Holidays Solved! 5 Recipes Perfect for Your Holiday Table

The holidays are a time to gather with family and share delicious meals. But just because it is the holidays doesn’t mean you should have to sacrifice nutrition and leave your meal feeling sluggish. Here, we’ve put together a holiday dinner menu that will satisfy everyone and leave you feeling great!

Holiday Appetizer: Pomegranate Pear Salsa

This festive appetizer takes advantage of seasonal pomegranates and pears puts them in salsa form. Pomegranates are high in antioxidants, fiber, and Vitamins C and K, making them a great healthy way to kick off your holiday festivity.

You can serve this salsa as a dip for scooping up with chips and crackers, or you can spoon it over greens for an easy salad!

Recipe: Pomegranate Pear Salsa

Yield: Serves 8

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup pomegranate seeds, from about 1 large pomegranate

1 large pear, diced

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

¼ red onion, diced

1 medium jalapeno, de-seeded and minced

2 tablespoons lime juice (about 1 lime)

1 tablespoon honey

Salt to taste

Instructions

Add all ingredients to a medium-sized bowl and toss to combine. Taste the salsa, and add more salt, if needed.

Holiday Side Dish: Lightened Up Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes are a holiday classic, but they are usually loaded with butter and heavy cream. Here, we’re swapping in Greek yogurt to provide plenty of creaminess, using milk instead of cream, and reducing the butter just a bit. Using Yukon Gold potatoes instead of Russets also helps produce a naturally creamy and buttery mash!

Recipe: Lightened Up Mashed Potatoes

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

1 ½ teaspoons sea salt

¼ cup Greek yogurt

1/3 cup milk

2 tablespoons butter

Instructions:

1. Add the potatoes and salt to a large pot, then fill with water until the water is just covering the potatoes and place over medium-high heat.

2. Let the potatoes come to a boil, then set a timer to cook them for 15 minutes, until they can be easily pierced with a fork.

3. Pour the potatoes into a strainer to drain off the excess water, then return to the pot.

4. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher, then stir in the yogurt, milk, and butter. Serve warm.

Holiday Side Dish: Sauteed Green Beans with Mushrooms and Shallots

Ditch the goopy green bean casserole in favor of this side dish with perfectly-tender green beans, sauteed mushrooms and caramelized shallots.

Recipe: Sauteed Green Beans

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

1 ½ pounds green beans, ends trimmed

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 large shallots, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced

¼ cup white wine

½ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons shredded parmesan cheese

Instructions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Once boiling, add the green beans and cook for 2 minutes, until bright green, then strain the green beans and set aside.

2. Add the oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the shallots. Cook for 5-6 minutes, until the shallots have reduced in size and have started to brown.

3. Add the garlic and mushrooms to the pan with the shallots and cook for about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms have started to brown.

4. Add the white wine, salt, and pepper to the pan with a mushrooms and let the wine come to a boil. Add the green beans to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes, until the wine has evaporated almost completely.

5. Remove the green beans and mushrooms from heat, then garnish with shredded parmesan cheese and serve.

Holiday Main Dish: Herbed Pork Loin with Apples

This pork loin is super flavorful thanks to fresh herbs, garlic, apples, and onions. Pork loin is a naturally lower fat cut of meat, but the cooking method helps keep it tender and juicy!

Recipe: Herbed Pork Loin

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients:

1, 2 pound pork loin

1 tablespoon herbs de Provence (may use Italian Seasoning instead)

2 teaspoons sea salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 apples, cored and cut into 6ths

1 onion, cut into 6 wedges

5 cloves garlic, peeled

2 sprigs fresh thyme

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

½ cup chicken broth

½ cup apple cider

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 F.

2. Rub the pork loin with the herbs de Provence, salt, and pepper.

3. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven, or other heavy-bottomed pot with matching lid, over medium-high heat.

4. Once hot, add the pork loin to the Dutch oven and sear for 3-4 minutes, until browned, then flip and sear for another 3-4 minutes.

5. Add the broth to the pan, then spread the apples, onion wedges, garlic, thyme, and rosemary around the pork loin.

6. Place the lid on the pot, then transfer to the oven. Bake for about one hour, until the pork registers 145 F with a thermometer inserted into the middle of the roast, then remove the pork from the oven and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing. Serve with the juices from the pot spooned over top of the pork.

Healthy Holiday Dessert: Oat Flour Brownies

These brownies are rich, fudgy, and made with whole-grain oat flour and unrefined coconut sugar! If you don’t have any oat flour on hand, you can make your own by simply grinding oats in your blender or food processor.

Recipe: Oat Flour Brownies

Yield: Serves 16

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups dark chocolate chips (at least 60% dark)

½ cup avocado or coconut oil, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup coconut sugar

2/3 cup oat flour

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

¼ teaspoon sea salt

3 eggs

Instructions:

1. Add the chocolate chips to a large, microwave-proof bowl, then melt the chocolate for about 1 minute in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until the chocolate is smooth.

2. Stir in the oil, vanilla extract, coconut sugar, oat flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Once the chocolate is melted, you’ll stir in all of the remaining ingredients other than the eggs into the melted chocolate until the ingredients are fully incorporated.

3. Next, stir the eggs into the batter until they are fully combined. The batter should be pretty thick, but easy to stir.

4. Grease a 9x9 baking dish, or line it with parchment paper, then pour the brownie batter into the dish and spread it evenly. Bake at 350 F for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is smooth and shiny and a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out clean.

5. Remove the brownies from the oven, then let cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting and serving!

Tip: Even though this meal plan is a healthy one, you still don’t want to overeat to the point of sluggishness and guilt. Remember to Keep it a 5™. Happy Thanksgiving!