Healthy Holiday Recipes

The following recipes are great options to add to your holiday menu as breakfast, snacks or to the meal.
 
Cranberry-Carrot Muffins
Leftover roasted carrots and chunky cranberry relish are the perfect addition to this holiday breakfast treat. A hot cup of coffee or cocoa with these super-moist muffins could easily become a new holiday season favorite.
 

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup pureed cooked carrots
• Zest of 1 orange
• 1/2 cup leftover cranberry relish
• 2 tablespoons Demererra or granulated sugar, for sprinkling

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375degrees F. Line a 12-portion 1/2-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
In a large bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger together.
In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand-held electric mixer in a large bowl, cream the butter on medium speed until lightened. With the speed on low, slowly add the sugar. Increase speed to medium high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating between each addition and scraping down the bowl as necessary with a rubber spatula. Add the carrot puree and orange zest and beat until well combined. With the mixer set on low, slowly add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined; do not overbeat. Remove the bowl from the mixer and with a rubber spatula, gently fold the cranberry relish into the batter until evenly distributed.
Evenly divide the batter among the lined muffin cups and sprinkle a little sugar over the top of each. Bake in the center of the oven until light golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes.
Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Remove muffins form the pan and transfer to a rack to cool completely. Serve warm or at room temperature.
 
Hummus

• 1 ½ cups cooked or canned chickpeas, rinsed
• ¼ cup nonfat plain yogurt
• 1 Tablespoon chopped parsley
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• ¼ ground cumin
• ¼ ground cayenne pepper
• ¼ fresh-squeezed lemon juice

Directions
In a food processor, combine the chickpeas, yogurt, parsley, garlic, cumin, cayenne pepper, and lemon juice. Process until well blended. Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 3 days. Serve with broccoli, celery, red and yellow peppers, or baked pita chips (recipe below)
 
 
Baked Pita Chips
6 pitas (6-inch rounds), split, then quartered
Directions
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Place pita triangle directly on rack. Bake until golden brown and completely crisp (about 10 minutes).
 
Spinach Salad with Dried Cranberries, Walnuts and Pomegranate Vinaigrette

• 1/2 cup pomegranate juice
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 6 cups baby spinach leaves
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup walnut pieces

Directions
In a small container with lid, combine pomegranate juice, vinegar, oil, and Dijon. Seal and shake to combine. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
Place spinach on a serving platter and top with cranberries and walnuts. Pour vinaigrette over spinach and serve.