Guilt-Free Recipes & Tips For Your Holidays (2019)

Dec 19, 2018 | Health, Lifestyle, Recipes | 0 comments

Cookies and cakes and pies, OH MY! Yes, the holidays are a tempting time of year, full of heavy meals and lots of sweets. Some estimates, like those from Lana M. Kontos, N.D., suggest that the average person more than doubles their caloric intake during holiday meals. Wow! So, TNT wants to share some more tips and easy, guilt free recipes for your holidays.  

First…a few quick tips:

  • Simply eat until you are full, not until you are bursting and uncomfortable.
  • Eat a large fresh green leafy salad first and chew it well.
  • Use a good balsamic or lemon vinaigrette on your green salad instead of an oil laden, fattening salad dressing.
  • Eat a light breakfast: maybe a smoothie or some fresh fruit with low fat, whole grain cereal, or oatmeal so that you don’t go to the holiday table starving.
  • Be sure to drink a few glasses of plain water when you wake up to help keep hydrated.
  • Don’t drink alcohol on an empty stomach. This can causes your blood sugar to waiver and you may overeat to compensate for unstable glucose levels.
  • Try not to have seconds later in the evening. Instead, enjoy a hot beverage or glass of wine (approximately 120 calories and little fat).
  • Do a good deed and avoid temptation by donating your leftovers and extra desserts to a family mission.
  • Make plans the next day to go walking or shopping with family or a friend. Getting out of the house may help you from becoming a couch potato.
  • When baking, use mashed bananas or applesauce in a one to one ratio instead of oil.
  • Eat before you go to a party (even if it means eating a banana or two as you run out the door).
  • Remember to relax, enjoy and have fun… that’s what the holidays are supposed to be about!
  • Last but not the least, prepare some of our guilt free holiday recipes and enjoy every second of it..

Guilt Free Holiday Recipes

Now, Here are the guilt free holiday recipes we promised:

Appetizer Recipe – Sweet and Smoky Pecans

Nutrition facts per serving:

220 calories, 3g protein, 8g carbohydrate, 22g fat (1.9g saturated), 3g fiber

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups pecan halves
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Pinch cayenne

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a bowl, combine all the ingredients; mix well.
  2. Spread the nuts on the baking sheet; roast, tossing halfway through, until browned, 12 to 15 minutes.
  3. Let the nuts cool. Serve.

 

Appetizer Recipe- Cheese, Bacon, and Cranberry Endive Boats

Nutrition facts per serving:

105 calories, 6g protein, 5g carbohydrate, 7g fat (3.7g saturated), 2g fiber

Prep time: 5 minutes

Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
  • 6 tablespoons low-fat sour cream
  • 12 endive leaves
  • 4 thin slices turkey bacon, cooked until crisp, crumbled
  • 2 tablespoons dried cranberries

Directions:

  1. In a bowl, combine the blue cheese and sour cream, mashing together roughly with a fork.
  2. Spread 1 1/2 teaspoons of the blue cheese mixture into each leaf.
  3. Top with crumbled bacon and dried cranberries and serve.

 

Appetizer Recipe – Goat Cheese and Apple Canapes

Nutrition facts per serving: 45 calories, 1g protein, 7g carbohydrate, 1.5g fat (1g saturated), 1g fiber

Prep time: 10 minutes

Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 large red apple, cored and cut into 24 thin slices
  • 24 watercress leaves
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

  1. In a small bowl, stir together the goat cheese and honey.
  2. Spread about 1/2 teaspoon of the mixture onto each apple slice and top with a watercress leaf.
  3. Arrange the canapes on a platter and sprinkle with black pepper.

 

Side Dish – Sweet Potato and Apple Casserole

Nutrition facts per serving: 111 calories, 1g protein, 22g carbohydrate, 3g fat (1.9g saturated), 2g fiber

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients:

  • 2 medium sweet potatoes
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch rings
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the sweet potatoes on a piece of aluminum foil and roast until they can be easily pierced with a fork, about 1 hour. Let cool slightly.
  2. Trim the ends and pull off the peels; slice into 1/2-inch rounds.
  3. Butter a small (3-1/2-quart) casserole dish with half the butter. In a bowl, stir together the cinnamon, ginger, and allspice. Arrange half the apple rings and sweet-potato rounds in alternating layers in the dish; sprinkle with half the spice mixture and half the maple syrup. Layer in the rest of the apples and sweet potatoes, ending with the apples. Sprinkle with the remaining spices, drizzle with the remaining syrup; dot with the rest of the butter.
  4. Cover and bake until the apples are very tender, about 45 minutes.

 

Side Dish – Green Beans with Olive-Almond Relish

Nutrition facts per serving: 72 calories, 2g protein, 6g carbohydrate, 5g fat (0.6g saturated), 3g fiber

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 8 minutes

Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound green beans, trimmed
  • 2 tablespoons prepared green-olive tapenade
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
  • 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Directions:

  1. In a pot fitted with a steamer basket, bring an inch of water to a boil. Add the green beans, cover, and steam until just tender, about 8 minutes.
  2. In a bowl, whisk together the tapenade, lemon zest, and juice.
  3. Place the steamed green beans in a bowl and drizzle the tapenade mixture over them. Scatter almonds on top and serve.                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

Dessert Reicpe – Red-Wine-Poached Pears with Red-Wine Drizzle

Nutrition facts per serving: 247 calories, 1g protein, 45g carbohydrate, 1g fat (0.5g saturated), 4g fiber

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 50 minutes

Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups dry red wine
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 3 cloves
  • 3 large, firm pears, peeled and halved, cores scooped out
  • 1 1/2 cups low-fat vanilla ice cream

Directions:

  1. In a large saucepan, combine the wine, water, sugar, cinnamon stick, and cloves. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Simmer 10 minutes.
  2. Add the pear halves to the pan cut sides down. Cover and simmer gently until the pears are completely tender, about 10 minutes. Gently transfer the pears to a plate.
  3. Raise the heat and boil the poaching liquid until it’s reduced to a syrup (you’ll have about 1/2 cup), about 30 minutes.
  4. Serve each pear half with a scoop of ice cream and a drizzle of the syrup.                                                                                               

Dessert Recipe – Chocolate Drops with Pistachios and Cherries

Nutrition facts per serving: 30 calories, 1g protein, 4g carbohydrate, 1.5g fat (0.7g saturated), 0g fiber

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 8 minutes

Makes: 5 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 egg whites
  • Small pinch salt
  • 3/4 cup confectioners sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
  • 1/3 cup chopped dried cherries
  • 1/3 cup chopped toasted pistachios

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl, whisk together the cocoa and flour.
  2. In a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and salt at medium speed until frothy. With the mixer running, gradually add the confectioner’s sugar. When all the sugar has been added, raise the speed to high and beat until the whites have a marshmallow-like consistency. Beat in the vanilla.
  3. Reduce the speed to medium and beat in half the melted chocolate, then half the cocoa-flour mixture, scraping the side of the bowl. Repeat with the remaining chocolate and cocoa-flour mixture.
  4. Fold in the cherries and pistachios; let the mixture sit until thick enough to scoop, about 5 minutes.
  5. Scoop the cookie dough onto the cookie sheets by level teaspoonfuls, leaving about an inch between cookies. Bake 6 to 8 minutes, until the cookies are brown and crackled on the outside.
  6. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 1 minute, then transfer them to a wire rack. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container up to 1 week.

 

Dessert Recipe – Whole Grain Gingersnaps

Nutritional facts per serving: 55 calories

Serving size = 1 cookie

Cook time: 9 – 11 minutes

Makes: 1 dozen

Ingredients:

  • 1 c. all-purpose flour
  • 1 c. whole wheat flour
  • 1 tbsp. ground ginger
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 c. sugar
  • 6 tbsp. trans fat-free vegetable oil spread
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 c. dark molasses
  • Nonpareils or round white sprinkles (optional)

Directions:

  1. On sheet of waxed paper, combine whole wheat and white flours, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
  2. In large bowl, with mixer on low speed, beat sugar and vegetable oil spread until blended. Increase speed to high; beat until light and creamy, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Beat in egg and molasses. Reduce speed to low; beat in flour mixture just until blended. Cover dough in bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour or until easier to handle (dough will still be slightly sticky).
  3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. With lightly greased hands, shape dough by heaping measuring teaspoons into 1-inch balls. If you like, dip top half of each ball in nonpareils. Place balls, 2 1/2 inches apart, on ungreased cookie sheet.
  4. Bake cookies 9 to 11 minutes, or until tops are slightly cracked. (Cookies will be very soft.) Cool cookies on cookie sheet on wire rack 1 minute. With thin metal spatula, transfer cookies to rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.
  5. Store cookies in tightly covered container at room temperature up to 3 days or in freezer up to 1 month.

 

TNT wants to wish everyone a Happy & Healthy Holiday with our Guilt free recipes!

For more nutritional information, Personalized Lifestyle Programs and your Free Consultation, contact us today.

tntgetfit.com

Email: information@tntgetfit.com  

Phone: 704-549-9550

Recipes courtesy of fitnessmagazine.com and delish.com.

https://tntgetfit.com/kid-friendly-recipes-for-mothers-day/