‘Tis the season to eat healthy

Lutho Pasiya

Enjoy these Christmas feasts that are indulgent and good for you

MOST people tend to gain a few kilograms over the Christmas break as food is an integral part of Christmas socialising.

Unfortunately, many people will not end up shifting those extra kilograms and more often than not, it is stored around the belly – the most dangerous region to store weight. Not to mention the exorbitant intake of saturated fats, salts, and sugars that commonly come hand in hand with the complex Christmas feast.

If you are wanting to lose or maintain your weight, however, it does not mean you have to sit this one out. Below we have compiled a list of healthy foods that you can indulge in this Christmas.

Vegan friendly

Lentil soup

Lentil soup is based on lentils; it may be vegan, vegetarian, or include meat, and may use brown, red, yellow, green, or black lentils, with or without the husk. Lentil soup may include vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, celery, parsley, tomato, pumpkin, and onion.

Vegan green bean casserole

This healthy side dish is a fun dairy-free spin on the classic. It is mostly made with a cashew-based mushroom sauce that is super creamy and delicious. It tastes like it is made with cream and cheese, but it is 100% vegan.

Raw veggie options

Brussels sprouts

Love them or hate them, brussels sprouts can help you guard against that nasty post-Christmas bloat thanks to their high fibre content. Try roasting your sprouts to bring out their sweetness and adding chopped nuts or cranberries for an added flavour boost.

Red cabbage

Red cabbage is a Christmas staple, whether it is braised with apple and balsamic, or sprinkled with crispy rosemary and bacon bits. But, red cabbage also packs a bit of a nutritional punch – it is a great source of vitamins K and C, and folic acid.

Healthy sauces

Cranberry sauce

This much-loved Christmas accompaniment has ample health benefits. As well as being a good source of digestion-aiding fibre, it is loaded with immune-boosting vitamin C, and antioxidants linked with helping ward off cancer and heart disease.

Brandy sauce

No Christmas would be the same without a traditional Christmas pudding and a dollop of brandy sauce poured over it. Home-made brandy sauce is ridiculously easy to make, it takes under ten minutes.

Less processed

Plain yoghurt

Plain yoghurt is high in protein which is necessary to build healthy muscle mass. It also has

B12, which keeps your nerves and red blood cells healthy. Other vitamins that plain yoghurt has are zinc, calcium, and magnesium. It can be used as an ingredient in many dishes. For instance, it can be added to muesli, or be used for dessert recipes.

Seafood

The long tradition of eating seafood on Christmas Eve dates from the Roman Catholic tradition of abstaining from eating meat on the eve of a feast day. As no meat or animal fat could be used on such days, observant Catholics would instead eat fish (typically fried in oil). Popular seafood options for this feast include octopus, scallops, eel, crab, and shrimp.

Spicy lentil soup

2tbsp olive oil

1 yellow onion diced

4 cloves garlic minced

1tbsp ginger minced

1tbsp curry powder

1 ½ cup red lentils

1 can crushed tomatoes

1 ½tsp salt

4-6 cups of water

200ml coconut milk

Method

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute onion, garlic, and ginger until onion is translucent. Add in curry powder and cook for about two minutes.

Add in red lentils, stir and cook for about two minutes.

Pour the can of crushed tomatoes into the red lentils with water and salt. Stir well so all the ingredients are combined.

Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes until the lentils are tender. Add in coconut milk and stir. Lower the heat and cook for another ten minutes. Serve warm with lemon juice. | RECIPE BY UNICORNS IN THE KITCHEN

Cranberry sauce

(Serves 8)

1 package fresh cranberries

¾ cup orange juice

½ cup sugar

½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

Pinch salt

Method

Rinse and drain the cranberries. In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, combine the cranberries, orange juice, sugar, and brown sugar. Bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally until most of the cranberries have burst and the mixture has thickened – about 10 minutes. Add a pinch of salt and stir to combine.

Allow cooling. The sauce will thicken as it cools.

Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 10 days. | RECIPE BY STACEY LITTLE