Healthier Holiday Bites

Thank you to all of you fine PNW people who have taken the time to come out to our holiday cooking demos around the Puget Sound this season! We have received many requests for the recipes to be posted, so here are a few of the highlights.  

The Caprese Bites below are a great way to build-in veggies in bite-sized servings. They work well as an appetizer and party finger-food option that is super low calorie and packed with nutrients. If you don't have balsamic reduction at home, you can easily make your own. 

Caprese Salad Bites
Makes 15 servings
Original recipe by Megan Ellison, MS, RDN, CDE

Ingredients:

• 1 pound mini bell peppers, stems cut off
• 4 ounces fresh and local mozzarella
• 1 packet fresh basil
• 1 pound cherry tomatoes, halved
• Fresh ground pepper
• 1 bottle balsamic vinegar reduction

Directions:

1. Slice mozzarella into ½-inch thick strips (about 1 Tablespoon each).
2. Stuff each mini bell pepper with a mozzarella strip. Slice each pepper into 3-4 bite-sized pieces.
3. Dust with fresh ground black pepper (try smoked pepper for added flavor).
4. Layer each pepper round with a small piece of basil and ½ cherry tomato.
5. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar reduction.

Nutrition per Serving (3 bites): 45 calories; 2g Fat; 2g Protein; 5g Carbohydrates; 1g Fiber; 52mg Sodium

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This next recipe is a great vegetarian option for potlucks using quinoa, which is a quick-cooking whole grain that is considered a "complete" protein containing all the essential amino acids (building blocks of protein). My favorite part of this recipe is the use of raw beets (no cooking...yay!), which impart a bright red color to the quinoa and pair nicely with the greens in this salad. This color combination is why I have named this my Christmas Salad. I have had several beet-haters be converted with this salad.  Give it a try!   

Cranberry Quinoa Christmas Salad
Makes 8 Servings
I truly cannot recall where this recipe originated. I believe that it is a compilation of a few different recipes with my own adjustments. Please let me know if it originated from you and I will be happy to assign credit where credit is due. Thanks! ~Megan 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Quinoa
• 2 cups Water
• 2 medium Red Beets, Medium, Washed and Scrubbed
• Beet Greens or 1 bunch Flat-Leaf Parsley, Washed
• ½ bunch Green Onion, Washed and Trimmed
• ½ cup Cranberries, Dried, Sweetened
• ½ cup Pistachios, Roasted, Unsalted
• 1 Lemon, Large, Juiced (1/4 cup)
• ¼ cup Olive Oil
• To Taste Salt and Black Pepper​​ ​

Directions:

1. In a fine sieve or colander, rinse the quinoa under cold running water.
2. In a small sauce pan bring the water to a simmer. Add the quinoa to the water, cover, and simmer under low heat for 14-16 minutes or until the quinoa open – exposing their white tails. Remove from heat and then cool in refrigerator.
3. Peel the beets under cool running water. This will prevent staining. Using a box grater or food processor coarsely grate the beets into a large bowl.
4. Chop the greens or parsley. Add it to the shredded beet.
5. Slice the green onion finely. Add it to the beet and herb mixture.
6. Toss the beet mixture with the dried cranberries and pistachios.
7. Add the chilled quinoa to the vegetable mixture and toss evenly.
8. Add the juice from the lemon and the olive oil. Toss thoroughly.
9. Season with Salt and Pepper. 
10. May be made 1-day in advance – toss before serving. Salad will last refrigerated for 3-4 days.

Nutrition Facts per Serving: 136 Calories, 9g Fat, 3g Protein, 12g Carbohydrates, 3g Fiber, 24mg Sodium 
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The Spritzer below contains one of my new favorite things in 2016 .... 100% cranberry juice local to Washington! The ratios in this low-calorie "mocktail" are on the tart-side, so you can always adjust the juices to your own taste-buds. I prefer to taste that astringent cranberry flavor and find this to be a great hydrating option in-between glasses of wine or as a palatte cleanser between courses. So festive and refreshing!  

​Cranberry-Pomegranate Holiday Spritzer
Original recipe by Megan Ellison, MS, RDN, CDE

Makes One Serving
4 oz sparkling water
1 oz 100% pomegranate juice
1 oz 100% cranberry juice
1 T.  fresh pomegranate seeds
Optional Garnishes: Slice of Lime, Fresh Rosemary Sprig
Ice

Makes 16 Servings
64 oz (~2 liters) sparkling water
16 oz 100% pomegranate juice
16 oz 100% cranberry juice
16 Tablespoon fresh pomegranate seeds (~1 whole pomegranate)
Optional Garnishes: Slice of Lime, Fresh Rosemary Sprig
Ice

Nutrition per 6 oz Spritzer: 30 calories; 7g Carbohydrates; 1mg Sodium

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​We certainly cannot forget about holiday treats this time of year! I have made several tweaks to the Molasses Cookies below in order to boost their nutrient value while also cutting back on some of the less desireables - namely sugar and saturated fat. 

The two special ingredients are fresh ginger and blended dried plums....okay, okay let's call it what it is: prune puree, but don't let that deter you! The fresh ginger imparts a lot of flavor and fiber along with those wonderfully healthful gingerols. The prune puree adds depth of flavor and also makes these cookies chewy. I was able to cut both the butter and sugar in half from a typical molasses cookie recipe with the addition of the prune puree.  

Lastly, the refined flour has been completely replaced with a Whole Wheat Pastry Flour, which is now my go-to everyday-use flour. Pastry flour is ground more finely than a regular WW flour, thus it acts and looks more like all-purpose. I don't even buy all-purpose flour anymore, as I can replace this entirely with WWPF and reap the nutritional benefits of all the parts of the grain (fiber, b vitamins, germ, fat-soluble vitamins, extra protein, etc). Try some of these modifications with your own favorite holiday recipes this year! 

Ginger Plum Molasses Cookies
Makes about 40 cookies
Original recipe by Megan Ellison, MS, RDN, CDE

Ingredients:

• 2 ¼ cups whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground clove
• 3 Tablespoons grated/minced fresh ginger (or 3 teaspoons powdered)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2/3 cup dried plum puree (1 cup whole prunes makes about 2/3 cup puree)
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup dark molasses
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Extra sugar for rolling/dusting, if desired

Directions:

1. Puree prunes in a food processor until smooth.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, soda, salt, cinnamon and clove.
3. In a separate bowl, beat ginger, butter, prune puree, brown sugar, molasses, egg, and vanilla until fluffy.
4. Blend dry mixture to wet mixture until just combined. Wrap in plastic wrap or parchment paper and chill for 1 hour for thicker cookies. For thinner cookies, skip the chill phase.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
6. Roll dough into 1 ½-inch balls and place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. For outside crunch and glitz, roll the balls in granulated sugar before baking.
7. Bake until edges start to brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Nutrition per cookie: 80 calories; 3g Fat; 1g Protein; 15g Carbohydrates; 1g Fiber; 50mg Sodium

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Let us know if you try any of these recipes or your own twists on holiday favorites! 

Happy & Healthy Holidays to you! 

~Megan