The holiday season is a time to celebrate with family and friends. Unfortunately, for many it also becomes a time for over-eating and weight gain. Colder months lend to warm comfort foods that are familiar and decadent. Luckily the holidays don’t have to mean weight gain. Focus on a healthy balance of food, activity, and fun. By implementing a few simple changes in your recipes, foods that you love can become very healthy for you and your family.
I have included some of my personal favorite Thanksgiving and holiday recipes from our Low G.I. (Glycemic Index) Slow Cooker Book that are gluten free, low in sugar and embrace holiday favorites. Best of all, these recipes are designed for the slow cooker, which means you can set it and forget it! I personally love recipes that are healthy and easy to make. If you want to get healthy and lose weight, while also lowering your risk of diabetes and heart disease, the recipes in this book are perfect for you. Check it out here.
I’m hoping that these slow cooker recipes make your holiday cooking easier and healthier! Happy healthy holiday cooking!
San Francisco Style Cioppino
Serves 8; Serving size: 8 oz
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 small fennel bulb, cored and finely chopped, about 1 cup (to learn how to prep fennel, turn to page xx)
1 cup yellow onion, chopped
2 large shallots, chopped
4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ tsp dried crushed red pepper flakes
2 tbsp tomato paste
2, 15 oz cans diced tomatoes
1 cup dry white wine
3 cups low sodium chicken stock
2, 8 oz bottles clam juice
1 bay leaf
½ tsp dried oregano
1 lb littleneck clams, scrubbed
1 lb mussels, scrubbed and debearded
1 lb raw “large” shrimp (26-30 size), peeled and deveined
1/2 lb halibut, cut into 2 inch chunks
1/2 lb cod, cut into 2 inch chunks
2-3 Tbsp rough-chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the fennel, onion, shallots, and salt, and sauté until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and sauté 2 minutes. Stir in the white wine and using a long lighter, step back and carefully light the wine on fire. Leave alight until the flame dies down and goes out, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine and sautéed vegetables in the pan to the slow cooker, making sure to scrape off any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Add canned tomato with the juices, chicken stock, clam juice and bay leaf. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.
Thirty minutes of before serving, change setting to high, remove cover and add seafood. Gently stir every 5 minutes. Discard any clams or mussels that do not open. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.
1 lb broccoli, cut into small florets, stems thinly sliced
2 cups spinach
3 cups low sodium vegetable broth
¾ cup toasted pumpkin seeds, ¼ cup set aside
½ cup yellow onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/8 tsp chili pepper flakes
1 tsp mustard powder
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
½ cup unsweetened, plain almond milk
¾ tsp sea salt
Cracked black pepper, to taste
Heat a small sauté pan on medium heat. Add the pumpkin seeds and toast, shaking the pan often until the seeds are golden brown and are fragrant. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add the oil to the same pan and once the oil is hot, add the onion, garlic and chili pepper flakes. Cook, stirring often, until onions are translucent, then add to your slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients, excluding the ¼ cup of toasted pumpkin seeds, to your slow cooker and mix well. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 9 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours or until broccoli stems are very tender. Use an immersion blender or an upright blender to blend the soup until it is smooth. Return to slow cooker and whisk in the almond milk, salt and pepper. Serve hot with 1 tbsp of toasted pumpkin seeds as garnish per bowl.
Turkey and Veggie Stuffed Acorn Squash:
Serves 2, Serving size: ½ squash + 1 cup filling
1 medium acorn squash, about 4” in diameter
½ lb ground turkey
1 small carrot, chopped (about ½ cup)
¼ cup white onion, chopped
2 large Roma tomatoes, grated on cheese grater
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp dried oregano
½ cup low sodium vegetable broth
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Wash acorn squash, cut in half and scoop out seeds and innards until smooth. Season the inside of the squash with salt and pepper. Heat a medium sized pan on medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add olive oil and then the chopped carrots and onion. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes then add the ground turkey, making sure to break up any lumps with a spatula or fork. Cook until turkey begins to brown, add the garlic and spices. After 2 to 3 minutes, add the tomato pulp, salt and pepper. Stir until tomato pulp heats, about 1 minutes and remove from heat. Evenly scoop meat mixture into each acorn squash half, then carefully place acorn squash halves in crock pot, place the lid on and cook on high for 3 ½ to 4 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours, or until squash is tender and easily pierced with a fork.
Gluten Free Pumpkin Apple Bake
Serves 4: Serving size: ½ – ¾ cup
1/2 cup coconut flour
½ cup oat flour
1 cup plain almond milk
1 large egg, beaten
2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 small apple, peeled, cored and chopped into ¼-inch cubes
1 tbsp coconut palm sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp sea salt
Nonstick spray
Combine the egg, melted coconut oil, almond milk and chopped apples in a small mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. In a separate mixing bowl, combine flours, baking powder, spices and salt and stir to incorporate ingredients. Slowly stir in the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, whisking until flour is absorbed (you may have to do this in 2 or 3 batches). Pour batter into greased insert, cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours or on high for 2 to 3 hours or until inserted knife comes out clean. Garnish with whipped coconut cream and caramel.
Berry Cobbler
Serves 6; Serving size: ½ cup
1 16 oz package frozen berry medley
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp brown sugar
¼ cup water
¼ tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp lemon zest
Crumble Topping Ingredients: ½ cup oat flour
1/8 cup raw quinoa
½ tbsp flax seeds
¼ tsp nutmeg
1/8 cup walnut pieces
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
5 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
Add first 6 ingredients to your slow cooker and stir well. In a small mixing bowl, combine the crumble topping ingredients and using a fork or your fingers, cut into the butter into the mixture to create small lumps. Evenly spread crumble topping over the berry mixture. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or on high for 2 hours. Remove lid after the allotted time to allow for the crust to harden and dry a bit. Garnish with whipped coconut cream.
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Turkey and Veggie Stuffed Acorn Squash:
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