celebrations

Herald the holidays with these healthy recipes. They feature the season’s favorite flavors and ingredients.

Orange-Cranberry Mocktail

From the Taste for Life test kitchen 1 c cranberry juice 1 c fresh orange juice (preferably fresh squeezed) 1 Tbsp lime juice Honey or agave syrup, optional 4 c sparkling water Ice 1 orange, cut into thin wedges Fresh whole cranberries

1. In a large container, mix cranberry juice, orange juice, lime juice, and honey or agave syrup to taste, if using. 2. Add sparkling water and stir well. 3. Transfer to individual serving glasses. Top with ice. 4. Garnish with orange wedges and cranberries. Serve immediately.

10 min

prep time serves 6

Per serving: 52 Calories, 1 g Protein, 13 g Carbohydrates, 11 g Total sugars, 1 g Fiber, 0 g Total fat, 22 mg Sodium, HHHHH Vitamin C

45 min

prep time

yields 10 small cookies

Cranberry Date Cookies

From Fantastic Vegan Cookies by Tiina Strandberg ($21.99, Page Street Publishing, 2021)

K c gluten-free rolled oats

L c pecans or walnuts or a mixture of both

L c fresh or frozen cranberries

L c pitted dates such as medjool dates, plus more as needed 1 Tbsp coconut oil, room temperature and scoopable

K tsp cinnamon

V tsp salt Icing

K c confectioners’ sugar 1 Tbsp cranberry juice

N tsp raspberry powder (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 2. In a high-speed blender or food processor, blend oats, pecans, cranberries, pitted dates, coconut oil, cinnamon, and salt until you have a coarse dough that sticks together well. Add more pitted dates, half a date (if using medjool dates), or one date (if using smaller dates) at a time if cookie dough is too crumbly. 3. Take about 1K tablespoons of dough and roll it into a ball. Flatten ball on parchment paper into a Q-inch-thick cookie with a diameter of 1R inches.

4. Bake cookies in oven for 15 minutes. Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 15 minutes before moving them onto a cooling rack. 5. In a bowl, mix together confectioners’ sugar, cranberry juice, and raspberry powder, if using. Spread icing on top of cookies.

6. Store cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Kitchen Note: When it’s a wholesome and quick-to-make cookie you’re after, this is the perfect healthy recipe for you. The beautifully pink sugar icing is optional but recommended if you want a sweeter snack cookie. Try this cookie with blueberries, red or black currants, or blackberries.

Per serving (1 cookie with icing): 96 Calories, 1 g Protein, 16 g Carbohydrates, 11 g Total sugars (6 g Added sugars), 1 g Fiber, 4 g Total fat (1 g sat), 30 mg Sodium, H Magnesium, Phosphorus

Easy recipe substitution!

Substitute 2 (2- to 3-pound) chickens for the Cornish game hens*

Tarragon Game Hens with Fennel and Potatoes

From One Pot Recipes by Ellen Brown ($24.95, Sterling Epicure, 2018)

75 min

prep time serves 6

2 or 3 (1O-lb each) Cornish game hens* 4 Tbsp (K stick) unsalted butter, softened

N c chopped fresh tarragon leaves 4 garlic cloves, minced 2 tsp grated lemon zest Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 2 small fennel bulbs (about 1N lb total) 2 or 3 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes 1. Preheat oven to 425°. Place rack in middle position of oven, and line a 12x16-inch roasting pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Using poultry shears or a sharp knife, cut along backs of hens. Turn them over and press them flat with the palm of your hand. Mix butter, tarragon, garlic, lemon zest, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Lift skin around breasts of hens and divide seasoned butter between them. Sprinkle both sides of hens with salt and pepper and arrange them in pan. Bake hens for 30 minutes, with skin side up. 2. Remove stalks from fennel bulbs, and trim off bottom. Cut each bulb into 6 segments, keeping core whole so that each section retains its shape. Remove hens from roasting pan using tongs and place on a plate. Arrange fennel segments with cut sides down in roasting pan. Add potato cubes in pan and place hens on top. Baste hens with juices that have accumulated in pan. 3. Return pan to oven and roast vegetables for 15 minutes. Turn over fennel segments and potato cubes with tongs and roast for an additional 15 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and hens register 165° on an instantread thermometer inserted into thighs. To serve, cut hens in half and plate each half with some of vegetables, spooning juices over top. Kitchen Note: In this dish, the juices from the butterflied Cornish game hens provide the flavorful sauce for the fennel and potatoes that are cooked with them in the roasting pan. The combination of anise-scented tarragon, heady garlic, and fresh lemon zest perfectly complements all three ingredients. The dish can be prepared up to one day in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered. Reheat it, covered with foil, in a 325˚ oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until hot. *You can substitute 2 (2- to 3-pound) chickens for the Cornish game hens. Bake them for 1N to 1K hours, or until thigh meat registers 165˚ on an instant-read thermometer.

50 min

prep time serves 6

Basic Roasted Root Vegetables

From The Complete Vegan Cookbook by the Natural Gourmet Center ($35, Clarkson Potter/Publishers, 2019)

2 to 3 lb of one or more root vegetables, such as carrots, parsnips, beets, turnips, or sweet potatoes 2 to 3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

N tsp fine sea salt, or more to taste Freshly ground black pepper to taste Fresh or dried herbs and/or spices of your choice (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 425°. Wash, peel, and cut vegetables into 1- or 2-inch pieces or desired size (they just need to be cut uniformly so they cook at the same rate). 2. Put vegetables on a baking sheet and toss with oil. Vegetables should be lightly and evenly coated, but not drowning in oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and herbs and/or spices, if using, and toss again, spreading vegetables in a single layer so they are not crowded. (If they’re crowded, divide them between 2 baking sheets.) 3. Roast until fork-tender, tossing vegetables about halfway through cooking for even browning. Start checking vegetables after about 15 minutes of roasting. Pierce a piece to check for doneness. Roasted vegetables should be soft on the inside and slightly browned on the outside. Continue roasting until desired doneness is achieved. In general, root vegetables take 20 to 30 minutes to roast. Kitchen Note: There’s something so wonderfully comforting about a pan of sweet, caramelized vegetables that can be incorporated into other dishes or eaten on their own. The options are numerous with this technique. That said, you may use root vegetables and winter squash in the cooler months, as well as cruciferous favorites, like cauliflower, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts, anytime they are available. The key is that your vegetables must be evenly cut. If the vegetables are not uniform, they will cook at different rates; smaller pieces will cook faster than larger ones. Feel free to experiment by adding different spices as well: smoked paprika and garlic powder, for instance, or a sprinkling of fresh rosemary or thyme leaves.

Per serving (made with sweet potatoes, carrots, and turnips): 158 Calories, 3 g Protein, 27 g Carbohydrates, 10 g Total sugars, 6 g Fiber, 5 g Total fat (1 g sat), 241 mg Sodium, HHHHH Vitamin A, HH Vitamin B6, C, H Vitamin B1 (thiamine), K, Phosphorus, Potassium