There's nothing wrong with indulging, especially when it comes to those beloved holiday dishes that only make an appearance once a year. Many of us dine a little more richly during the months of November and December, with comforting family dinners, festive cocktails, Christmas cookies and the like — after all, it's a time to celebrate! But that doesn't mean your diet has to be devoid of nutrition. You can enjoy the heck out of your holiday meals and make them more nutritious with easy switches that cut down on excessive saturated fat, sodium and sugar.
When visions of sugarplums start dancing in your head, give our favorite healthy Christmas dishes a go. These recipes will deliver maximum flavor without putting you in a post-feast food coma. With flavorful recipes for succulent chicken, heart-healthy pasta dishes and celebratory Christmas salads, your menu will be filling and satisfying, while still allowing you to save room for all those delicious Christmas sweets.
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Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Cauliflower
Mike Garten
Mashed potatoes are a staple at the holiday table, and replacing them entirely with cauliflower mash isn't the same. Try the 50/50 approach instead: Use half-white potatoes, half cauliflower. You'll keep the classic texture and taste while sneaking in extra veggies and more volume.
Most green bean casseroles call for heavily processed canned soup and fried onions, making sodium and saturated fat counts skyrocket. Instead, opt for simple green beans almondine, a delicious lower-carb choice that is packed with healthy fats thanks to almonds and olive oil.
Swapping eggnog for spiced apple cider can cut saturated fat and calories in half but still offers fabulous seasonal cheer. Store-bought eggnog tends to be packed with corn syrup, artificial flavors and more. If you're not a cider person, a glass of wine or a spritzer is a smart alternative.
Both sweet potatoes and yams are naturally sweet, so there's no need for loads of marshmallows and brown sugar. Just cut them into wedges, and add a hint of maple syrup then roasted them to holiday perfection.
Not only is traditional glazed ham supersweet because of the sugary sauce, but also its sodium counts are off the charts, since it often gets brined. Roasted turkey is lower in fat too (white meat is a bit healthier than dark, but choose what you like best).
This two-step side makes roasted wild fungi the star of the show. Skip the standard button mushrooms and pick up some shiitakes or maitakes for an extra-flavorful kick. No matter which one you try, you'll get a boost of vitamin D and selenium.
The Feast of the Seven Fishes, a traditional Italian-American celebration, typically calls for seven separate seafood dishes. This recipe combines all the best parts into one salad stuffed with scallops, mussels, shrimp and more good-for-you protein.
Roasted Butternut Squash Salad With Tahini Vinaigrette
Mike Garten
A vegan, three-ingredient dressing balances out sweet, caramelized butternut squash in this light dinner (or hearty side). When you inevitably want to make it again, feel free to sub in another variety — like acorn, delicata or pumpkin — to mix it up.
Fresh pomegranate arils make any dinner look festive, this one included. A scoop of nutty quinoa plus a citrusy-glazed pork pack a one-two punch of whole grain and lean protein that will keep you full all night long.
A tablespoon of harissa — a Tunisian hot chili pepper paste — is all you need to spice up a sirloin. After trying it with couscous and peppery arugula, you won't miss boring ol' steak and potatoes one bit.
Eating more legumes like split peas benefits both the environment and your health. But when you're dipping crudite into this gorgeously vibrant dip, the only thing you'll really be thinking about is going back for seconds.
Give the cinnamon a break and bust out the coriander for this one-pan side. A final toss in lime zest and maple syrup will ensure these root veggies taste anything but bland.
The surprising secret to this creamy-looking soup? It has no cream — just pumpkin, low-sodium broth, and a plethora of good-for-you seasonings like ginger, nutmeg, and garlic. Topped with browned sage and shiitakes, this soup is going to make you glad that you grabbed a bowl instead of a cup.
Roasted Brussels have never let us down, and this recipe is no exception. Add toasted, spiced pumpkin seeds and sweet Mission figs to your list of go-to mix-ins for this no-fail side.
Beets and cucumbers are great and all, but mozzarella is the real winner here. Roasting beets brings out their natural, earthy sweetness, while peppery radishes and arugula provide crunch and contrast. For a pretty plate like this one, try using a variety of different-colored beets.
Celebrate Christmas with an Italian flair. Lighten things up by making your own "bolognese sauce" with lentils, chopped onion and carrot, button mushrooms, and tomatoes as well as lean ground beef. By bulking up the sauce with hearty lentils and flavorful veggies, you gain nutrition without sacrificing one iota of flavor. Toasted pine nuts add a fun crunch.
This dish brings a Mediterranean accent to lean boneless, skinless chicken breasts. A glaze made from tart pomegranate juice, earthy balsamic vinegar, and honey will have you licking your fingers. Sprinkling cayenne pepper-roasted acorn squash with salty feta, cooling mint, and pomegranate seeds gives the seasonal vegetable a burst of festive flavor that ties it all together.
This pretty, nutrient-packed soup proves that a warm bowl of goodness doesn't have to simmer all day to taste great. Throw together this creamy vegetable soup while you're waiting for your ham to finish cooking. If you're even shorter on time, substitute the fresh vegetables with a bag of frozen cauliflower and a grated Russet potato.
Load up on greens — the trendy kind — with this zesty avocado salad paired with homemade granola instead of croutons. Once you try this spicy, savory granola, you'll want to add it to everything from your morning oatmeal to your favorite leafy greens. It also tastes great by the handful (not that we would know!)
Caroline is a writer and editor with almost a decade of experience. From 2015 to 2019, she held various editorial positions at Good Housekeeping, including as health editor, covering nutrition, fitness, wellness, and other lifestyle news. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism and dreams of the day Northwestern will go back to the Rose Bowl.
Amanda Garrity is a lifestyle writer and editor with over seven years of experience, including five years on staff at Good Housekeeping, where she covered all things home and holiday, including the latest interior design trends, inspiring DIY ideas and gift guides for any (and every) occasion. She also has a soft spot for feel-good TV, so you can catch her writing about popular shows like Virgin River, Sweet Magnolias, Hallmark Channel’s When Calls the Heart and more.