December Holiday Recipes

Enjoy these seasonal recipes from registered dietitians at RCBM! 

Granola

Meatless Mushroom Meatballs

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound fresh white mushrooms, finely chopped
  • 1 pinch salt
  • ½ cup finely chopped onion
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ cup quick-cooking oats
  • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
  • ½ cup bread crumbs
  • ¼ cup chopped parsley
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 pinch dried oregano
  • 3 cups Marinara sauce

Instructions:

  1. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms to the hot oil, sprinkle with salt, and cook and stir until the mushrooms' liquid has evaporated. Reduce the heat to medium, and cook and stir mushrooms until golden brown, about 5 minutes. 
  2. Stir the onion into the mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until the onion is translucent, 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl. 
  3. Mix oats into the mushroom mixture until thoroughly combined. Gently stir 1 ounce Parmesan cheese into the mixture. Add bread crumbs, 1/4 cup parsley, and one egg; season with salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and oregano. Mix with a fork until crumbly. Stir in the remaining egg. The mixture should hold together when pressed. 
  4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
  5. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. 
  6. Form mixture into small meatballs using a 2-tablespoon scoop. Roll the meatballs lightly between your hands until smooth, if desired, and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet. 
  7. Bake in the preheated oven until meatballs are lightly golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. 
  8. Bring pasta sauce to a boil in a large saucepan; reduce the heat to low. Gently stir meatballs into the sauce until coated. Simmer meatballs in sauce until cooked through, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Enjoy!

Oma’s Red Cabbage

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium to large head of red cabbage, shredded
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 3 green apples, peeled and shredded
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ cup red wine
  • 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp clove
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp corn starch 

Instructions:  

In a large pot, heat the oil and sauté the onions until lightly browned. Add the cabbage and apples. Stir to combine. Stir in 1 cup of water, red wine, apple cider vinegar, salt, nutmeg, cloves, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook for 30-60 minutes, or until the cabbage is tender. Add lemon juice. Add additional seasoning to taste (optional). Mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with cold water and stir in enough to thicken the dish’s liquid. Enjoy!

Homemade Granola

Ingredients:

  • 5 cups rolled old-fashioned oats
  • 2/3 cup coconut oil
  • ½ cup honey or maple syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar
  • ½ cup coconut
  • ½ cup chopped nuts of choice (walnuts, pecans, almonds, etc.)
  • 1 tbsp chia seeds

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Mix together all ingredients into a large bowl and stir until combined. Spread granola evenly onto a sheet pan covered with parchment paper. Bake for 7-10 minutes. Remove from oven and stir. Put back in oven for 10-12 more minutes, or until desired crunchiness is reached. Keep in mind that it will harden as it cools.

Cranberry–Orange Snowflake Bars 

Ingredients: 

Base

  • 1 cup soft Medjool dates, pitted
  • ¾ cup raw almonds
  • ½ cup rolled oats 
  • ½ cup dried cranberries 
  • Zest of 1 large orange
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • ¼ tsp nutmeg
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1–2 tsp orange juice (as needed for texture)

Snowflake Topping

  • ⅓ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 1 Tbsp coconut butter 
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 1–2 tsp warm water to thin
  • 1 tsp maple syrup 

Instructions:

Prep the base
1. Add almonds and oats into a food processor; pulse until they form a coarse meal.
2. Add dates, cranberries, orange zest, spices, and salt.
3. Blend until the mixture begins to stick together when pressed.
4. If too dry, add 1–2 teaspoons of orange juice until it binds.
Press into a pan
5. Line a small square dish (about 8×8 in / 20×20 cm) with parchment.
6. Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the dish.
Make the snowflake topping
7. In a small bowl, mix coconut, coconut butter, vanilla, water, and maple syrup until it forms a spreadable mixture.
8. Spread thinly over the base.
Chill
9. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm.
10. Slice into bars or cut snowflake shapes using a small cookie cutter.

For more information on how to meet with one of our registered dietitians, learn more here: