Christmas is right around the corner. It’s the time of the year we get to pamper the family with gifts and delicious meals. That’s why we’ve gathered 7 of the best and (unbelievably) healthy recipes to enjoy with your loved ones this Christmas Eve.
STUFFED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ tablespoon of salt 4 portobello mushrooms, without stems
½ cup mozzarella cheese pearls
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
½ tablespoon of ground pepper
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
½ cup basil, chopped
Black olives to taste
PREPARATION
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
We begin by making an oil mix to cover the mushrooms to make them juicier. While preheating, grab a bowl and add 2 tablespoons of oil, garlic, 1/4 tablespoon of salt and 1/4 tablespoon of pepper. Then, with a silicone brush, brush the oil mixture onto the mushrooms until completely covered. Then, place them in rows on a baking sheet, and let them bake for about 10 minutes until they become a bit tender.
While the mushrooms are baking, use another bowl to make the stuffing. Mix the tomatoes, black olives, mozzarella pearls, basil and the remaining salt, 1/4 tablespoon of pepper and 1 tablespoon of oil. Once the mushrooms have softened, remove from the oven and stuff them with the second mixture. Place the mushrooms back in the oven for another 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is completely melted and the tomatoes have fully cooked. To serve, the recipe suggests adding 1/2 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar (or to taste) on top of each mushroom and enjoy!
ONION SOUP
INGREDIENTS
3 onions, sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 slices sourdough bread
Chopped chives (optional)
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons grated cheddar cheese
Ground black pepper
PREPARATION
In a medium pot, add the chopped onions with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and a bit of salt. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, mixing with a small spoon and scraping the bottom of the pot until the onion is soft. Lower the heat and add garlic, continue stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot to keep the onions and garlic from getting stock to the bottom. Stir for 15 more minutes until the onions turn golden. Add the wine and soy sauce for a tasty soury flavor. Stir and continue to scrape the bottom of the pot for a few minutes until the wine evaporates. Add 5 cups of water and let it cook over low heat. Season with a little salt and continue cooking for about 10-15 minutes. Let it boil and season to taste with a little more salt.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees fahrenheit, place the bread on a baking sheet and drizzle a little oil on top. Let it toast for about 10 minutes until the edges are lightly browned. Add cheese on top and continue toasting for about 5 minutes or until the cheese melts.
To serve, pour the broth in a bowl, place a slice of toast with cheese on top of the broth, sprinkle a little pepper and add chopped chives.
WALDORF SALAD
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoon honey
Salt
Ground black pepper
1 package of romaine lettuce
1/2 leafless red leaf lettuce
3 celery stalks, thinly sliced
2 green apples, sliced
Green grapes, halved
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
PREPARATION
Begin with the dressing. Grab a bowl, add mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar and honey, and season with pepper and salt. Mix the lettuce and spinach with half the dressing, and put the rest aside. Serve the salad in a bowl and top with slices of celery, apple, grapes and walnuts to taste. If you want a bit more flavor, top it off with the remaining dressing and add more ground pepper.
ROASTED TURKEY BREAST
INGREDIENTS
Half boneless turkey breast
Avocado oil spray
Kosher salt
Black pepper
Garlic powder
Paprika
Dried thyme
Butter stick
PREPARATION
Preparing a turkey, or in this case a turkey breast, can be intimidating, but luckily we’ve found this easy four-step recipe.
1) We preheat the oven to 180 degrees Fahrenheit.
2) Season the turkey: Slightly melt a stick of butter, spread it on the turkey and sprinkle all the spices together.
3) Place the turkey breast on a greased rack on a baking sheet. The recipe recommends spraying a little avocado oil so that the turkey better absorbs all the flavors from the spices.
4) In the oven: Bake the turkey for 20 minutes so that the skin browns a little. Afterwards, cover the turkey with aluminum foil to avoid burning it or letting it dry, losing its juiciness. Roast for another 35 minutes until the turkey is well cooked.
Extra: Serve the turkey breast with some Waldorf salad or cooked vegetables…don’t forget to make it extra Christmasy.
BAKED VEGETABLES
INGREDIENTS
5 carrots, cut julienne style
4 potatoes, cut into 4 pieces
5 zucchini, cut julienne style
1 julienne turnip
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut julienne
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons oregano
Rosemary
PREPARATION
Begin by preheating the oven to 190 degrees Fahrenheit. In a bowl, mix all the vegetables with the olive oil, oregano, rosemary, pepper and salt. Place the vegetables on a baking sheet with waxed paper and bake for about 45 minutes. For soft baked veggies, cover with aluminum foil for the first 35 min and then uncover for the remaining 10 minutes. For a crispier taste, don’t cover them and leave in the oven for an 5 minutes.
HOT CHOCOLATE WITH ICE CREAM
INGREDIENTS
3 cups coconut milk
1 cup cold heavy cream
3 tablespoons stevia
½ tablespoon kosher salt
1 vanilla bean
5 ounces dark chocolate
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon finely ground coffee
2 scoops of ice cream of your choice
4 crushed candy canes
PREPARATION
This season, it’s a tradition to enjoy a delicious cup of hot chocolate with the kids but how about a grownup version? Grab some coffee and give this recipe a try- sorry, no alcohol.
Begin mixing the coconut milk, ½ cup of heavy cream, stevia, 1/4 cup of water and salt in a pot over low heat. Add the vanilla bean, bring to a boil, and stir with a spoon until the stevia dissolves. Note: If you don’t have vanilla beans on hand, you can use vanilla extract instead.
Next, pour in the chocolate and cocoa powder. Beat until the chocolate dissolves and begins to boil and turn off.
Then, in a bowl, whisk the remaining 1/2 cup of heavy cream and the coffee grounds to create a coffee whipped cream.
Now that the chocolate has cooled off a bit, remove the vanilla bean from the hot chocolate. Pour the chocolate into a blender and beat until thick and frothy.
For the grand finale, grab your favorite mug. Add a scoop of ice cream, pour the hot chocolate and top with the coffee whipped cream. Sprinkle pieces of candy cane on top and enjoy!
CHOCOLATE, DATE AND COCONUT BALLS
INGREDIENTS
1 ½ cup walnuts, chopped
½ cup cashews, chopped
½ cup almonds, chopped
½ cup instant oatmeal
¼ cup chopped dried apricots
150 grams pitted dates, chopped
½ cup pitted raisins, chopped
1 ½ tablespoons sesame seeds
2 tablespoons of bitter cocoa powder
1 tablespoon of cinnamon powder
2 tablespoons of organic honey
1 cup of dried grated coconut
PREPARATION
If we’re feeling like a bite size dessert or a light snack would be best for this year’s Christmas dinner? This recipe will be ideal.
Start with a pan over low heat, add all three types of nuts and stir with a spatula until they are lightly toasted. Pour into a blender and beat until finely ground.
Sprinkle the coconut on a plate and set it aside.
Add the rest of the ingredients to the blender and mix them to make a dough. Divide the dough into small parts. Slightly moisten your hands, and begin mixing the dough in circles to create the balls until the mixture is finished. Note: the number of balls vary according to the amount of dough used to make each one. We recommend small balls of 30 grams.
To finish, roll the balls through the grated coconut until they are completely covered in coconut and enjoy!