Healthy holiday side dishes

They Holidays are here! Its that time of the year of many social gatherings and lots and lots of eating. Here are 4 side dishes that are an awesome way to change up holiday meals and to stay healthy.

1. Bread free Stuffing                     Serves 6                    150 calories per serving 

ingredients
servings:
4 tablespoons ghee (or bacon grease)
1 head cauliflower (cut into florets)
3 cups sweet potatoes (diced)
1 onions (diced)
2 cloves minced garlic
8 ounces mushrooms (chopped, choice, I've used chanterelles, baby bellas, or shitakes)
1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoons fresh rosemary (chopped)
sea salt

directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 and line two baking sheets/glass baking dishes with unbleached parchment paper. Put the cauliflower on one sheet, and the squash on the other. Toss the cauliflower and squash each with 1 Tbs. of melted cooking fat.
2. Roast until the cauliflower is tender and has golden brown edges, about 30 minutes. Stir halfway through. Roast the squash until golden and tender, stirring halfway through, about 40 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, melt the last 2 Tbs. cooking fat in a heavy skillet. Add the onion and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, over medium head until soft and almost caramelized.
4. Add the garlic, cook for a minute. Add the mushrooms and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Finally, add the diced apple and sauté for about 5 minutes, until softened but still firm. If necessary, add another tablespoon of fat.
5. Finely chop the herbs. In a large serving dish, toss together all the components: the squash, cauliflower, and mushrooms. Season with the herbs, salt and pepper.

2. Beet and Mandarin orange Salad                  serves 5                     100 calories per serving


ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
3 beets (washed)
5 mandarin oranges (peeled)
3 tablespoons mint (chopped)
1/2 cup quinoa

directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
   
2. Coat beets in olive oil then wrap in aluminum foil and place on baking dish.
3. Place in oven for approximately 45 minutes.
4. Once they are finished roasting, remove from aluminum foil and let cool.
5. After cooling for approximately 10 minutes cut into 1 inch pieces and remove the skin.
6. Place in large bowl with mandarin oranges and mint.
7. Enjoy!

3. Brussel sprouts and pomegranate salad                 serves 8             150 calories per serving

ingredients
1/4 cups mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon grate lime peel
8 ounces brussel sprouts (thinly sliced,, about 4 cups)
1 sweet potatoes (large peeled, chopped, cooked, about 2 cups)
1 pomegranate (seeds removed and reserved,, about 2 cups)
1/2 cups toasted pecans (optional)


directions

Combine mayonnaise, lime juice and lime peel in large bowl. Add Brussels Sprouts, sweet potato, pomegranate seeds, and pecans and toss. Garnish, if desired, with chopped fresh cilantro.

4. Cauliflower and parsnip mash                       serves 6                         150 calories per serving


ingredients
1 cauliflower head
1 parsnip root
1 clove garlic
4 tablespoon salted butter
pinch of sea salt (optional)

directions

1. Add water to the bottom of a double pot and place over medium-high heat, cover and bring to a boil.
2. Peel and cut up the parsnip root. Cut the head of cauliflower in half and remove the stem. Chop cauliflower into small pieces. Add the parsnip and cauliflower pieces to the steamer basket (for me that is the top portion of the double pot). Alternatively, if you don't have a double pot and steamer basket you can add the cauliflower to a large pot, cover with water and bring to a boil.
   
3. Steam cauliflower and parsnip for 15-20 minutes, or until soft.
   
4. Add cauliflower and parsnip from the pot to a food processor. NOTE: Be sure to use oven mitts to hold the steamer basket and be careful of the steam while pouring into the food processor.
   
5. Process for a few seconds to chop then add butter, garlic and a pinch of sea salt (if you'd like). Process until smooth and well combined.