Where to Find the Best Healthy Festive Recipes
Ah Christmas & the festive season – it’s such a wonderful time of year, with all of the joy, kindness and giving. It can also be a nightmare for anyone who lives a healthy lifestyle!
So I’ve put together a list of where you can find the best “healthified” recipes of some of the most popular festive treats.
By “healthified”, I mean that they’re traditional recipes made using healthier ingredients. No refined flours or sweeteners and some of them are gluten free, for those who need to avoid gluten.
As you know, I believe in moderation and common sense and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with indulging sometimes. It’s all part of a balanced diet and it’s important to enjoy our celebrations without any feelings of guilt or anxiety attached to the food.
It’s all too easy for the festive season to become overwhelming though. The holiday period seems to start earlier and earlier every year, and often continues through into January.
So it’s always good to have some healthier options to balance out the not-so-healthy ones.
I’ve shared a few more of my favourite healthy Christmas recipes in this post:
Christmas Favourites
And I’m giving you some simple tips and strategies to enjoy the festive season without overindulging here:
Enjoy Christmas Without the Weight Gain
Best Healthy Festive Recipes: Appetisers
My Christmas Crostini: With a sweet potato base, these crostini are topped with a red onion, tomato & avocado salsa.
They can be made ahead, kept in the fridge and then assembled as needed.
Sharing platters: Easy to put together, and it’s easy to make your own healthy dips. Guests are always impressed when you say you made the dips!
Make these Greek yoghurt based dips, with beetroot, pumpkin or sweet potato, lemon juice and garlic.
Another favourite that only takes 5 minutes to whip up is this Greek style Tzatziki.
If you need a simple cracker recipe, try these Flaxseed crackers.
Are You on Pinterest?
Check out my PINTEREST BOARDS for lots more recipes and ideas for crackers, dips and sharing platters
Start with the “Party Appetisers & Dips” board.
Then look at the “Holiday Food Ideas” board, and then the “Christmas” board.
Remember to follow me while you’re there, so you can always see the latest pins.
Best Healthy Festive Recipes: Cakes & Puddings
The Healthy Chef Gluten Free Christmas Cake: If you need to cater for family members with a gluten intolerance, try this Christmas cake recipe.
The Healthy Chef Christmas Pudding: I’m a huge custard fan and I always have pudding at Christmas so I can drown it in custard! This is a delicious sounding Christmas pudding and if you top it off with Teresa’s perfect custard it’ll be super yummo!
The Healthy Chef Mince Pies: Not my favourite, but we can’t forget about mince pies.
The Healthy Chef Gingerbread Men: If I make biscuits at Christmas, it’s pretty much always shortbread. You might notice that I haven’t included any healthified shortbread recipes here and that’s because I’ve never found any that taste like proper shortbread. Some things just can’t be healthified! These gingerbread men are a pretty good healthy version tho, I think.
Nadia Lim’s Gingerbread Decorations: These are a fun idea and the kids can get involved in decorating them too.
Best Healthy Festive Recipes: Desserts
My Strawberry Tarts: These strawberry tarts have my filling recipe and the pastry cases are from Wholefood Simply’s Little Lemon Tarts recipe.
My Chocolate Truffles: These truffles are easy to make, just make sure you use good quality dark chocolate. You can make two or three different flavours and I think they’re another lovely home made gift.
Other Dessert Recipes from Around the Web:
The Merrymaker Sisters Healthier Trifle: I haven’t tried this recipe by the Merrymaker Sisters, so let me know what you think of it if you do! For me, nothing beats my mother’s trifle recipe. Now that she’s passed on, my sister makes it. It’s very rich and indulgent, but we only have it once a year, so I look forward to it.
Wholefoodsimply’s Vanilla Ice Cream: This is how real ice cream tastes! It’s easy to make, creamy and indulgent ice cream with no additives that simply tastes amazing.
Wholefoodsimply’s Chocolate Bark: Another one of Bianca’s quick and easy recipes. This bark looks really pretty, so I think it’s a great home made gift.
Nadia Lim’s Christmas Snowballs: If you’re a Christmas snowball fan, then give this recipe of Nadia Lim’s a try.
You’ll find plenty more simple, flavour-packed recipes here on my blog that work beautifully for post-menopausal bodies.
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Here’s cheers: wishing you and your loved ones a Merry Christmas and a safe Holiday Season!!
So that’s it! Let me know (via email or social media) if there’s a holiday favourite of yours that I haven’t included on this list, or even if you’d like me to find a healthier version of something for you. I love researching and finding recipes, especially healthy ones.
@wendyswaytohealth and #wendyswaytohealth.
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