Smuggle Health Into Your Holidays

  • Smuggle Health Into Your Holidays
Have you noticed that it's really tough to celebrate AND eat healthy during the holidays?
 
For example, if you were to suggest green juice for breakfast, your family would probably look at you like you're speaking a foreign language, right?
 
For Wellness Warriors this can be really stressful.

You have your routines and practices that keep you alive and thriving at home, then BAM: booze, late nights, meaty meals and tons of cooked food.
 
Thankfully, creating a holiday season with excellent healthy food is something you can take control of in your life. Even if it means just contributing a dish or two to the family meals.
 
In today's post, I'll show you how to whip up a couple of raw food and vegan dishes that you can slip into family meals WITHOUT them even noticing. No fancy equipment necessary.
 
Ultimately, YOU have the power to create a healthier holiday experience for everyone. It may just take a little smuggling to make it happen ;)


Raw Cranberry Sauce




















Ingredients
(serves 4)
  • 2 cups fresh cranberries
  • 1 apple (peeled)
  • 1 orange (zest first then peel, cut, & quarter)
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 5 dates (pitted)
  • Raw sweetener (such as agave, to taste)

Instructions
Combine everything in the food processor. If you like it chunky, then just pulse in the processor. If you like it smooth, then the blender might be a better choice.


Endive Pomegranate Salad with Maple Mustard Vinaigrette

Original recipe by Rawmazing

 



























(serves 4)

Salad

Ingredients
  • 2 Belgian endive, sliced thin (approximately 2 cups)
  • 1 cup pomegranate seeds 
  • 1/2 lemon, juice from
  • 1 apple, chopped
  • 3/4 cup walnuts, chopped
Instructions
1. Place endive in bowl, mix in lemon juice. Do this right away as the endive will start to brown quickly.
2. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
 
 
Maple Vinaigrette

Ingredients
  • 1/4 cup raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup (not raw)
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried mustard
  • 3 tablespoons diced shallot
  • Himalayan salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
1. Place all ingredients except the diced shallot in blender. Blend until emulsified (thickened).
2. Stir in salt and pepper to taste.
 
 
Assembly
1. Pour desired amount of vinaigrette over salad. Toss.

 

Sweet Maple-Whipped Potatoes





















Ingredients
(serves 4)
 
  • 4 lb sweet potatoes (about 7 medium)
  • 1 cup almond milk (more if needed)
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1 pinch salt (to taste)
  • 1 pinch pepper (to taste)
 
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prick sweet potatoes all over with a fork. Place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until very tender when pierced with a knife, 1 hour. When cool enough to handle, halve sweet potatoes. With a spoon, scoop out flesh (discard skins); transfer to a food processor.
Add almond milk and syrup; process until smooth. Add more almond milk if needed. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.

 

Wild-Rice Stuffed Squash























Ingredients 
(serves 4)
  • 2 acorn squashes (1 1/2 pounds each), halved lengthwise, seeds removed
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
  • Coarse salt and ground pepper
  • 1 box (6 ounces) wild-rice blend (seasoning packet discarded)
  • 1/2 cup dried cherries
  • 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
 
Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, arrange squash cut side down; cover sheet tightly with aluminum foil. Roast until tender when pierced with the tip of a paring knife, about 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium. Add shallot, garlic, and sage; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add rice and 1 3/4 cups water; bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook until tender, without stirring, about 25 minutes.

Remove rice from heat, and stir in cherries and pecans; season stuffing with salt and pepper. Season the inside of each squash half with salt and pepper. Dividing evenly, mound stuffing into halves, and serve.

Raw Pumpkin Cranberry Ginger Parfait

Original recipe by Rawmazing
 








































Pumpkin Purée

Ingredients
  • 1/2 medium pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cut into chunks (you need to use a sugar pumpkin for this)
  • 1/4- 1/2 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons raw agave nectar or sweetener of choice

Instructions
Place pumpkin, cinnamon and agave in food processor or high-speed blender. Pulse until puréed, adding water as needed. You will have to scrape down the sides of the food processor while processing. 
 
 
Ginger Whipped “Cream”

Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup cashews, soaked overnight, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
  • 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
  • 2 tablespoons raw agave nectar

Instructions
Place cashews and water in high-speed blender. Blend until smooth. Add melted coconut oil, fresh ginger and raw agave. Process until well blended. Transfer to container and chill until set. 
 
 
Cranberry Layer

Ingredients
  • 1 cup frozen cranberries, thawed
  • 1/4 cup raw agave nectar

Instructions
Place in food processor and process until purée is achieved. I like this layer to be a little chunky. 
 
 
Pecan Layer

Ingredients
  • 1 cup pecans
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions
Place pecans and cinnamon in food processor. Pulse until chopped. 
 
 
Assembly
In parfait glass, place a layer of pecans, topped with a layer of the pumpkin purée, a layer of cranberries then a layer of the ginger whipped “cream”. Repeat topping with more pecans.
 

For going deeper, more inspiration & more information........