Try To Mix it Up With Some Healthier Holiday Treats

My strategy during the holidays is to only eat the special treats that you don't get any other time of the year, and I only indulge in the ones I really love. So yes to eggnog with brandy, no to chips and dip.

Kris

To lower carbs and increase protein I use alternatives to white wheat flour like almond meal, garbanzo flour, amaranth flours, chia seed flour, sorghum or buckwheat flour. All these can be mixed with regular white or whole grain wheat flours for breads and cookies.

I use a lot of almond meal when making my holiday fruit breads. I have watched my neighbors devour an entire loaf in one sitting. I use all kinds of cherries, dried and fresh cranberries, golden raisins, figs, dates and other fruits as well as roasted pecans and almonds. This is a delicious, super healthy treat and not like the fruitcake of olden days.

I_Fortuna

I've made those sugar cookies before, I'll be making them again!

I have an internal battle this time of year. I think, "wouldn't a cookie swap at work be fun! I should organize that!" Then I tell myself "NO! Bad Michelle! No Cookies!" The number of work potlucks I go to will be bad enough! I will bring healthy options when I can!

Michelle

I have a pecan pie recipe that uses pinto beans for the binder instead of caro syrup. It's really good, far less rich, and you don't taste the beans at all.

Erika

Holiday treats must be 'worth the calories' for me. If it's homemade with good ingredients a small portion is fine to indulge in. That said, I think I picked up and put down the German Stollen for sale at Aldi's Market three times. Their stollens taste like home made and I find them irresistible so I only purchase one a season.

Marlene

For holidays I try to bring a "healthified" dessert to share, and try the other sweets that ones I know I will love and enjoy (as pretty as they look I don't like sugar cookies so I skip out on those for double chocolate brownies).

Dietitian Jess

Great ideas my friend. Can you ask Erika if she can share that pecan pie recipe? It sounds yummy....we don't ever use karo anymore.

Janet

My neighbor shared some yum-o "muffins" i was impresed with (or icing-less cupcakes) and my kids loved them, also. 1 box yellow cake mix, 1 can pumpkin, plus cinnamon chips (instead of chocolate chips). They were so good - very holiday inspired! I had never heard of cinnamon chips before. Just another spin on the no-oil-no egg-added-to-a-box-cake-mix trend that's going on now. I have a friend that uses spice cake mix and pumpkin and adds a huge scoop of vanilla protein powder and makes that into breakfast muffins, and those are divine, also. Our family attends Christmas breakfasts as well as dinners and recipes like these help with whatever location you're headed!

Angie M

I also have a chocolate fountain I purchased a while back and it's always a fun and festive and easy way to do dessert. Kids love it, too. Fresh fruit and chocolate - mmmmm.

Angie M

What? You left your Chocolate Chip Butter Cake off the list?? I make it with 1/3 c. good cocoa powder and it is a big hit!

Robin

Thanks for this amazing recipe roundup, can't wait to try them all out!

Katie Harding

I'm willing to share the pinto bean pecan pie recipe. Just tell me how I should send/submit it.

Erika