Healthy Recipe Ideas For Christmas Dinner
Christmas is a time to celebrate with your loved ones, but it can also be a challenge to eat healthy and avoid overindulging. However, you don’t have to sacrifice taste or tradition to enjoy a wholesome and delicious Christmas dinner.
Here are some healthy recipes that you can try this year, using seasonal ingredients and simple techniques. These recipes are low in calories, fat, and sugar, but high in flavor, nutrients, and satisfaction.
Healthy Christmas Recipes
This year you can make your Christmas dinner healthier. From appetizers to desserts, you can make dinner for your family with fewer calories.
Have a look and switch up your holiday feast with some of these recipes. Feel less bloated, eat healthier, and still enjoy the Christmas spirit with delicious foods.
Appetizers
Start your Christmas dinner with some light and tasty appetizers that will whet your appetite without filling you up. These appetizers are easy to make and serve, and they are perfect for sharing with your guests.
Fetta Bruschetta
This appetizer is a twist on the classic Italian dish, using feta cheese instead of mozzarella and adding some fresh herbs and lemon juice for extra zing. You can use whole-wheat bread or crackers to make the bruschetta more nutritious and fiber-rich.
Broccoli & Chive Stuffed Mini Peppers
These mini peppers are stuffed with a creamy mixture of broccoli, chives, cream cheese, and Parmesan cheese, and then baked until tender and golden. They are a great way to sneak some veggies and calcium into your diet, and they are also gluten-free and low-carb.
Cranberry-Pecan Wheat Berry Salad
This salad is a festive and colorful combination of wheat berries, cranberries, pecans, spinach, and feta cheese. They are tossed with a tangy orange dressing.
Wheat berries are whole kernels of wheat that are chewy and nutty, and they are a good source of protein, fiber, and iron.
You can add other ingredients to this salad like apples, blueberries, or even oranges.
This salad is great because you can make it ahead and refrigerate until it’s ready to be served.
Main Course
For the main course, you can choose from a variety of healthy options that will satisfy your taste buds and your nutritional needs.
These main dishes are lean and flavorful, and they can be paired with different sides and sauces to suit your preferences.
Healthy Roast Turkey Crown
If you are catering to fewer people this Christmas, or if you want to avoid overeating, you can roast a turkey crown instead of a whole turkey.
A turkey crown is the breast meat attached to the bone, and it is easier to cook and carve.
You can season it with garlic, lemon, and herbs, and roast it until juicy and tender. You can also make a healthy gravy with the drippings, some flour, and some chicken stock.
Do this recipe with a whole turkey too. Add the same ingredients to the turkey, and make a delicious feast for the whole family.
Italian Meatball Kabobs
If you are looking for something different this Christmas, you can try these meatball kabobs, which are inspired by Mediterranean cuisine.
You can make the meatballs with lean ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasonings. Then grill them on skewers with cherry tomatoes and zucchini.
You can serve them with a marinara sauce or a pesto sauce, and some whole-wheat pasta or rice.
Savory Pork Roast
This pork roast is a simple and satisfying dish that can feed a crowd.
You can season the pork with salt, pepper, garlic, and rosemary, and then roast it in the oven until fork-tender.
Make a delicious sauce with the pan juices, some cornstarch, and some water.
Serve the pork with some roasted potatoes and vegetables, or some mashed cauliflower and green beans.
Desserts
The Christmas dinner is not complete without some sweet treats. But you don’t have to indulge in high-calorie and high-sugar desserts to enjoy them.
These desserts are healthy and delicious, and they will satisfy your sweet tooth without guilt.
Banana Bread French Toast
This dessert is a clever way to use up leftover banana bread, or you can make your own with whole-wheat flour, ripe bananas, and honey.
You can slice the bread and dip it in a mixture of eggs, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon, and then cook it on a skillet until golden and crisp.
Serve it with some fresh berries, yogurt, or maple syrup.
No-Sugar-Added Sweet Potato Casserole
This dessert is a healthier version of the traditional sweet potato casserole, which is usually loaded with sugar and butter.
You can make this dessert with mashed sweet potatoes, eggs, milk, vanilla, and nutmeg. Top everything with a crunchy mixture of oats, pecans, and coconut oil. Bake it in the oven until bubbly and browned, and enjoy it warm or cold.
Roasted Pears With Vanilla Yogurt And Granola
This dessert is a simple and elegant way to end your Christmas dinner.
You can roast some ripe pears with some honey, lemon juice, and cinnamon, and then serve them with some vanilla yogurt and granola.
Drizzle some more honey or maple syrup over the pears, or add some chopped nuts or dried fruits for extra crunch and flavor.
Bottom Line
These are some of the healthy recipes that you can try for your Christmas dinner. You can find more recipes online or why not, get creative yourself.
You can still have your traditional Christmas dinner but with a few changes. In this way, it will be healthier and less stressful for your stomach.
Have your stuffed turkey, mashed potatoes, and gravy, but with healthier ingredients. However, it is really up to you what you are putting on the dinner table for this Christmas.
Enjoy the holidays this season, maybe try new recipes, and get cozy around the fire with the whole family.
