This healthy holiday recipes collection is from a popular subscriber-only email last year. [My subscribers always get all the hot news first and I share things with them I share no where else!] This was Christmas Day 2016 at my house. If you’re looking for ways to make traditional holiday fare contemporary health foods you can enjoy in the moment and the rest of the day, these will help.
Healthy Holiday Recipes Flip
Food sensitivities can ruin the day. Many of my clients struggle with the idea that they’re “dieting” or someone being “high maintenance” if they aren’t diabetic, allergic, or celiac and simply care about what they eat. Or maybe you resent having to pass on the bread, a trigger for many women. You never have it, except when you do, you have 3 or 4 servings.
No one decides what you put in your mouth but you. It’s your right, privilege, and its your responsibility. This month, get to the bottom of not just what you’re eating, but what’s eating you that gives a food so much power.
We can “eat healthy” but without a well-defined plan of what “healthy” is for us right now, we may not be absorbing all the good stuff we consume. We can also “eat healthy” but still not eat enough to reach micronutrient sufficiency. Make a point to ignore the media, news, and memes telling you that you’re going to overeat, and consume more calories in sugar and “junk” this season… it’s just media. You don’t have to make it come true.
Enjoy these health holiday recipes and share yours! Below or on the Flipping 50 Facebook page! 
Better Broccoli Salad
Ingredients:
- 3-4 crowns broccoli, stems cut off
- ¼ cup minced onion
- 4-6 slices bacon, crumbled
- ¼ cup craisins
- ½ cup mayo (soy-free, dairy-free – so many good options now!)
- 3 T. white vinegar
- 4-5 drops liquid stevia
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds
Instructions:
Mix broccoli, onion, bacon, craisins in a large bowl. Mix mayo, vinegar, and stevia separately and pour over salad ingredients. Refrigerate 2 or more hours. Add sunflower seeds just before serving. Adjust the dressing mix to size of your salad. You’ve probably got an arsenal of veggie salad recipes you can turn into healthy holiday recipes with a twist on the dressing or the “cream.” (and it’s not the fat you want to leave out: dairy or soy can be a nightmare for you or your guests)
Flip: swap cashews for sunflower seeds
Cauliflower “Fried Rice”
Cauliflower “Fried Rice”Ingredients:
- 1 lb. riced cauliflower
- ¼ cup minced onion
- 2 garlic cloves (or to taste)
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 2 T. Soy-free gluten-free tamari sauce (or liquid coconut aminos)
- ½ cup frozen peas
- ½ cup chopped or shredded carrots
Instructions:
Saute onion and garlic in coconut oil in a large deep skillet. Add the riced cauliflower. Salt and pepper. Stir to heat through. Beat the egg and add to the dish along with soy-free sauce (or coconut aminos). Add the frozen peas and carrots. Turn up the heat and stir frequently to cook egg through. Turn down the heat until rice is softened.
Flip: add cooked shrimp or chicken and make this a one-dish meal. I added shrimp to the leftovers for lunch the next day.
Simple Succulent Salmon
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. salmon filet
- olive oil
- garlic powder
- Chili powder
- Fresh lime juice
- Himalayan sea salt
- Pepper to taste
Instructions:
Heat small amount of olive oil in a skillet. Season salmon with spices or premixed chipotle mix (no sugar). Squeeze fresh lime juice over the top. Cook salmon skin side down for about 8 minutes. Flip with a large spatula. Cook for 3-4 more minutes.
Flip: If you love salmon but not a fishy house, grill it instead. About 5 minutes per inch thickness.
Accordion Chipotle Potatoes
Ingredients:
- 2- 4 Sweet Potatoes (1/2 or 1 per serving depending on what else is served)
- ¼ Olive oil
- Chili powder
- Garlic powder
- Sea salt
Instructions:
Thinly slice potatoes at least ¾ of the way through. Pry open slightly. Mix olive oil and seasonings (or a Chipotle mix without sugar) and brush over and between slices. Bake for 75 minutes at 400 degrees.
Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients:
- 1 package shaved Brussels sprouts
- 3-4 T. olive oil
- Sea Salt and pepper to taste
- 2-3 T. Balsamic vinegar
Instructions:
Toss Brussels sprouts in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Spread on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Toss with 2-3 T balsamic vinegar. Serve! [There’s no image. These never left the kitchen. The cook and guests nibbled on them fresh out of the oven. You’ll have to take my word for it they were a hit! Healthy holiday recipes don’t have to mean special food for you: everyone loves good food.]
Take a Quick Dip: Hummus
Ingredients:
- 3 T. Tahini
- 1 ½ tsp. fresh lemon juice
- 2 T EVO oil
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
- ¼ tsp. sea salt
- 1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1-3 T water (add more to thin)
- Dash of ground paprika (to garnish)
- 2 garlic cloves (to garnish)
Instructions:
Combine all the ingredients in the Nutribullet Rx. (or a food processor). Stop, scrape the sides, and repeat until well blended. Add water a little at a time to desired consistency. It will thicken in the refrigerator, so you may want to make it thinner than you want ultimately. Serve immediately or refrigerate for use later.
Play with the amount of garlic and spice to reach your own flavor perfection. Doubles easily for a crowd. Healthy holiday recipes for parties are easy really. Pair a healthy dip with bright colored veggies and you have a naturally festive way to eat well.
Flips:
- Black Bean hummus – add ½ cup of black beans (and you’ll boost the protein content) and increase the water
- Sun Dried Tomatoes – add ½ cup oil packed tomatoes to the recipe
Thin Mint Smoothie Shots
- Chocolate Paleo Power or Plant Power Protein Shake*
- ½ frozen banana (eliminate to reduce sugar)
- ¼ avocado
- handful of spinach
- 1 T raw cacao powder
- 1 tsp Mint Greens*
- 1 tsp Fiber Boost*
- Small amounts of unsweetened almond, cashew, or coconut milk to desired thickness
- ice
Make it thick. Pour or spoon into shot glasses. Top with cacao nibs, or coconut cream.
*My Thin Mint Ingredients Bundle …is gone from our warehouse and discontinued! We’re so sad! My secret stand in … chopped mint or an alcohol-free mint extract.
Flip: Try vanilla protein shake mix instead and add just a bit of matcha (green tea leaf powder) to make it holiday green. Knock yourself out and make two batches – a green and chocolate to serve on a tray.
Need a Nutribullet to make healthy shakes, dips, and dressings easier? Save $20 and get free shipping.
What Healthy Holiday Recipes Do You Need?
What’s your biggest holiday food challenge? Breakfasts? (check out the healthy holiday recipes for breakfast post from November 21!) Entertaining? Check out other posts for quick workout solutions or grab the 5 Day Flip for five days of short workouts (and a soothing recovery day) that you can fit in.
