As someone who loves to bake, I’ve been asked many times what I’ve baked for Christmas this year. My answer, (sheepishly) “Not a lot actually. I made some cookies…”. Jordan and I have both been incredibly busy this year, and honestly I haven’t felt like baking. I hosted a cookie exchange a few weeks ago, and we had cookies out the wazoo! We also had fudge, peanut butter balls, white chocolate christmas mix, (more) cookies, and pie gifted to us by co-workers, friends, and family. With so much sugar around, it was hard to get in the mood to bake MORE sugary treats….so I haven’t. I have been cooking and eating lots of lean protein and veggies though! So today, I’ve rounded up some of my favorite healthy recipes here on the blog! Because, while it’s totally fine to indulge in all those Christmas treats occasionally, you can’t live on fudge alone! At least, not if you want your jeans to fit! haha Enjoy!
Breakfast Ideas:
1. (Healthy) Gingerbread Baked Oatmeal – All the flavors of gingerbread, but in oatmeal form. So good!
2. Chocolate (Egg White) Oatmeal – Egg whites in your oatmeal sounds weird I know, but trust me. The texture is so light and fluffy, lots of protein, and…chocolate!
3. Molasses Bran Muffins – Skip the bakery muffin and have a delicious, low fat, low calorie muffin instead.
4. Tropical Coconut Water Smoothie – My favorite breakfast smoothie and only 4 ingredients!
5. Blueberry Chia Parfaits – Barely a recipe, but still worthy. Yogurt with fruit, chia seeds, and almonds. Power breakfast for sure!
Lunch Ideas:
1. Maple Dijon Kale Salad – This salad holds up well for days, making it perfect to pack for lunch and the flavors are amazing!
2. Skinny Cheeseburger Soup – Skip the drive-thru cheeseburger and eat this soup instead. Make it for dinner and then eat leftovers for lunch.
3. Grilled Salmon Spinach Salad with Balsamic Dijon Vinaigrette – I made A LOT of salads last summer but this was probably my favorite! I keep a bottle of this balsamic dijon vinaigrette in the fridge at all times.
4. Black Bean, Corn, and Poblano Quesadillas – Jordan has a quesadilla almost every Sunday after church. (These BBQ Hawaiian ones are another favorite!) You can make these even healthier by using a high protein, low carb wrap instead of tortillas.
5. Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Lemon Vinaigrette – Brussels sprouts are the perfect winter vegetable. I love them any way, but especially shaved salads and roasted.
Dinner Ideas:
1. Spicy Shrimp and Cabbage Stir-Fry – Stir-fry is the perfect weeknight meal, because you can have a delicious, flavorful, HEALTHY dinner on the table in 15 minutes!
2. Turkey Zucchini Meatballs – I make a huge batch of these meatballs, freeze the leftovers, and then reheat them for quick and easy dinners. I like to serve them over zoodles or tossed with pesto, but they are very versatile.
3. Skinny Chicken Pot Pie Soup – This soup has all the delicious flavor of chicken pot pie but without all the fat and calories. Bonus points for being ready in 30 minutes!
4. Skinny Jalapeno Popper Chicken – Chicken breasts topped with a cheesy, jalapeno topping…but still healthy! Pair this with some roasted veggies or a side salad and dinner is done!
5. Grilled Balsamic Chicken – Marinating chicken breasts keep them moist and gives them so much flavor. Make a double batch and eat leftovers over salads for lunch.
Snack and Dessert Ideas:
1. Cucumber Salsa – I can basically make a meal out of this salsa!
2. Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie – A smoothie that can double as dessert!
3. Skinny Mini Fudge Banana Muffins – The perfect, bite-size, chocolate snack…or dessert. Only 42 calories.
4. Panko Crusted Baked Chicken Nuggets – So much healthier than fast-food!
