by Andrew Pacholyk MS L.Ac ~
Peacefulmind.com
Beetroot & Pomegranate Halo Soup
Ingredients:
1 tbsp light olive oil
75g onion, finely chopped
175g carrots, thinly sliced or small dice
150g parsnips, thinly sliced or small dice
2 tsp ground coriander
800ml light stock
350g cooked beetroot (not in vinegar), sliced
4 tsp fresh dill, chopped
1 pomegranate
To garnish
4 tbsp plain/soy yogurt
2 tbsp walnut pieces (optional)
1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and sweat the onion, carrot and
parsnip for 5 minutes until starting to soften. Add the coriander and
cook for a further 2 minutes.
2. Add the stock and beetroot. Bring to the boil and then simmer for
20 minutes, adding 2 tsp of dill for the last 2 or 3 minutes.
3. Cut the pomegranate in half and extract the juice using a lemon
squeezer. Blend the soup and add the juice to taste (up to 4 tbsp).
4. Garnish with the yogurt, walnut pieces and remaining 2 tsp chopped
dill. Serve with walnut bread or if nut free, granary or rye rolls
(bread is optional and not included in calorie/fat count).
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 25 mins
Serves 4
Can be vegan
Calories per portion: 158 cals (including garnish)
Fat per portion: 5.4g (including garnish)
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Ham and Cheese Bake Healthy Christmas Recipe
Ingredients:
Cooking Spray
4 cups frozen ready-to-cook hash brown potatoes
with peppers and
onions, thawed
3 cups (8 ounces) small broccoli florets
1 cup (8 ounces) diced, cooked lean ham
2 cups reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
Egg substitute equivalent to four eggs (you may use eight egg whites,
but egg substitute works much better in this dish)
2/3 cup skim milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Directions:
Coat an 8-by-8-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.
Combine potatoes, broccoli and ham in a large bowl; toss well.
Arrange half of potato mixture in baking dish; top with half the
cheese, remaining potato mixture and remaining cheese.
Beat egg substitute in a medium bowl. Add milk, salt and pepper; mix
well. Pour evenly over potato mixture.
Bake in preheated 375-degrees oven for 40 minutes. Let stand five
minutes before serving.
Note:
Use red and green peppers to make it festive.
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Vegan Cheesecake
Ingredients:
16 graham cinnamon graham crackers, crumbled
1/2 cup vegan margarine
1 tablespoon light Karo syrup
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
16 oz. Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese
1/3 cup sugar (or fructose)
4 egg substitute “eggs”
1 teaspoon vanilla
juice of one lemon
vegan chocolate syrup
fresh raspberries
Directions:
Crust: Combine graham crackers, margarine (adjust amount as needed),
Karo syrup, and flour in a bowl. Mix by hand and press firmly into a
round pan.
Filling: Combine “cream cheese”, sugar, “eggs”, vanilla, and lemon
juice in a blender and blend until creamy and smooth. Pour onto crust.
Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 25-30 minutes, until set (doesn’t
jiggle when you move the pan). Let cool. Place in refrigerator and
chill for 12 hours.
Topping: You may use any kind of topping such as strawberries in
syrup, chocolate, vegan whipped cream, etc. My personal favorite is
drizzling the cheesecake in Ah!Laska vegan chocolate syrup and adding
fresh raspberries. Mmm!
Serves: 8-10
Preparation time: 30 min.
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Low Fat/Fat Free Holiday Tips
-Consider fat-free cream cheese and lean cuts of turkey or ham in
pinwheels and roll-ups.
-Use fat-free and low sodium broths a soup base. Use pureed root
vegetables or beans to thicken them instead of heavy cream.
-Substitute low-fat or fat-free versions of mayonnaise, yogurt and
sour cream to make dips.
-Have plenty of fresh salads and vegetables on the table
-On the dessert table, place a large arrangement of fresh fruit,
ready to eat.
-Serve plenty of raw vegetables to accompany your dips.
-Make fresh salsa and serve with home-baked tortilla chips.
