Holiday Recipes and Cherishing the Moment
Sometimes, we can get caught up in the food aspects of the holidays and forget it’s time to slow down and enjoy time with ourselves, family, and loved ones. Slow down, cherish this time with others, and have food as a complementary part of this experience!
Expressing gratitude for our meal encourages us to slow down and be more present with our food, which can improve our overall satisfaction with what we are eating. Take a moment to thank all the people and places that went into preparing the delicious meal in front of you.
Enjoy these holiday recipes from our registered dietitians!
Roasted Balsamic Brussels Sprouts with Pomegranate seeds
• 2 tbsp oil of choice
• 2 pounds of Brussels sprouts, cut in half or quarters if larger
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ¼ C chopped pecans
• ½ C pomegranate arils
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley to garnish
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 425F. In a bowl, combine olive oil, chopped Brussels sprouts, onion, balsamic vinegar, and maple syrup, and season with salt and pepper.
2. Place on a baking tray and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Add the pecans on top and bake for the last 5 minutes of baking.
3. After the Brussels sprouts are out of the oven, top them with pomegranate arils and parsley, serve, and enjoy!
Vegetable Medley
Ingredients:
1½ head of cauliflower, cut into bite-size pieces
2 heads of broccoli, cut into bite-size pieces
4 carrots, cut into coins
1 lb mushrooms, sliced
¼ cup butter
1 can cream of chicken soup
½ cup milk
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Directions:
1. Lightly steam or boil cauliflower, broccoli, and carrots until al dente.
2. Sautee mushrooms.
3. Soften butter and mix with milk and soup.
4. Mix all together and place in a 9x13 pan.
5. Sprinkle cheese on top.
6. Bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees.
Saltine Cracker Toffee
Ingredients:
• 35-40 Saltine crackers
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup topping of choice, examples: roasted pecans, slivered almonds, shredded coconut, dried cranberries, etc.
Instructions:
1. Preheat your oven to 400F and prepare a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and cooking spray. This step is important, as the cracker/toffee layer will stick to the pan otherwise.
2. Place your saltine crackers in even rows over the entire bottom of the baking tray.
3. Melt the butter and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, whisking often, and let it come to a boil.
4. Pour the brown sugar over the saltines. Once it is dissolved and smooth, place it in the oven for 5 minutes.
5. Remove the tray from the oven and sprinkle the chocolate chips. If your chocolate is not melting, you can place the tray in the oven, turned off, for a few minutes to help it melt.
6. Spread the chocolate over the saltines and sprinkle with your topping of choice. Allow to cool completely and harden before breaking into uneven pieces.
