Cooking during the holidays can sometimes feel like a daunting task! Wanting to impress your family and friends with your skill of delicious cuisine; yet also wanting to serve dishes that won’t leave a long lasting impression on their waistlines. Substituting one item for another (ex. Applesauce for oil) in some recipes is a great way to make a dish lighter. However, be sure that if you do substitute an avocado for oil or any other combination that you understand what each ingredient does and that it will contribute positively to the outcome you desire. Here are some healthy recipes to get you started!
Pumpkin French Toast
1 egg 2 slices of bread of choice 1 Tbsp almond milk ¼ tsp vanilla extract 1/8 tsp almond extract 1 heaping Tbsp pumpkin puree ¼ tsp cinnamon 1.4 tsp pie spice 1 tsp coconut sugar
Directions:
Whisk all ingredients until smooth and begin soaking bread on both sides in a square container. Shake off excess and let cook on low/medium heat until golden browned on both sides. Set aside.
Pumpkin cream filling
1 Tbsp Greek yogurt 1 Tbsp pumpkin puree Coconut sugar to taste Pinch of ground flax seed (optional) ¼ tsp cinnamon
Directions:
Whisk until smooth and set aside Cut French toast and layer with banana slices, nut butter, and pumpkin cream filing.
Source: bringing_fit on Instagram
Quick Salad
3 cups butter lettuce 2 plum tomatoes 1 avocado ¼ c black olives ½ c chopped broccoli
Dressing:
½ c olive oil 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 Tbsp lemon juice Salt and pepper to taste
Directions: Stir well and mix over salad.
Source: effortlyss on Instagram
SUPER EASY Garlic Chicken
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts 4 garlic cloves 4 Tbsp cinnamon powder 1 Tbsp olive oil
*Additional herbs and spices as desired
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450*F Line baking dish with aluminum foil and lightly coat with cooking spray or oil. In small saute pan, saute garlic with oil until tender. Remove from heat and stir in cinnamon. Add additional herbs and spices as desired. Place chicken breasts in a prepared baking dish and cover with garlic and cinnamon mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bake uncovered until juices run clear and chicken is cook thoroughly.
Source: Adapted from recipe on Food.com
Sweet Potato Pie
1/3 cup butter, softened 1/2 cup sugar 2 eggs, lightly beaten 3/4 cup evaporated milk 2 cups mashed sweet potatoes 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon salt 9 inches unbaked pie shells
Directions:
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs; mix well. Add milk, sweet potatoes, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt; mix well. Pour into pie shell. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees; bake 35-40 minutes longer or until pie tests done. Cool; Store in refrigerator.
Source: Recipe found on Food.com
About the Author
Kristi (Montgomery) Harries has been with BaySport for over 4 years and is currently Program Manager over the Novell campus Fitness Center in Provo, UT. She graduated from BYU-Idaho in Health Promotion and Lifetime Wellness; then went on to receive her license as a massage therapist from UCMT in Utah. She has kept herself busy this year running a Half Marathon, 2 Ragnar relay races in Utah and Las Vegas, and rounded out the year marrying her favorite workout partner last month! She loves trying new recipes and enjoys making classic food healthier by substituting lighter ingredients.
