5 Healthy Holiday Foods

Incorporating 5 healthy holiday foods into your menu is an easy task and is well worth the effort for your health's sake.  Many recipes can be converted to healthy ones by the substitution of alternatives for some of the ingredients.

1. Christmas Red and Green Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup pomegranate juice
• Salt and pepper
• 6 cups spinach
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup walnuts

1. Make the vinaigrette by combining first five ingredients in a jar with a lid.  Shake to combine.
2. Place spinach on platter or in individual bowls.
3. Top with cranberries and walnuts.
4. Pour vinaigrette over all.

2. Healthier Potato Skin Appetizers

Ingredients for two servings:

• 2 medium Russet potatoes
• Butter-flavored cooking spray
• 1 Tbsp. minced fresh rosemary (or use chives, dill, garlic, basil, thyme, or any favorite spice or spices)
• 1/8 tsp. black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Wash the potatoes and pierce with a fork.
3. Bake for about one hour until the skins are crisp.
4. Cut potatoes in half.
5. Scoop out the pulp, leaving about 1/8 inch of potato attached to the skin. 
6. Save pulp and use it for something else.
7. Spray inside of each skin with cooking spray.
8. Press in the spices.
9. Return skins to oven for five to ten minutes.
10. Serve immediately.

3. Healthier Pecan-Apple Stuffing

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. canola oil
• 2 finely chopped onions
• 4 stalks finely chopped celery
• 4 cored and diced tart apples
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tsp. dried
• 2 tsp. fresh sage, chopped
• 5 cups whole wheat bread (2 or 3 days old), cubed
• 1 cup pecans, chopped and toasted
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. 
2. Add onions and celery and cook for about ten minutes until the vegetables are soft.
3. Add apples, thyme and sage.
4. Continue cooking for about five minutes until the apples soften but still have their shape.
5. Transfer to large bowl.
6. Stir in bread, pecans, and parsley.
7. Add chicken broth to moisten the stuffing.
8. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
9. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
10. Bake, covered with foil, for 30 minutes.
11. Remove foil and bake about five more minutes until the stuffing is golden brown on the edges.

4. Heallthier Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients:

• Green beans
• Chunks of potato
• Almonds, slivered

1. Cook the green beans with the chunks of potato rather than cream soup. 
2. Top with almonds instead of the traditional fried onion rings.

5. Holiday Egg Nog

Ingredients:

• 4 bananas 
• 1 1/2 cups skim milk 
• 1 1/2 cups plain nonfat yogurt 
• 1/4 tsp. rum extract 
• pinch ground nutmeg.

1. Blend all ingredients except nutmeg.
2. Puree until smooth.
3. Top with nutmeg.