Poll

Enjoy Holiday Eating

Tara Stark
By Tara Stark
November 26th, 2009

This holiday season, start new traditions that honor the importance of the season as well the health and wellness of your family. Keep in mind that warm feelings, seasonal colours, smells and décor are what make holiday gatherings so special.

Serve up an abundance of rich colours and flavours with a beautiful array of seasonal vegetable dishes. Vegetables and fruits are a welcome respite from the rich cheeses and meats that are the backbone of most holiday parties, and the cookies and other baked goods that adorn coffee tables at family gatherings.

With a bit of planning, you can enjoy the company of loved ones without platters of sweets and meats. This year, bring a truly nutritious and delicious appetizer to a party, lighten up a traditional holiday meal and brighten up the table with these delicious if slightly less traditional dishes to bring to parties or to serve in your home.

• A seasonal fruit tray: include mandarin oranges, blood oranges and chunks of pomegranate along with local apples and pears.
• Antipasto served with crispy baked pita triangles or Melba toasts.
• Edamame: you can buy the whole pods of soy beans in the freezer department. Steam them up, salt lightly and serve.
• Veggies with a bean dip. For a sophisticated party, place a teaspoon of bean dip on the end of purple endive leaves and garnish with fresh parsley.
• Bruschetta: fresh diced tomatoes, garlic, basil and olive oil on top of a toasted baguette.
• Whole nuts in their shells; you provide the nutcracker

Here is a recipe for a beautiful and tasty festive guacamole dip. Enjoy it with baked pita triangles or lightly salted corn chips:

Ingredients:

• 4 ripe avocados (2 pounds total)
• 3/4 cup finely chopped white onion
• 1-2 fresh serrano chiles, finely chopped, including seeds
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, or to taste
• Pomegranate seeds from 1 pomegranate
• 3/4 cup diced peeled mango
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• Salt to taste

Method:

Cut the avocados in half. Pit them and peel them and mash them in a bowl. Stir in the onion, the chiles, and the lime juice. Put a few tablespoons of pomegranate seeds aside for garnish, and then fold in the remaining pomegranate seeds, the mango, and the cilantro. Season with salt and additional lime juice. Garnish with leftover pomegranate seeds. This recipe is based on a recipe from epicurious.com

For more ideas for stress free healthy holdiay eating and for holiday recipes, visit www.wholefoodsnutrition.ca

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