Healthy Holiday Recipes

The holidays are a time of merry-making, family feasts, parties galore and seemingly unlimited delicious morsels tempting you at every turn. It's never a surprise that the holidays can see overindulgence, stomach aches, heartburn and a firm New Year resolution to cut back on sweets and rich foods. 

With age, the digestive system can become more sensitive and may require more careful food choices and mindful eating habits. 

Some tips, along with healthy recipes below to consider this holiday season.

10 Tips for Healthy Holiday Eating:

1. Eat the healthier options first, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grain dishes and low-fat protein sources. Filling up on healthy fare may make it easier to cut down on the sweets.
2. Have a glass of water before eating. This helps keep you from overindulging, and provides the hydration necessary for proper digestion.
3. Try the dishes that contain digestive friendly herbs and spices, such as ginger, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, parsley, fennel seeds and turmeric.
4. Chew your food slowly. Then chew some more. Some experts recommend chewing at least 20-30 times for each bite. 
5. Take deep, slow breathes between bites. This slows down your eating pace and also oxygenates your blood so your digestive system can function more efficiently.
6. Don't eat on the run. If you are attending more than one gathering, take the time needed to let the food settle.
7. Walk and stretch after eating.
8. See if each meal can contain a probiotic-friendly dish such as yogurt and other fermented foods like miso and sauerkraut, or make sure you're stocked up on your probiotic supplements.
9. Don't overuse antacids. While they may provide temporary relief, they will reduce the amount of acid in your stomach which is needed to break down foods and facilitate proper nutrient absorption.
10. Consider a post-dinner cup of warm tea. Chamomile and peppermint teas contain compounds that can soothe and aid in digestion. Plus, the warmth of the tea and the time it takes to sip it can help reduce stress that the hectic holidays induce.

Have a happy and healthy holiday season, and consider trying out the recipes below:

Braised Fennel

This uniquely sweet yet meaty vegetable has wonderful digestive properties.

Original recipe by Charles Rosenberg, courtesy Bastyr University

2-3 fennel bulbs, trimmed

1 small red bell pepper

1 small onion

1 clove garlic, chopped

3 Tbs. olive oil

Salt

Pepper

2 sprigs of parsley, chopped (optional)

Slice fennel bulbs in half lengthwise, then, with fl at side down, slice each half lengthwise into thin slices. Do the same with the pepper (after removing seeds and stem) and onion. Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat until soft; add bell pepper, fennel and salt to taste; stir and cover. Continue cooking, stirring every few minutes. Enough liquid should come out of the vegetables to keep them from burning, but, if necessary, add a small amount of water or stock. Vegetables should be tender and done in about 10 to 15 minutes.

Sprinkle with parsley and black pepper before serving.

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Orange Hazelnut Thumbprint Cookies

• 2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour

• 1 cup hazelnuts (ground into 1½ cup meal)

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

• ½ teaspoon orange zest

• 1/3 cup cold-pressed vegetable oil or melted, unsalted butter

• 1/3 cup orange juice

• 1/3 cup maple syrup or concentrated fruit sweetener

• 1 teaspoon almond extract

• ½ teaspoon vanilla

• Orange marmalade preserves (fruit-sweetened)

Preheat oven to 350° F. Combine fl our, hazelnuts, baking powder, salt, and orange zest in a mixing bowl; set aside. In a separate bowl, mix oil, juice, syrup, extracts together. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix well, kneading a little. Form dough into balls and flatten to make circles. Place on lightly oiled cookie sheet. Indent each cookie with your thumb or your child’s thumb and put ½ teaspoon preserves in the imprint. Bake 15 minutes, until edges turn golden.

Preparation time: 30 minutes. Makes 24 cookies.

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Frozen Pumpkin Supreme

(Yield: 16 servings)

1 quart sugar-free vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt

1-½ cups canned pumpkin

1 tbsp. pumpkin spice (or 1 tsp. cinnamon, ½ tsp. allspice and ½ tsp. ginger)

15 gingersnap cookies

Soften ice cream at room temperature for ten minutes. Mix in pumpkin and spices until well blended. Spoon into 16 custard cups. Wrap well in plastic wrap. Freeze. Let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving each custard cup with one gingersnap cookie.

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Holiday Roasted Red Pepper Dip

(Yield: 7 servings)

12 oz jar of water packed

roasted red peppers, drained

2 tbsp. fresh-chopped parsley

2 peeled garlic cloves

2 tbsp. capers, drained

Place roasted red peppers, parsley and garlic into a blender. Blend to a moderately smooth consistency. Fold in capers. Serve with fresh vegetables or melba rounds.