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5 Tasty & Healthy Christmas Recipes To Try This Festive Season

Dt. Parvathy Menon

4 Min Read

The holiday season is upon us and the positivity that surrounds Christmas and New Year should bring some cheer to an otherwise gloomy COVID-19 pandemic struck the world.

The primary indulgence during the festivities is of-course, lots and lots of delicious food. While indulging in moderation is the mantra, most folks tend to go overboard during this time.

The hefty paunch looks grand on Santa but I am pretty sure that none reading this would want to go down that road and spoil their entire year’s hard work and perseverance in a few weeks. Not to mention the health-related complications that you may face as a fall out to these binge sessions.

With this in mind, here is a list of 5 healthy Christmas recipes that are ideal to include in this year’s holiday feast that will ensure a healthy mix on the table.

NUTTY COOKIES

Ingredients:

Jaggery -2/3 cup
Roasted Peanuts- 2 tbsp
Roasted Cashews- 2 tbsp
Whole wheat flour- 1 cup
Desi Ghee- 4 tbsp
Baking Powder- 1 teaspoon
Salt- 1/4th tsp
Vanilla Essence- 1 tsp

Method:

Add jaggery into a small grinder and grind it into a fine powder. Into this add the roasted peanuts and cashews and pulse it one more time.
Transfer this ground mixture into a bowl and add 4 tbsp desi ghee.
Mix this well, with a spoon. Into a sieve add in whole wheat flour, salt and baking powder and sieve this into the bowl containing the ground mixture.
Add vanilla essence and mix this well using your hand such that the dough holds together when you gather it in your fist. Make small balls, press and roll it into a cookie shape.
Preheat the oven at 180 degree Celsius for about 10 min.
Place these on a greased baking tray and bake for 15 -20 minutes. Once the cookies are done, allow them to cool and store it in a glass container.

nutty cookies Christmas recipes mfine

BEETROOT WALNUT CAKE

Ingredients:

Beetroot- 1 Medium Size
Eggs- 2
Curd- ½ cup
Jaggery Powder- ¼ cup
Walnuts Crushed- 2 tbsp
Olive Oil- ½ cup
Whole Wheat Flour- 1 cup
Baking Powder- 1 ½ tsp
Baking Soda- 1 tsp
Salt- A pinch

Method:

Cook the beetroot with just enough water in a pressure cooker up to 2-3 whistles. Once done, let it cool. After which grind it in a mixer to get the puree.
In a bowl add one egg and beat it with a whisker or hand blender until smooth. Add the second egg and repeat the same.
Add in ½ cup beetroot puree, ½ cup curd, ¼ cup jaggery powder, 2 tbsp crushed walnuts and ½ cup olive oil and blend all the ingredients well. Now the wet batter is ready. Keep this aside.
Into another bowl sieve whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix this well and add it into the wet batter and fold in everything.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven at 180 degree Celsius for 10 min.
Pour this cake batter into a greased cake tin and bake in the preheated oven for 30-35min.

beetroot cake christmas recipes mfine

WARM FRUIT PUNCH

Ingredients:

Cloves- 4 number
Fresh Apple Juice- 1 cup
Fresh Pineapple Juice- ½ cup
Cinnamon Stick- 1
Nutmeg- ¼ tsp
Honey- 1 tbsp
Lemon Juice- 2 tbsp

Method:

In a saucepan, combine apple juice, cinnamon stick, and cloves.
Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and filter out the cinnamon stick and cloves.
Now stir in nutmeg, lemon juice, pineapple juice and honey. Serve hot.

pineapple punch christmas recipes mfine

GREEN POMEGRANATE SALAD

Ingredients:

Leafy Greens (spinach/cabbage/lettuce)- 2 cups
Crushed Walnuts- ¼ cup
Pomegranate Seeds- ½ cup
Lemon Juice- 3-4 tsp

Method:

Toss leafy greens, walnuts, pomegranate seeds together in a medium-sized salad bowl.
Add lemon juice just before serving.

pomegranate salad mfine

JEERA CHICKEN

Ingredients:

Bone Chicken- 250gm cut into stripes
Cumin seeds ( jeera)- 3 tsp
Cumin seed powder- 1tsp
Onion- 1 large finely cut lengthwise
Green chilly- 1 slit
Ginger garlic paste- 2 tsp
Chilli Powder- ½ tsp
Coriander powder- 2 tsp
Garam Masala powder- ½ tsp
Turmeric powder- ½ tsp
Ghee/Cold pressed oil- 1 tbsp
Lemon Juice- 1 tsp
Water- ¼ cup
Salt

Method:

Heat up ghee /oil in a kadai.
Add cumin seeds and let it splutter.
Add in onions, chillies and cook till golden brown.
Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté again. Now, add all the usual spice powders and mix well.
Add in chicken, salt to taste and toss well. Add in water, cover and simmer for 10 to 15 mins till the chicken pieces are cooked well.
Now open the lid, increase the flame and mix well till the dish is dry. Once done, add lemon juice and toss it. Serve hot.

jeera chicken mfine

Yes, it is the season of merrymaking and do have a taste of the usual delicacies, but remember, the keyword is moderation. Along with the same, make sure that you add in the above preparations to balance out a meal that has the best of both worlds.

Even if you give the gym a pass at this time, please do brisk walking and some regular stretching exercises for 45 minutes every day. This will keep you in check and not completely off track.

While at it, how about we treat Santa to a few of the above mentioned healthier recipes? He might just return lighter for the presents and also a few kilos.

Happy holidays folks, stay safe and healthy and wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year.

If you have any queries related to diet, then reach out to the best dietitians in your city on the MFine app.

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+91 80619 70525

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Written by

Dt. Parvathy Menon

Parvathy N Menon is a senior nutrition consultant with MFine. She is an MSc in Nutrition & Dietetics and is also a registered dietitian (RD). Her areas of expertise include nutrition for medical conditions like diabetes, ailments of the heart, PCOD, etc. She also specialises in weight loss/gain, women’s health and overall well-being programs. On a personal note, she enjoys travelling, listening to music and spending quality time with her family.

5 Tasty & Healthy Christmas Recipes To Try This Festive Season

NUTTY COOKIES

BEETROOT WALNUT CAKE

WARM FRUIT PUNCH

GREEN POMEGRANATE SALAD

JEERA CHICKEN

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