This super simple recipe makes the ultimate smooth and creamy sweet potatoes. Great any time of year but perfect for the holidays. JUMP TO RECIPE
This recipe for Maple Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Bourbon and Pecans is a Thanksgiving classic, but if you love sweet potatoes, you’ll be making this comforting dish all year long! It’s a staple in our house because it’s delicious and so simple to prepare.
A classic side dish that feeds a crowd and can be made entirely ahead of time. Great for holiday entertaining. JUMP TO RECIPE
Let’s face it, cooking and serving Thanksgiving dinner is an ordeal. Even if your guests pitch in by bringing food and helping with the cleanup, it’s still a ton of work. The only way to keep your sanity through it all is to stay organized and do as much as you can ahead of time, including some of the cooking. A lot of people think mashed potatoes, a classic Thanksgiving side dish, must be served immediately after you make them, but this recipe for Make Ahead Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes dispels that myth. This dish can be made entirely in advance, allowing you more time to spend with your guests, which is after all, what Thanksgiving is all about! (more…)
A healthy, festive treat for any patriotic holiday. Great for parties. JUMP TO RECIPE
I am the worst planner and someone who often waits until the last minute to get things done. These Paleo Patriotic Teacakes, perfect for the 4th of July, are a case in point. Any food blogger knows that holiday recipes need to be posted at least a couple of months ahead of time but I am just now getting around to publishing this – right under the wire! The good news is these teacakes are simple to make so even if you’ve already planned your July 4th menu you can quickly throw these together and, with the exception of the strawberry fruit leather, you probably already have what you need to make them in your pantry right now, especially if you follow a paleo diet. (more…)
The Recipe Redux is a group of like-minded food bloggers whose mission is to inspire the food lover in every healthy eater and inspire the healthy eater in every food lover. Each month members post recipes to their blogs following a theme set by the group moderators. This month’s theme is favorite kitchen tools, gadgets, and gizmos. Click the Recipe Redux link at the bottom of this page to see links to all the posts for this month’s challenge.
Valentine’s Day is coming up and it of course wouldn’t be complete without chocolate, but if you’ve been diligently sticking to your New Year’s healthy eating resolutions you might be reluctant to celebrate with the traditional confections served on this holiday. If that’s the case, then these Healthy Salted Caramel Chocolate Hearts are the answer! A thin coating of dark, bittersweet chocolate with a light sprinkling of flaked sea salt covers mock caramel, which is made from pureed dates, flaxseed, and peanuts. This filling is completely free of refined sugar so it lacks the characteristic biting sweetness of a typical caramel filling. Make no mistake though – these are still decadent little treats, high in fat and calories, but when compared to other chocolate covered caramel candies, they are definitely more nutritious. They’re lower in sugar and have a little bit of protein and fiber where most chocolate covered caramel candy has none. (more…)
A delicious, not-too-sweet, seasonal cocktail that clocks in at 138 calories per serving.
Even though the holidays are over, and many people are trying to cut back on their alcohol consumption in the month of January, it still seems fitting to post this recipe for Skinny Winter White Cosmopolitans today because we are in the middle of a snow storm here in New England. The flakes are falling fast and furious, and this cocktail fits right in with the winter white theme! (more…)
Taste the essence of gingerbread in this incredibly moist Bundt cake.
I’m pretty flexible when planning menus for entertaining, but I have one rule I almost always follow – serve a seasonal dessert. This makes planning the rest of the meal easier and avoids decision fatigue. I also like knowing that the seasonal ingredients available in the grocery store will likely be newer, fresher, and better quality because of high turnover. But the best reason of all to serve a seasonal dessert is that your guests will love it. These dishes are typically only around for short periods of time each year, which means that people will appreciate and savor them more. This Gluten-Free Gingerbread Bundt Cake is one of my favorite seasonal desserts and I serve it often during the winter months. I have my friend JoAnn to thank for passing along this recipe. Thanks JoAnn! (more…)
Candied pecans on top of a sweet, tender blondie base, make this delicious mock pecan pie.
‘Tis the season for pies, specifically, pumpkin pie, apple pie, and pecan pie. When it comes to Thanksgiving, tradition rules the day, so in my family this trio of pies will always be on dessert table. However, I decided to deviate slightly this year when I realized that my recently posted recipe for Vegan Flax Candied Nuts could be used to make a mock pecan pie. Vegan Pecan Blondie Pie looks just like a pie but it’s actually a cake, with lightly spiced candied pecans on top of a sweet, tender blondie base. This dessert is a fantastic alternative to traditional pecan pie, which typically contains an insane amount of sugar in the form of corn syrup and granulated white sugar. (more…)
A festive twist on a classic recipe. A rich, creamy, and delicious side dish that’s perfect for holiday entertaining.
Scalloped potatoes are the epitome of comfort food and a mainstay at the holiday dinner table. Food trends may come and go but classic dishes like this one will never go out of style. As with any classic recipe, there are lots of variations for scalloped potatoes. This one uses a cranberry spice flavored Boursin Cheese to create a rich and creamy potato casserole with subtle savory flavor and a hint of sweet and tart. Cranberry Spice Scalloped Potatoes is a delicious, festive side dish and a real crowd pleaser. (more…)
I received free samples of SPLENDA® Naturals Sugar & Stevia Blend mentioned in this post. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by SPLENDA® Sweeteners and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.
I know it’s a little early to starting thinking about the holidays, but several years ago I developed a habit that has served me well. I start a list right after Labor Day with gift ideas for everyone in my family, and jot down some possible menu options for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I usually don’t do any shopping until after Halloween, but making a list and some notes way ahead of time helps keep me organized so that when that panicky – oh no, the holidays are right around the corner – feeling strikes, I’m a little less stressed out. This year I got a head start thanks to the SPLENDA® Sweeteners Recipe Redux Sponsored Contest. I was initially stumped at what to make for this contest, but as luck would have it, one day I opened my spare freezer and there, staring me right in the face, were two bags of fresh/frozen cranberries with a “best by” date of December 2017. This was my cue to do a healthy remake of traditional cranberry sauce. This Low Sugar Gingerbread Cranberry Sauce is not only yummy, with substantially less sugar than store-bought cranberry sauce, but is hands-down the easiest cranberry sauce you’ll ever make. I plan to give it away as a gift to all those miscellaneous, but important people in my life that I like to thank or acknowledge during the holidays. (I’ve provided printable labels and links to some of the supplies at the end of this post if you’d like to do the same.) (more…)
Make a special Valentine’s Day breakfast for your loved ones!
Valentine’s Day comes at a cruel time of year for some. Anyone who has successfully stuck to their New Year’s resolution to lose weight or eat healthier is probably pretty proud of themselves by the time Valentine’s Day rolls around. Then, all of the sudden, chocolate is everywhere! It takes a lot of willpower to resist so many decadent holiday treats, but if you’re determined not to given in to temptation, you can still celebrate in the most delicious way with Valentine Prosciutto Egg Cups. They’re not chocolate, but they’re unique, adorable, and super easy to make. (more…)