turning from time to time, until well browned on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil to the pot. Add onions, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until softened and golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and thyme; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in coffee and vinegar; bring to a simmer. Return the beef to the pot and spoon some onions over it. Cover and transfer to the oven. Braise the beef in the oven until fork- tender but not falling apart, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Transfer beef to a cutting board, tent with foil and let rest for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, skim fat from the braising liquid; bring to a boil over medium- high heat. Add the cornstarch mixture and cook, whisking, until the gravy thickens slightly, about 1 minute. Season with pepper. Carve the beef and serve with gravy. Slow- Cooker Variation: After cooking the beef on the stove, transfer the browned beef to a slow cooker. In Step 3, use just 1/2 cup coffee. Add the onion mixture to the slow cooker. In Step 4, cover and cook until beef is tender, 4 1/2 to 5 hours on High or 7 to 8 hours on Low. In Step 5, pour the liquid into a medium saucepan and continue as directed.

Oven Roasted Squash with Garlic and Parsley 5 pounds winter squash (such as butternut), peeled, seeded and cut into 1- inch chunks 2 tablespoons extra- virgin olive oil, divided 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley Preheat oven to 375 F. Toss squash with 4 teaspoons oil, salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spread evenly on a large baking sheet. Roast, stirring occasionally, until tender throughout and lightly browned, 30 to 45 minutes (depending on the variety of squash). Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant but not brown, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Toss the roasted squash with the garlic and parsley. Taste, adjust the seasoning and serve.

Barley & Wild Rice Pilaf with Pomegranate Seeds 2 teaspoons extra- virgin olive oil 1 medium onion, finely chopped 1/2 cup wild rice, rinsed 1/2 cup pearl barley (or quinoa) 3 cups reduced- sodium chicken broth, or vegetable broth 1/3 cup pine nuts 1 cup pomegranate seeds 2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest 2 tablespoons chopped flat- leaf parsley Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened. Add wild rice and barley; stir for a few seconds. Add broth and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until the wild rice and barley are tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, 45 to 50 minutes. Meanwhile, toast pine nuts in a small, dry skillet over medium- low heat, stirring constantly, until light golden and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl to cool. Add pomegranate seeds, lemon zest, parsley and the toasted pine nuts to the pilaf; fluff with a fork. Serve hot.

Lemon Dill Green Beans 1 pound green beans, trimmed 4 teaspoons chopped fresh dill 1 tablespoon minced shallot 1 tablespoon extra- virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon whole- grain mustard 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper Bring an inch of water to a boil in a large saucepan fitted with a steamer basket. Add green beans, cover and cook until tender- crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat. Meanwhile, whisk dill, shallot, oil, lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the green beans and toss to coat. Let stand about 10 minutes before serving to blend flavors.

Christmas Cookies Orange Spice Molasses Cookies 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest 1 1/2 cups rolled oats 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 1/3 cup granulated sugar 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar 2 tablespoons freshly grated orange zest 1/2 cup light or dark molasses 7 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce 1 large egg yolk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 1/4 cups whole- wheat flour

Preheat oven to 375 F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray or line with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. To prepare the rolling sugar: Pulse 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon orange zest in a food processor until well combined. Place in a shallow dish and set aside. To prepare cookie dough: Grind oats in a blender until they look like a fine powder, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping the sides as needed. Beat butter and 1/3 cup granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium- high speed for 5 minutes. Add brown sugar and 2 tablespoons orange zest and beat another 2 minutes. Add molasses, applesauce, egg yolk, vanilla, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice, pepper and salt; beat on medium- high until incorporated, about 30 seconds, scraping down the bowl and beaters as needed. Turn the mixer to medium and slowly add the ground oats. Scrape down the bowl; with the mixer on medium, slowly add whole- wheat flour. (The dough will be moderately sticky.) Using a slightly rounded tablespoon of dough, roll into balls, then roll in the rolling sugar to coat. (If necessary, wet your fingers to help roll without sticking.) The zest will make the mixture slightly wet and it will clump; lightly brush off the excess so that just a thin coat is on the cookie. Place cookies about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake the cookies in batches until the edges are set and the tops are cracked, but the centers are still soft and puffy, about 10 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 8 minutes. Serve warm or cool on a wire rack.

Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Cookies 2 medium ripe bananas, mashed 1 cup of uncooked quick oats 2 tbsp creamy or chunky peanut butter Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a non- stick cookie sheet with cooking spray. Combine the mashed bananas and peanut butter in a medium bowl. Add the oats and mix until thoroughly combined. Place batter by tablespoons (little more than level) on the cookie sheet, making an indent with the back of the measuring spoon. Repeat until you have 16 cookies. Bake 15 minutes or until golden. *Ideas- add walnuts, chocolate chips or any other topping for a different flavor!

Coconut Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies 3/4 cup unsalted creamy almond butter (or peanut butter) 1/2 cup sugar 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted and cooled 2 eggs 1/4 cup coconut flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. In the bowl of a food processor, add in almond butter, coconut sugar and coconut oil; process until it comes together, about 1 minute. Add in eggs and process again. The dough will probably seize up at this point, but don't worry that's okay. Next, add in coconut flour, baking soda and salt; process again until a dough forms. Gently fold in chocolate chips. Use a cookie scoop to drop dough onto prepared cookie sheet. You can flatten dough with the palm of your hand if you'd like to have cookies like mine in the photo, or if you prefer, you can leave the dough as is and cookies will be a bit puffier. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until cookies turn slightly golden brown around the edges. Allow them to cool on cookie sheet for at least 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Repeat with remaining dough. Makes around 20 cookies.

Hot Chocolate Cookies 1 cup almond butter 1 egg, large 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ¼ cup cocoa powder, unsweetened ½ cup coconut palm sugar ¼ cup chocolate chips ½ cup palm shortening ~3 tablespoons maple syrup 1 tsp vanilla (or more to taste) First, preheat oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place all ingredients in a large bowl, mix until combined (should be very doughy!). Scoop out about 2 tablespoons per cookie. Roll in the palm of your hand to create a ball, then flatten into a cookie shape. Place on baking sheet. Repeat. Bake cookies at 350ºF for about 12-15 minutes. Then, let cool for at least 20 minutes. For the Frosting Place palm shortening, maple syrup and vanilla in a medium- size bowl. Then, using a hand mixer, whip for about 3-5 minutes until it is at desired consistency. Transfer frosting into a piping bag and pipe onto cookies using any tip you like! Sprinkle with crushed candy cane.