Health Conscious Holiday Recipes

Posted November 23, 2015

In Desserts, Healthy Habits, Holidays, Nutrition, Recipes, Snacks, Uncategorized

With the imminent holiday season rapidly approaching, it is necessary to prepare a few go-to recipes to that work with your dietary regime. Taken from BeWell365’s Biggest Loser Challenge support group, check out these low carb, low fat, gluten free and tasty options crafted to keep you on the nutritious track to health success.

Fiesta Ranch Cream Cheese Pinwheels

Start to finish: 1 hour 5 minutes

Servings: 10

Photo courtesy of http://www.tasteofhome.com/

1 package Hidden Valley Fiesta Ranch Dip Mix

1 4.25 ounce can chopped olives

2 8-ounce packages of cream cheese

1 package Carb Balance Tortillas (8 count)

Place cream dip mix into both packages of cream cheese and stir until smooth.
Stir in chopped olives and make sure they are distributed throughout the mixture.
Divide the mixture into eight sections.
Spread one section per tortilla.
Roll tortilla into a wrap.
Freeze for 30 minutes to 1 hour to make it easier to slice.
Slice each wrap into desired widths (good size is about 8 slices per tortilla).
Serve to your guests.

NUTRITION FACTS (8 slices)

Calories: 255

Total Fat: 16.5 grams / 24% Daily Value

Total Carbohydrate: 9 grams / 1% Daily Value

Protein: 7 grams / 14% Daily Value

Slow Cooker Orange Chicken (Low Sugar)

Start to finish: 3 hour 10 minutes

Servings: 8

8 small boneless skinless chicken thighs

3 tablespoons flour

1/3 cup sugar-free orange marmalade

1/3 cup low-carb barbecue sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Toss chicken with flour and place in the slow cooker.
Stir in all remaining ingredients; cover with lid.
Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.

NUTRITION FACTS (1 / 76 grams)

Calories: 95.8

Total Fat: 2.7 grams / 4% Daily Value

Saturated Fat: 0.7 grams / 3% Daily Value

Cholesterol: 57.2 milligrams / 19% Daily Value

Sodium: 310.8 milligrams / 12% Daily Value

Total Carbohydrate: 2.5 grams / 0% Daily Value

Dietary Fiber: 0.1 grams / 0% Daily Value

Protein: 14.3 grams / 28% Daily Value

Low Carb Chocolate Chip Cookies

Start to finish: 20 minutes

Servings: 12

1 1/4 cup almond flour

3 tablespoons coconut flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg, room temperature

1/4 cup butter, room temperature

1/2 cup sweetener

1/3 cup sugar free chocolate chips or high percent cacao chocolate

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line one large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a bow, sift together almond four, coconut flour, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on low-medium speed, cream butter, sweetener, egg and vanilla until smooth.
Add the flour mixture and mix until even. Stir in chocolate chips.
Drop 1-2 tablespoon size mounds of dough onto baking sheets, spacing the mounds at least 2 inches apart. Using the palm of your hand or the bottom of a clean cup, flatten the cookies to the desired size and thickness.
Bake cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, or until slightly golden around the edges. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 2-3 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

NUTRITION FACTS (1 cookie)

Calories: 145

Total Fat: 12.24 grams / 18% Daily Value

Total Carbohydrate: 7.48 grams / 1% Daily Value

Fiber: 2.28 grams

Protein: 3.71 grams / 7.2% Daily Value

COCOA NIBS AND YOGURT NIBBLES

Servings: 1

This recipe is incredibly simple, delicious and healthy. Dark cocoa nibs are a closer form of chocolate to the cacao/cocoa bean source. The beans are roasted and then parted from their protective husks and broken down into small pieces. These are great for adding flavor to drinks, baked goods and savory dishes. The small pieces of cacao still retain chocolaty flavor but lack the sweetness, making them ideal for cooking dishes that you don’t want too sweet. The stronger flavor also requires less, so even in sweet dishes like chocolate cookies, you can substitute out higher calorie chocolate chis for fewer cocoa nibs. In addition to being great for cooking, cocoa nibs are also nutrient-dense sources of some vitamins and minerals. Try adding cocoa nibs to coffee, dessert toppings, savory dishes or baked into your favorite cookies.

You will need:
1 cup Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons cocoa nibs

Place the Greek yogurt in a small bowl, sprinkle coca nibs on top and enjoy!

Nutritional Facts (1 ounce of Cocoa Nibs)

Calories 168

Fat 12 grams / 18% Daily Value

Protein 2 grams / 4% Daily Value

Carbohydrates 13 grams / 4% Daily Value

Fiber 3 grams / 12% Daily Value

Iron 3.3 milligrams / 19% Daily Value

Magnesium 63.8 milligrams / 16% Daily Value

Copper 0.5 milligrams / 25% Daily Value

Manganese 0.5 milligrams / 27% Daily Value

Caffeine 22.4 milligrams

CRUSTLESS PUMPKIN PIE

Servings: 8

This creamy pumpkin pie contains the perfect amount of sweetness and spices. It’ll keep for at least a week if stored in the refrigerator. Don’t forget the whipped cream!

You will need:
1 15-ounce can opumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
¾ cups nonfat milk
¼ cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
¾ cup granulated Splenda
2 teaspoons Truvia
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 8-ounce tub of whipped cream

Preheat the oven to 350 F and coat a 9 inch round pie plat with nonstick cooking spray.
In a large bowl, stir together the pumpkin, milk, yogurt, Splenda and Truvia. Mix in the remaining ingredients. Pour the mixture into the prepared pie plat and bake at 350 F for 35-40 minutes or until the center barely giggles when gently shaken. Cool to room temperature on a wire rack and chill at least 2 hours before serving.
Top with a few spoonfuls of whipped cream.

Note: If baked for less than 40 minutes, the top of the pumpkin pie will not crack, but the slices will fall apart when removed from the pie plate. (There is no crust to support their weight and hold them together!) If baked 40-50 minutes, the pie will most likely crack on top, but the flavor will NOT be affected and the slices will be firmer as well as easier to remove from the pie plate.

Nutritional Facts

Total Fat 0.9 grams / 1% Daily Value

Saturated Fat 0.3 grams / 2% Daily Value

Unsaturated Fat 0.3 grams

Cholesterol 23.7 milligrams / 8% Daily Value

Sodium 38.2 milligrams / 2% Daily Value

Total Carbohydrate 9.9 grams / 3% Daily Value

Dietary Fiber 2.6 grams / 10% Daily Value

Sugars 3.5 grams

Protein 4.1 grams / 8% Daily Value

LOW-CARB ALMOND PIE

Servings: 8

You will need:
Crust
1 and ½ cups almond meal or almond flour
3 tablespoons melted butter
Artificial sweetener equal to 3 tablespoons sugar

Filling
5 apples, pealed, cored and sliced
½ cup Stevia
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Heat oven to 350 F.
Grease and flour a 9-inch pie plate.
Melt the butter in a small bowl. Combine the butter, almond meal or flour and the sweetener. Pour the mixture into the pie plate and pat into place with your fingertips.
In another bowl, mix the apples, Stevia, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Pour the mixture into the pie plate.
Bake for about 10 minutes until the crust is beginning to brown. After 8 minutes, check every minute or so.