Recipes For Healthy Holiday Eating In Broomfield

Are you looking to eat healthier during the holidays? Read this article from Living Well  for a variety of healthy holiday recipes in Broomfield.

*Note: most of these are acceptable for ALL diet programs/detoxes. Please refer to specific ingredients in your plan if unsure. All in all, these are balancing, clean, and alkalizing (vs. acidic), and promote health and wellness.

Bon Appetit!

Butternut Squash Over Arugula With Apple Cider Vinaigrette In Broomfield

• 1 (1.5 lb) butternut squash, peeled and 3/4 in diced
• good olive oil
• 1 tbs pure maple syrup
• salt/pepper (kosher/sea)
• 3 tbs dried cranberries
• 3/4 c apple cider or apple juice
• 2 tbs cider vinegar
• 2 tbs minced shallots
• 2 tsp dijon mustard
• 4 oz baby arugula, washed and spun dry
• 1/2 c walnut halves, toasted
• 3/4 c fresh parm cheese

Preheat oven to 400.

Place squash on a sheet pan. Add 2 tbs olive oil, the syrup, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper and toss. Roast squash for 15-20 min., turning once, until tender. Add the cranberries to the pan for the last 5 minutes.

Vinaigrette:

While the squash is roasting, combine the apple cider, vinegar, and shallots in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.. Cook for 6-8 min, until the cider is reduced to about 1/4 cup. Off the heat, whisk in the mustard, 1/2 c olive oil, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper.

Place the arugula in a large salad bowl and add the squash mixture, the walnuts and grated parm. Spoon just enough vinaigrette over the salad to moisten, and toss well. Sprinkle w/ salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Roasted Broccoli And Green Beans

• Fresh broccoli florets (chopped from stems)
• Fresh green beans (cut/trimmed)
• Garlic (fresh cloves or minced from a jar)–to taste
• Lemon juice (to taste)
• Sea Salt and Pepper (to taste)
• Fresh basil
• Pine nuts
• Grapeseed oil (about 2-3 TBS)

Place veggies on cookie sheet. Heat oven to 400. Drizzle oil all over veggies. “Sprinkle”/douse garlic all over veggies (depending on how much you like garlic!). Squeeze lemon juice all over veggies. Salt and pepper freely. Place cookie sheet in middle of oven and cook for about 25-35 minutes or until veggies begin to crisp/brown.

Remove, toss in pine nuts and fresh basil, serving immediately. YUM. (by the way, feel free to use only broccoli, or green beans, or add asparagus, etc…. tomatoes too…)

Whipped Skin-On Sweet Potatoes…

.... that rival traditional fattening mashed potatoes:

• 1/2 – 1 Sweet Potato per person you are serving (4 may serve 6….)
• Good extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt
• 1/4 garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp pepper

No need to preheat. Heat oven to 425. Place sweet potatoes directly into middle rack of oven (make sure you have foil @ the bottom of your oven–they will ooze.)
Bake for up to an hour and a half depending on size and doneness.

Using a Kitchen Aid mixer or something similar, place warm potatoes (skin on) in the mixing bowl. Begin to mix slowly on low. Begin to add olive oil–slowly–just enough to moisten. Then add spices, and mix on higher speed, until nice and whipped smooth. You’ll have to use judgement on how much oil, depending on how thick/thin you want them, so be careful not to use too much. Sweet potatoes are much more “mushy” than white potatoes, so they don’t need all the cream, etc. (For a kick, add red pepper or even curry)

Peppermint Chocolate Frothy Shake

Chocolate Herbalogica shake mix, 2 scoops, with cold water (12 oz.) and ice: add a tiny capful (or less) of real organic peppermint extract. Blend til thick. ENJOY!

Pumpkin Pie (Ish) Shake

Vanilla Herbalogica shake mix, 2 scoops with cold water (12 oz.) and ice: add cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, even cloves (go easy–these are potent!). Blend til thick. ENJOY!

Cran Cocktail

• 8 oz. sparkling water
• 100% cranberry juice (no sugar added)- only about 2 splashes
• 1 whole lime, squeezed

combine all over crushed ice and stir and sip with straw. Cheers!

Spiced Nuts Appetizer

• Mixed RAW, whole nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts)
• Cinnamon
• Red pepper

Dash spices onto nuts and toss. Deliver to a saute pan and toast on low- med-low until the oil from the cinnamon and nuts starts to heat and brown the nuts.

Enjoy–but watch portion (1/4 cup is good) HINT: great on top of a salad, or even mixed in with rice.