Healthy Holiday Recipes (that still taste amazing)

My favorite thing about Holidays is cooking. I love to cook and I hope one day to be able to entertain lots of guests. My favorite part oabout cooking though is finding recipes that people love and making them healthy but still they taste so good no one would ever guess! Here are a few of my favorite recipes below.

Israeli Salad with Pomegranate and Avocado:

• 1-2 tomatoes chopped into cubes
• 1-2 cucumbers cut into cubes
• 1-2 radishes cut into strips
• 1 avocado
• 1/2 cup chopped mint
• pomegranate seeds
• lemon juice
• olive or I use avocado oil
• pink sea salt
• your fav spices – I use a greek red spice mixture

1. Put the tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, avocado, mint. pomegranate seeds in a large bowl and toss to combine.
2. Add lemon juice, oil, salt, and spices to taste and toss into salad. Garnish with more pomegranate seeds and serve.

Parsley, Nuts, and Feta Cheese Salad 

• 1/2 bunch parsley chopped
• 1/2 bunch cilantro chopped
• 1/2 bunch mint chopped
• 1/2 cup almond slivers chopped
• 1/2 cup cashew nuts ( I use sprouted nuts I buy at farmers market)
• feta cheese chopped
• avocado oil
• lemon juice
• spices

1. Chop everything up and place in a bowl.
2. Toss lemon juice, oil, and spices on top.

Stuffed Peppers with Cauliflower Rice

• 6-8 assorted peppers
• 1 cup cauliflower rice (I buy already ready cauliflower rice)
• olive or avocado oil
• 1 onion chopped
• pink sea salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 1 tsp your fav spices
• 1/2 cup pine nuts (again I purchase sprouted nuts)

For sauce

• 1lb tomatoes (I use tomato sauce)
• 1 cups boiling water
• 1 cup white wine
• 2 tbs coconut sugar
• pink sea salt and pepper
• 1 tbs paprika

1. Prepare the peppers. Cut the caps off and remove seeds.
2. Heat oil in large pan and fry onions until translucent.
3. Add the cauliflower rice, sea salt, and pepper and cook for a few more minutes.
4. Remove from heat and stir in chopped parsley, spices, and pine nuts.
5. Fill the peppers with mixture and arrange on pan.
6. Mix together the sauce ingredients and pour over the peppers. Cover with pepper caps.
7. Oven is at 350 and cook for about 30 mins to 1 hr depending on your oven. Remove from heat and serve/
8. Option – add lentils or meat with rice mixture.

Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini 

• 1 cauliflower cut into florets (or buy already cut)
• 1/4 cup olive or avocado oil
• sea salt
• lemon juice
• 2-3 tbs tahini
• chopped parsley
• pomegranate seeds or cranberries
• toasted pine nuts

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Put the cauliflower florets in a baking dis. Toss with oil and sprinkle with sea salt.
3. Roast until the cauliflower is tender and edges have browned, 15-20 mins. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
4. Arange the cauliflower on a serving plate and drizzle with lemon juice, tahini, and spices.
5. Garnish with chopped parsley, pomegranate seeds or cranberries and pine nuts and serve.

Moroccan Carrot Salad

• 3-4 carrots chopped
• avocado oil
• lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic minced
• sea salt and pepper
• paprika
• cumin
• chopped parsley leaves

1. Chop up the carrots and roast at 400 degrees for 15-20 mins. Add oil and any spices, sea salt and pepper, and garlic.
2. let cool and mix with lemon juice and top with parsley leaves. Serve.

Chipotle Poblano Butternut Squash Taquitos

• cubed butternut squash ( you can either chop yourself or purchase already cubed)
• 2 small red onions chopped
• pink sea salt
• 1/2 teas chipotle powder
• avocado oil
• 1 poblano pepper
• corn tortillas ( I purchase small coconut flour tortillas)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. On the baking sheet, toss the butternut squash with sea salt, chipotle powder, and avocado oil. Arrange in a single layer. Rub the poblano pepper with a bit more avocado oil and place whole on the baking sheet.
3. Roast until the butternut squash is very tender and the pepper is beginning to brown and blister. 35-45 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and increase the oven to 425.
4. Transfer the pepper to a large bowl. Cover tightly with foil or plastic wrap and let is dit until cook enough to handle, about 15 mins. Peel off skin and discard. Chop off the top and discard the seeds. Dice the pepper and return it to the bowl. Add the butternut squash, onions, and mash with a fork until a chunky paste forms.
5. Line the baking sheet again and arrange the tortillas in a single layer. Place in the oven for 2-3 minutes until warm and flexible. Remove the pan from the oven and spoon a thin line of filling down the left third of each tortilla, then roll them up, beginning from the side with the filling into narrow flutes. Turn them so they’re seam side down on the baking sheet. Lightly brush the outsides with more avocado oil. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and crispy. Serve immediately.

Fudgy Greek Yogurt Low Sugar/ Dairy/ Gluten Free Brownies

• 1/4 cup almond flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teas sea salt
• 4 ounces baking chocolate (I use sugar free lilys) chop up
• 2 tablespoon coconut oil melted
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 3/4 cup coconut yogurt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sugar free chocolate chips ( I use lilys keto)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease baking sheet and set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine almond flour, cocoa powder, set aside.
3. In a small pan, melt coconut oil and 4oz chocolate until completely melted and combined.
4. Stir in coconut sugar, coconut yogurt, vanilla and stir until combined. Stir in eggs one at a time until smooth.
5. Add dry ingredients to wet and whisk and then stir in chocolate chips.
6. Pour batter into pan and bake for 20-25 minutes.
7. Serve. Optional serve with keto or low sugar dairy free ice cream as well.