Healthy recipes for the holidays

Switch up your holiday dinner menu with these healthy holiday recipes

If you’re looking to bring something different and healthy to your table this holiday, these recipes cover everything from your main dish to your dessert, with a twist on a few classics. 

Cheesy cauliflower latkes

Makes: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 3 cups baking potato (roughly 1.6 pounds), peeled and grated
• 1 cup white onion, grated
• 12 ounces cauliflower florets
• 1 bunch green onions
• 2 ounces unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1½ ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
• 1 large egg white
• 1 large egg
• 5 tablespoons canola oil, divided
• ¾ cup light sour cream
• ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Heat oven to 250° F.
2. Combine grated potatoes and onion in a colander. Drain for 15 minutes, pressing mixture occasionally with a spoon to extract liquid. Place potato mixture in clean towel and squeeze out excess liquid. Place in bowl. 
3. Put cauliflower florets in a food processor. Pulse until finely ground. Add to potato mixture in bowl.
4. Chop green parts from green onions and add to the potato mixture (save white parts of green onions for later).
5. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife. Add cheese, flour, salt and ½ teaspoon pepper to potato mixture, stirring to combine. Stir egg and egg white into potato mixture.
6. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 5 teaspoons oil and swirl to coat. Spoon potato mixture loosely into a ¼-cup dry measuring cup, filling about 2/3 full. Add mixture to pan and flatten slightly. Repeat procedure to form latkes. Cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side until golden brown. Place latkes on a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven. Repeat twice with remaining 10 teaspoons oil and remaining potato mixture, adding an extra latke to the pan during the last batch to yield 16 latkes total.
7. Combine sour cream with ¾ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper to serve with latkes. 

Nutrition information per serving (2 latkes): Calories 234, fat 13.8 g, protein 7 g, carbohydrate 22 g, sodium 330 mg
 
Recipe from CookingLight.com

Healthy pumpkin roll

Makes: 8 servings
Ingredients
For the cake:

• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar substitute
• 1 cup canned 100% pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 cup self-rising flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

For the filling:

• 4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
• 1.5–2 cups light or fat-free non-dairy whipped topping, thawed
• 2 tablespoons sugar substitute
• Confectioner’s sugar, for dusting (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350° F.
2. Beat eggs and 1 cup sweetener for 5 minutes in mixing bowl on medium speed of mixer.
3. Stir in pumpkin and lemon juice. Blend in flour, cinnamon and nutmeg until well combined.
4. Line a 10” x 15” x 1” jelly roll pan with waxed paper. Spread batter evenly in pan. Bake 5 to 8 minutes or until cake tester/toothpick comes out clean.
5. Cool 3 minutes in pan and turn out onto a cloth. Roll up from the narrow end. Chill in refrigerator until completely cool.
6. For the filling: Beat cream cheese, whipped topping and 2 tablespoons sweetener in mixing bowl on medium speed of mixer until smooth.
7. Unroll pumpkin roll and spread with filling. Re-roll. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Dust cake roll with confectioner’s sugar if desired. Slice into pinwheels. 

Recipe from DianasDesserts.com

Nutrition information per serving: Calories 159, fat 6 g, protein 6 g, carbohydrate 19 g

Traditional Mexican-Catholic lentil soup

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried French green lentils
• 8 cups water or chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• ½ large yellow onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ⅛ cup of salsa
• ¼ cup tomato sauce
• Kosher salt, granulated garlic and cayenne, to taste
• Handful fresh parsley, chopped
• Juice of 1 lime

Garnish:

• Pickled jalapeños from a jar
• Green onions, chopped
• Sour cream or crème fraîche

Directions 

• Rinse and drain the lentils.
• Add water and bring to a boil (adding more water as needed during the cooking process).
• Decrease heat to medium-low, add remaining ingredients (except garnishes).
• Cook, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender — about 30 to 45 minutes. If soup is too thick, add more water/stock. Garnish with jalapeños, onions and sour cream before serving.

 
Nutrition information per serving: Calories 159, fat 6 g, protein 6 g, carbohydrate 19 g
 
Recipe adapted from CatholicFoodie.com
 

Next steps: 

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