Createlive: healthy holidays

Showing posts with label healthy holidays. Show all posts

12.09.2011

Chickpea-Based Cookie Dough Dip

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People often ask me about cookies. I generally steer clear. To be honest, I’ve often found them kind of boring to make. It’s hard to get creative with your regular old cookie. They don’t taste that great to me most of the time. And, to top it off, they’re generally a calorie feast.

Until today. Ha! One small step for womankind…

I found a cookie dough dip recipe on Chocolate Covered Katie’s site and modified it by using less sugar, no milk or oats, and bittersweet chocolate. It’s pretty much to die for. My coworkers swooned and huddled around my desk.

Here’s what you ought to do with it (because you asked): Stir it into ice cream. Bake it into cookies (will it work? I’m about to try it!). Any takers?

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Chick Peas (1 can)
1/2 cup Light Brown Sugar
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/8 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 cup Bittersweet Chocolate Chips
1/2 cup Almond Butter (or Cashew butter or Peanut butter, etc).

Cooking Directions:

Open Chick Peas and pour out the liquid, then re-fill with water (this isn't entirely necessary - I just think that replacing the Chick Pea "juice" with water helps eliminate some of the chickpea flavor).
Blend all ingredients except for chocolate chips in a blender or food processor (I used a hand-held blender in a bowl).
Once ingredients are smooth, add chocolate chips and stir.

[Click here for more Healthy Holiday recipes for a guilt-free holiday season!]

12.05.2011

Baked Brie Pastry

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[Click here for more Healthy Holiday recipes for a guilt-free holiday season!]

I know, I’ve done something like this before. And I’ll admit they taste like they’re related (Okay, now I feel like I’m on TrueBlood and I’m a vampire, which reminds me… Breaking Dawn was horrible. Don’t see it. It somehow managed to not only be horrible and boring but also fairly creepy.).

Wow. That’s what you call a tangent. As in tangential point. As in I took one semi-related fact and just went running with it. Running far, far away.

And we’re back! So yes, this is similar to another Baked Brie recipe… but it’s a total improvement.

First, it’s much prettier. Wrapping the brie in pastry helps it keep its shape.

Second, it’s cranberries instead of raspberry jam, we’ve got raspberry and basil cranberry.

Third, the technique is slightly different. It’s actually easier. Instead of creating a sauce using Kahlua and Brown sugar, we simply pour the Kahlua over the brie as it’s baking and sprinkle on some Brown Sugar.

Ingredients:Preheat oven to 350.

1 wheel of Brie Cheese
1/2 tablespoon Basil
1 tablespoon Honey
1 cup of whole cranberries
1 cup of water
1/2 cup organic sugar
1 sheet of pastry dough (Pepperidge Farms)
1 cup Kahlua
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Walnuts

Cooking Directions:

Set pastry sheet out to thaw.
In a small or medium saucepan, boil water and add cranberries. You can substitute ½ can of whole cranberry sauce, if desired.
Add basil and honey and stir frequently for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
Use a roller to smooth out pastry sheet. Push and roll toward the edges to thin the pastry dough while also making it larger.
Cut brie in half sideways, so that you end up with two thinner, yet still circular, wheels. Place the bottom layer in the middle of the pastry dough.
Cover this layer with cranberries. If they drip down the sides, that’s fine. You’re wrapping it up later, anyways!
Place the second half of cheese on top. Add another layer of cranberry.
Fold up pastry dough. Beginning on one side, pick up a corner and fold up, covering the side of the dough, then use your fingers to crinkle the dough, making flaps that can be overlapped. Continue moving around the dough until you reach where you started. See picture below for a visual.
Place in a circular (if possible) casserole dish that is a bit larger than the pastry dough itself (so that there is a bit of a margin around the food). Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and use a knife to poke holes down through the top of the brie. If you’d like, you can also purposely break the pastry dough a bit around the tops, allowing the cheese to melt down a little bit more.
Pour 1 cup of Kahlua over the top of the brie. It will drip down the sides and take residence in the margin around the pastry.
Sprinkle brown sugar and nuts around the brie, dropping them into the Kahlua.
Bake for another 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and serve with crackers (I used Wheat Thins).

Check out this year's Winter '11 series of Healthy Holiday Recipes! Includes healthy recipes for stuffing, baked brie, cherry pomegranate pie, kahlua and walnut sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce...

[Click here for more Healthy Holiday recipes for a guilt-free holiday season!]

[Click here for more Healthy Holiday recipes for a guilt-free holiday season!]

11.30.2011

German Creamcheese Gingersnap Cake

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This cake was inspired by my father's birthday, and my father had an affinity for coca cola when we were younger -- we even called it "Daddy Coke." This version of the cake uses Coca cola as a substitute for oil, eggs, and butter. Admittedly, coca cola is not the healthiest ingredient on the face of the earth -- far from it, in fact. That said, if you're concerned with calories, the substitution will still save you hundreds of calories (or you can use diet coke to save another 100 throughout the entire cake, but that only ends up being 5-10 calories per piece). If you're concerned about using coke, try using 1 can of La Croix or 10oz of Sparkling Water. If you're not a fan of the substitution in general, go ahead and follow the cake mix instructions for using eggs, oil, etc.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Total time: 45 minutes

Yield: 12-16 Servings

Calories per serving: 150 Calories

Ingredients:

1 box German Chocolate Cake
1 can Coca Cola
1 8oz package Cream Cheese
1/4 cup Softened Butter
1 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
10 Small Gingersnaps
2 Ziplock bags

Cooking Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.
Combine German chocolate cake mix with can of coca cola in a large mixing bowl and combine until well mixed.
Pour into a greased glass cake pan and bake for 28-36 minutes, checking periodically toward the end with a toothpick to come out clean.
The center of this cake may not rise the way you would expect. If this happens and the cake is uneven, use the back of a spatula to flatten out the cake once it comes out of the oven. It won't affect the taste, promise!
In a clean bowl, combine cream cheese and butter and beat on high until combined. Slowly add sifted powdered sugar and vanilla.
Once the cake has cooled, frost with cream cheese mixture.
Place gingersnaps inside two layers of ziplock bags and place on a cutting board. Use a rolling pin or large face hammer to beat the ginger snaps until crumbly. How fine the gingersnaps are is up to your own discretion. Sprinkle crumbs over frosting and serve!

[Click here for more Healthy Holiday recipes for a guilt-free holiday season!]

11.24.2011

Vodka Hot Chocolate

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The holidays are often a cause for celebration and, with celebration, often alcohol consumption. Next time you've got family over, try this recipe for vodka hot chocolate (and, if you're looking for a cocktail spread, this whiskey apple cider recipe is also fabulous). It will warm you up in more ways than one without making you pucker your lips!

Ingredients:

1 packet Hot Chocolate Powder
1 shot Whipped Cream Vodka
Whipped Cream
1 Gingersnap

Cooking Directions:

Combine hot chocolate powder with about 4 ounces less water than the package directs you to.
Add 1 shot of whipped cream vodka.
Garnish with whipped cream and crushed gingersnap.

[Click here for more Healthy Holiday recipes for a guilt-free holiday season!]

11.21.2011

Cherry Pomegranate (Mini) Pies

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Pies. Oh my. Well, here's the thing about holiday pies... they're big. They're sugary. They're calorie monsters. And yet, sometimes, all you want is a piece of freaking pie (for a big slice, check out this recipe for healthy pumpkin pie).

Never fear, my friends. Now you can serve your guests (or yourself...) the perfect amount of pie. These individual pies have the perfect amount of crunchy crust while still being filled with sweet-yet-fresh cherries and pomegranate seeds. The perfect combination of tang and sweet. Word.

Prep time: 10 minutes (plus 40 minutes thaw time)
Cook time: 20 minutes
Yield: 18-22 Mini Cupcakes

Calories per serving: ~200 calories

Ingredients:

1 sheet Pastry Dough
1 can Whole Cherries Cherry Pie Filling (Find one that is organic or read the ingredients list and choose a can that has cherries and water as the first two ingredients -- not corn starch or sugar -- makes a big difference!)
1 whole Pomegranate

Cooking Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Take sheet of pastry dough out of the box and let it thaw for 40 minutes.
Break pomegranate seeds out of prison.
Tip on opening Pomegranates: Cut pomegranate into four parts. Fill a large bowl 1/2 way with water and break apart the pomegranate under water. The seeds will sink while the white "brainey" parts and rind will float. Collect the seeds, drain them, and set aside. Be careful! Pomegranates stain!
Use a roller to make the sheet of dough thinner by rolling it toward the edges.
Cut the sheet into squares about 3 inches by 3 inches.
Place each square into a greased cupcake tin, making sure to fold it down into the bottom without ripping it.
Spoon cherry filling into each mini pie (there should be about 3-4 whole cherries in each, filling about 2/3 of the pastry dough crust).
Add a layer of pomegranate seeds on top of cherry pie filling.
Bake for 20-30 minutes, depending on how golden you prefer your crust!
Serve :)

[Click here for more Healthy Holiday recipes for a guilt-free holiday season!]

11.19.2011

Peppermint Brownies

Here come the holidays (I mean, I know I've said that all week, but really, they're STILL coming)! This year, I challenge you - yes, you - to be a little more careful in order to be a little more happy and survive the holiday season guilt-free. A delicious holiday feast - complete with appetizers, stuffing, and even dessert - can be had on a "calorie" budget. If you're looking for a trim holiday dinner, check out the "Healthy Holidays" series.

Today: Dessert!
Peppermint and chocolate. Oh, sweet gosh, what a wonderful combination. So naturally my thought was... can we make it healthier?

Now they're bitesize. Okay, maybe two bites. Three if you're careful!

Size-wise, these compare to truffles and cake pops. There's no addition of cream cheese or frosting, so the caloric value is much lower and, because they were baked in mini cupcake tins, there is no need for balling and rolling dough (which is the most tedious part of cake pops and truffles, if you ask me).

Whereas the Peanut Butter Brownie Bites were reminiscent of Reese's Cup Cupcakes, these babies are a similar taste to the York Peppermint Patty Cupcakes I whipped up a month or so ago. So refreshing.

Cook time: 18-22 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Yield: 48 mini cupcake brownies

Calories per serving: ~60

Ingredients:

1 box Devil's Food Cake Mix
1 can La Croix, Sparkling Water, or Diet Coke
1 1/2 cups Peppermint Melting Candy
1 teaspoon Canola Oil

Cooking Directions:

Combine cake mix and can of La Croix/Sparkling Water/Diet Coke in a large bowl and mix well.
**Do not add butter, oil, or eggs if using this method. The carbonation in the water/soda will substitute for those ingredients and cause the batter to rise. If you would prefer the traditional route, feel free to bake as directed on the back of the box, and ignore the carbonated beverage addition**
Use an ice cream scooper (great size!) to spoon into a mini-muffin tin and bake as directed.
Once done baking, melt peppermint candy coating in the microwave for 90 seconds and stir. The coating should be easily stirred, and most if the chunks will dissolve upon a minute or two of stirring.
Add Canola Oil and continue stirring. If numerous hard chunks remain, nuke it for another 15 seconds and stir again.
Place mini muffins on a sheet of parchment paper and spoon peppermint coating on top of each muffin, using the back end of the spoon to move the coating around so that it just begins to drip down the sides.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes and serve!

[Click here for more Healthy Holiday recipes for a guilt-free holiday season!]

11.18.2011

Creamy Cheesecake Dip

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More holiday recipes! I know, you're in love.

Well guess what? Now that we've covered appetizers like Baked Brie with Cranberries and Walnuts, side dishes like healthy, low-calorie stuffing, and veggies like KC's Dilled Carrots, it's time for some tasty dessert love.

Brandy over at The Nutmeg Nanny has contributed this fabulous twist on dessert - cheesecake dip! This way, you can do the dirty dessert goodness without eating an entire piece of cheesecake! Or 'double dip' by sampling a few different desserts. I'm guessing this baby will be quite a crowd pleaser!

Check out the recipe for Creamy Cheesecake Dip!

[Click here for more Healthy Holiday recipes for a guilt-free holiday season!]

11.17.2011

KC's Dilled Carrots

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Ah, and the holiday recipe madness continues! Now that we have gorged (err -- I mean consumed healthily and in total moderation) Baked Brie with Cranberries and Walnuts and stuffed our faces (I mean half a cup) with healthy, low-calorie stuffing , it's time to get down to the veggies, amiright?! It kills me that the holidays have a special knack for taking ingredients that should be contributing to your HEALTH and add enough fat, sugar, and (for lack of a better word, and pardon my French here) crap to it that it is not only no longer healthy but is also a caloric overload. Boo, holidays!

Have you noticed a pattern? I tend to trash on unhealthy food and then swoop in to save the day (ha!) with a healthy version. Well, this time I had to call for reinforcements! Sarah from The Pajama Chef has whipped up a fabulously healthy recipe for a holiday side dish. This dilled carrot recipe is a lighter take on your traditional glazed carrot dish; this recipe, however, is neither mushy nor heavy. Instead, it is fresh and light.

Straight from the table of a family friend, here's The Pajama Chef's favorite vegetable dish of all time...

[Click here for more Healthy Holiday recipes for a guilt-free holiday season!]

[Click here for more Healthy Holiday recipes for a guilt-free holiday season!]

11.14.2011

Healthy Holiday Stuffing

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Here come the holidays. Are you ready for the stuffing? Well, hate to burst your bubble and all, but typical homemade or dry box stuffing is anywhere between 400 and 700 calories per cup. And how much were you planning to eat? Yeah, your diet is history...

But wait! Don't cry. I know you love stuffing. That's why this recipe uses low-calorie bread and low-sodium chicken broth, avoiding the calorie overload! Yaaayyyyyyy! The crowd goes wildddd.

Prep time: 10
Cook time: 35
Yield: 6-8 servings

Calories per serving: ~150 Calories

Ingredients:

2/3 pound Bread (Sara Lee 45 Calories and Delicious)
1 whole Onion
3 sticks Celery
1 tablespoon Olive oil
1 1/2 cups Chicken broth (low sodium)
2 tablespoons Sage
1 tablespoon Thyme
1/2 tablespoon Parsley
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Cracked black pepper

Cooking Directions:

Preheat oven to 325.
Cut bread into small cubes.
Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes, rotating/tossing half way through.
Remove from oven and set aside.
Dice onion and celery.
In a pan, combine onion and celery with olive oil, Thyme, Parlsey, Salt, and black pepper. Add 1/2 cup of chicken broth and cook on medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
In a large bowl, combine with bread. Add 1 cup chicken broth and mix well. Add additional broth if it's too dry.
Serve!

[Click here for more Healthy Holiday recipes for a guilt-free holiday season!]