In a world faced with uncertainties, we crave our holiday traditions now more than ever. We want to embrace what is familiar.

What is more comforting than a table filled with family, friends, laughter, and foods made using holiday recipes and ideas that have been passed down from generation to generation? You don’t have to abandon these culinary legacies, even if you’re trying to eat healthy.

A few simple ways to make your family holiday recipes a little healthier.

 1. Redesign the “sad beige” sides

Potatoes are nutrient-rich comfort foods, but most people have traditionally used white potatoes because there weren’t many other choices at the grocery store, and this was what they were used to eating. However, a healthier choice when preparing a potato dish would be to consider using sweet or purple sweet potatoes in place of white potatoes.

If you’re going for that traditional potato flavor, keep the peels on the potatoes, as this adds protein and healthy fiber!

If you want to try a recipe with something else, sweet potatoes are delicious, and they are high in fiber and beta-carotene. Kansas State University has been studying the potential health benefits of the purple sweet potato and its anti-cancer properties. Purple sweet potatoes typically contain unusually high amounts of anthocyanin, which is a powerful anti-cancer pigment.

Anthocyanins can be red, blue, or purple depending on the food’s chemical structure. (These anthocyanins of blue, red, and purple color pigment can also be found in many colorful fruits, like blueberries, black raspberries, and red grapes.) Anthocyanins are known to have anti-angiogenic properties. (Angiogenesis means the growth of new blood vessels. Anti-angiogenic means that it stops tumors from growing their blood vessels.)

The antioxidants are the color pigment of the food. These dark purple, blue, and red foods also contain phenols. Phenols are organic compounds that are naturally occurring in certain foods, and that have anti-aging and antioxidant components. Additionally, an American Chemical Society study found that eating purple potatoes may lower blood pressure.

For a healthy stuffing, try making one with organic sprouted rice, wild rice, or sprouted organic bread stuffing (using bread like Ezekiel or Alvarado Bakery) in place of the white, refined bread. Then, bake your stuffing in a separate dish instead of cooking it inside the turkey (where it can absorb a high amount of saturated fat from the meat). Also, use vegetable broth in place of chicken broth. Doing both of these things allows the vegetarian or vegan diners to be able to enjoy that dish as well.

When making cornbread stuffing, purchase non-GMO, organic cornmeal (which is free of the BT toxin, that is found in some genetically modified corn, and usually grown with heavy pesticides). If you are feeling brave, try using blue cornmeal, which is about 30 percent higher in protein and has more zinc and iron than white or yellow corn.

     2. Make moister meat with healthy fats

Christmas dishes typically involve a type of creature food, like turkey or other types of meat. Try using a little orange juice and coconut oil to add moisture, and try baking them instead of frying them. If you are baking, frying, or sautéing anything, use organic, pure coconut oil, or avocado oil in place of lard, vegetable oil, or a trans-fat like Crisco. They handle heat well and have fantastic health benefits.

For other types of animals, fish, or fowl, you can grill, broil, or sauté them in a little organic cold-pressed coconut oil. After you remove them from the heat, you can drizzle some pure, organic, extra virgin olive oil on them, and serve  them with lemon juice or a lemon juice vinaigrette. When dining, choose skinless, low-fat meat pieces and then add just a tiny bit of gravy.

    3. Deliver everyone’s ‘just desserts’

For dessert, try making a pumpkin pie! You can make a whole sprouted grain crust yourself, or you can find a whole grain ready-made crust at the store, and serve coconut milk whipped cream for the topping. It’s delicious and it’s a great way to cut down on dairy.

You can also have a simple pitted date as a sweet treat. It’s just fruit and a much healthier choice. Try using non-dairy milk in your recipes or for your coffee creamer. If you want it to be sweeter, blend the milk (like the unsweetened, vanilla coconut or hemp milk) with a little extra added vanilla or maple extract in a blender and add some pitted dates. I soak the pitted dates in water to make them softer so they will crème up easier, and voilà! You have a healthier version of a sweet, holiday creamer for your coffee or desserts. You can also add a sprinkle of freshly ground nutmeg on top for a beautiful and delicious presentation

    4. Add a little nutrition to favorite snacks

When making or serving snacks, try an easy dip option such as a healthy high-protein hummus or nutritious guacamole.

Cut some cucumber, red bell pepper, or celery to use as the dipping chips! If you want to serve crackers or chips, try using a whole grain, sprouted, organic version or an organic sweet potato chip or cracker. (Late July is a good brand for chips and Mary’s Gone Cracker’s is my favorite cracker these days.)

For snacks that are easy for travel or on the go, try combinations of organic, sprouted nuts, sprouted seeds, peeled oranges or tangerines, apple slices sprinkled with a tiny bit of lemon juice, olives, pitted dates, raisins, dry fruits, kale chips, organic healthy food bars, and coconut chips.

Here are some easy substitutions:

1. Unsweetened yogurt in place of sour cream

2. Hummus or mashed avocado instead of mayonnaise for sandwiches

3. Unsweetened vanilla coconut or hemp milk in place of dairy

In closing, we know how important our holiday dinner recipes are and how these traditions can be such a stabilizing part of our lives.

And yet, we also know that some of these foods use ingredients or cooking techniques that may not be as healthy as we might desire. Eating these foods doesn’t always make our body feel its best.

There is a way to promote a healthier lifestyle, while still enjoying these holiday meals. Simply substitute a few ingredients, or make different food choices when making your Christmas dinner recipes. In this way it will be both delicious and healthier for you and your family.

The post How To Turn Classic Holiday Recipes Into Foods That Are Still Traditional But Are Much Healthier appeared first on Organic Healthy Life - Nancy Addison - Nutrition.

Nancy Addison is a certified health counselor, nutritionist, chef, as well as a radio show host, who teaches people about living a healthier, happier life through nutrition and lifestyle. She has appeared on NBC, Fox, CBS, and in documentaries (“Eating You Alive”).

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The author and publisher are not liable for the misuse of this material. This article, website, podcasts, and books are strictly for informational and educational purposes. Nancy Alisa Gibbons Addison offers information and opinions, not a substitute for professional medical prevention, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult with your physician, pharmacist, or healthcare provider before taking any home remedies or supplements, or following any treatment suggested by Nancy Addison or by anyone listed in the books, articles, podcasts, videos, or other information contained here. Only your healthcare provider, personal physician, or pharmacist can provide you with advice on what is safe and effective for your unique needs or diagnose your particular medical history.

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I was in charge of the stuffing and Waldorf Salad this year.  My mother gave me the stuffing recipe that she has used since her mother taught her to make it. Now I am taking up the tradition, and I will pass it on to my children. These recipes and traditions can be such a stabilizing part of our lives.

My mother recently moved, and it has not been the same this year.  She said that she wasn’t going to decorate for Christmas this season, because it is so much trouble getting all the ornaments out, and then putting them away after the holidays.
 
It would have been so hard to imagine going to my mother’s home on Christmas morning without the Christmas tree and the festive decorations that she so lovingly put out every year of my life.


I suggested that we just change a few things this year and still make it work, and the traditions will grow and change with the times, and my mother agreed. 

 
When my daughter asked my mother about the traditions we always had every year, she said that many years ago, she just decided that we were going to have some traditions, and she simply made them up as she went along. 


After all these years of my mothers’ wonderful traditions, these are what her children and grandchildren now embrace and cherish so very much.

One of these traditions that my mother started years ago was to have a “Family Wassail Party” the weekend after Thanksgiving. The entire family goes over to my mother’s house, and drinks wassail (a hot mulled cider), eats, talks and helps decorate the tree. 


There is a rule that you must put at least 10 ornaments on the tree before you can leave.  This creates such fun and merriment, as everyone is part of the overall creation.

The tallest members of the family put the ornaments way up high, and the smaller ones decorate the lower hard-to-reach part of the tree.

The laughter and sharing of the evening together is a time when we all get to relax and just catch up with each others’ lives, since we are all running at lightning speed these days. 

 
My family is very large, and even though most of us live in the same city, we don’t get to see each other all that often.  It is the eye-to-eye contact, sharing and communication that truly bond us together.

 These traditional events reconnect us and bring us closer together as a family. 


I am going to make my grandmother’s recipe (that was handed down to my mother, and now to me), with loving care.  I know that the energy and love that I will put into the making of this dish will be what makes it so good.

All the foods your grandmother made had her loving energy in it. The main ingredient was always love. That is why that familiar traditional food tastes so much better.  That is also why we crave it when we are sad or lonely.

So as we continue our traditions, remember that we can create comforting, wonderful memories for our families and friends by just relaxing, and putting a lot of love into everything we do. It is the warm feelings in the traditions that we will always cherish.

It truly is about being present, and being here, right now.  Slow down and savor the moment.  It is food for our soul. 
 
copyright@nancyaddison2014

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1. Stay hydrated! Even though they are liquid, sodas and coffee are not hydrating. So, drink lots of water to stay hydrated. Hydration is a major factor in staying well and healthy!
2. Juice half an organic lemon or lime and add to a glass of warm purified water. Drink this first thing in the morning before anything else goes into your stomach. This will help cleanse your organs, give you a vitamin C boost and help alkalize your system.
3. Make your healthy breakfast and/or lunch your largest meals of the day. You need this to give your body sustainable energy throughout the day.
4. Eat healthy fats. Fats are good for you in the right form, quality and quantity. These “good fats” will actually give you more energy, help you lose weight, fight inflammation and support your brain function.
5. Exercise at least 50 minutes 3 times a week. This helps you get oxygen flowing throughout your body and cuts down on stress.
6. Take time for yourself. Take a long hot bath, a walk, a nap, a massage or manicure. Even if it is just for 15 minutes, nurture yourself, breathe deeply, and think of peaceful thoughts. Play some uplifting music. It is amazing how rejuvenating this can be!
7. Volunteer. There is no better way to invigorate your life than to do something in a volunteer way. No matter how low things seem to be, when you volunteer, it puts everything into perspective and can empower you! It is a great activity to do as a family or a group. There are so many worthy groups out there that could use some help. If you are lonely, it is a great way to get out, meet some new friends and have some fun. When we give, we always get much more back in return.

Remember, if you don’t take care of yourself, you can’t take care of others. So, be patient and kind to yourself during the holidays.
I wish you and yours a merry holiday season! Love, Nancy
copyright@nancyaddison2012 for more information go to wwww.organichealthylifestyle.com

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Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

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Recipes from “How To Be A Healthy Vegetarian” are on pages:
Nut Pate Page 178
Seitan Stroganoff Page 195
Squash Cassarole page 205
Tom Spicer’s Brown Rice with Chestnuts page 218
Stuffed Tomatoes Page 214
Sweet Potatoes with Cranberries and Apples Page 216
Aunt Katherine’s Yeast Rolls page 251
Southern Cornbread page 256

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