Holiday Recipe Ideas

If you are like most people, many of your holiday traditions center around food.  This holiday season, St. Elizabeth would like to help you add a pinch of health to your holiday celebrations.  Whether you are hosting the entire family for dinner, preparing a quick appetizer to take to your next gathering, or baking cookies to share at the office, the following recipes provide some quick and easy tips you can rely on this holiday season.  Here’s to your good health!

Related Media
Foods You Can Eat To Stay Healthy - Channel 12 (WKRC)
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Mulled Cranberries and Spiced Cherries
Serves: 8
Serving Size: Serving Size: ¼ cup


Ingredients

-½ cup apple juice
-½ cup red wine
-½ cup dried cherries
-2 cups cranberries
-2 cups sweet cherries, pitted and halved
-½ cup brown sugar
-½ teaspoon cinnamon
-½ teaspoon ground cloves
-1 table spoon orange zest


Cooking Instructions

1. Place the apple juice, wine, and dried cherries in a saucepan.  Then simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
2. Stir in the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce to a simmer and continue to cook, while stirring, for 10 minutes.
4. Pour into a bowl, cool and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
5. Serve chilled. (Keep covered in the refrigerator for up to a week.)

Health Connection: Cranberries are a good source of Vitamin C.  They also contain powerful antioxidants that promote urinary tract health by preventing bacteria from sticking to the lining of the bladder wall.  Emerging research also points to cranberries in promoting cardiovascular health.

Red Pepper Dip with Pine Nuts
Serves: 8
Serving Size: 3 Tbs.


Ingredients

-2 cups plain low-fat yogurt
-1 teaspoon olive oil
-1 cup minced onion
-1 12-ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained
-¼ cup toasted pine nuts
-salt to taste
-freshly ground black pepper


Cooking Instructions

1. Place a strainer over a deep bowl.  Add the yogurt to the strainer, cover and refrigerate overnight.  The yogurt will drain and thicken overnight.  Discard the liquid.  (This can be done in advance and stored up to one week in the refrigerator.)
2. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat, add the onions and cook until they become translucent, about 3 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook one minute more.
3. In a food processor, puree the onion mixture with the red peppers and all but 1 tablespoon of the pine nuts.  Stir the red pepper mixture in to the strained yogurt.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Chill for at least one hour.  (This can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.)  Garnish with the remaining pine nuts.

 Serve with fresh vegetables and pita wedges.

Green Beans with Lemon Garlic Dressing
Serves: 4
Serving Size: ½ cup


Ingredients

-1 pound green beans, trimmed
-salt to taste
-¼ cup fat-free mayonnaise
-1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
-juice of 1 lemon
-2 cloves peeled garlic, use more or less to taste
-½ teaspoon anchovy paste (optional)
-pinch cayenne pepper
-freshly ground black pepper

Cooking Instructions

1. Blanch the beans in a large pot of boiling, salted water until they are crisp-tender, about 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Drain the beans and immediately plunge them into a bowl of ice water to cool them quickly.  Drain again.  (This may be done in advance and stored in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days.)
3. Combine the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, garlic, anchovy paste (if desired), cayenne pepper and plenty of black pepper in a blender or small food processor and puree.  (This may be done in advance and stored in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days.)
4. Toss the beans with the mayonnaise mixture and serve.

Health Connection:  Green beans are naturally low in calories and contain Vitamins C and A.