Five Nutritionist-Approved Healthy Holiday Recipes

Feeling guilty about what’s on your plate can take away from the enjoyment of the holiday season. These five healthy holiday recipes will help cut some of the calories and fat in traditional dishes so you have more room for the good stuff.

5 Healthy Holiday Recipes

Creamed Spinach

Spinach may be a nutrient-packed superfood, but flooding it with cream and butter negates all that awesomeness — to the tune of 200 calories and 12 grams of fat per ½ cup serving. Swapping out the heavy cream and butter for skim milk and Greek yogurt allows you to enjoy the flavor without the fat.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 ½ cup skim or unsweetened almond milk
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
• ½ cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
• 1 16-ounce bag frozen chopped spinach, thawed, and drained

Directions:

1. Heat oil over medium heat in a large saucepan. Sautee onion and garlic until soft.
2. Reduce heat to low. Add milk and cheese. Whisk in salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
3. Add yogurt and mix well until smooth. Fold in spinach. Cook until heated through.

Serves 8

Mashed Potatoes

A ¾ cup serving of mashed potatoes with whole milk and butter adds 200 calories and 7 grams of fat. These white bean mashed potatoes are a low-fat, high-fiber alternative that boasts 6 grams of protein per serving — great if you have any vegans at the table.

Ingredients:

• 4 pounds potatoes, peeled, and cubed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 15-ounce cans white beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Place potato chunks in a large pot and fill with water until covered. Boil potatoes until tender and drain.
2. Meanwhile, sauté garlic in the oil until soft. Add beans, rosemary, and salt and pepper.
3. Puree bean mixture using an immersion blender or food processor.
4. Mash potatoes with a masher to the desired texture.
5. Add bean mixture to potatoes and mix well, continuing to mash, if desired.

Serves 12

Yams

Thanks to a boatload of brown sugar, this holiday favorite adds a lot of extra calories you’d be better off saving for dessert. These sweet potato wedges are roasted in coconut oil and sweetened with a touch of maple syrup. With the natural flavor of the potatoes shining through, you won’t miss the sugar.

Ingredients:

• 4 large sweet potatoes, cut into ½-inch wedges
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup
• Sea salt to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Toss sweet potato wedges with coconut oil. Spread in a baking pan and roast for about 35 minutes, tossing a few times to prevent sticking or burning. Potatoes will be done when they begin to brown on the outside and are tender on the inside.
3. Toss cooked potatoes with maple syrup and sea salt.

Serves 8

Apple Pie

Apple pie sounds downright wholesome, but with a slice of pie with the traditional recipe clocking in close to 400 calories (mostly from sugar and fat), it’s still dessert. Using honey or maple syrup instead of sugar lets you get away with using less and offers extra antioxidants. Try white whole wheat flour if making your own crust for added fiber without that “healthy dessert” taste. Want to get fancy? A lattice-top is great because less crust on your pie = less crust in your face. Besides, it’s so pretty, you won’t miss the extra calories.

Ingredients:

• 6 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1-2 tablespoons flour
• 2 pie crusts

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Toss apple pieces with cinnamon until well mixed. Add maple syrup.
3. Add flour as needed to thicken. Mix well.
4. Pour apple mixture into one of the crusts.
5. Slice the other crust into thin strips and arrange in a lattice pattern over the pie. Roll extra crust into a ball and freeze for later use.
6. Bake until golden brown, about 1 hour. If edge of crust begins to burn, cover with foil.

Serves 8

Champagne Cocktail

Rather than ladling out a high-calorie punch this season, why not try this festive champagne cocktail instead? This sparkly classic is a breeze to prepare and clocks in at just over 100 calories. Cheers!

Ingredients:

• 1 sugar cube
• Angostura bitters
• 4 ounces Champagne
• Lemon twist

Directions:

1. Sprinkle bitters over sugar cube. Place in the bottom of a champagne flute.
2. Fill flute with champagne. Garnish with a lemon twist.

We hope you enjoy these healthy holiday recipes and the rest of the holiday season!

By Jessica Cording, MS, RD, CDN, a registered dietitian and writer in NYC. She blogs at Keeping It Real Food.