Lynbrook | New Hyde Park | NY

Healthy Side Dishes For Holiday Parties

Bring healthy side dishes to your next holiday party and can keep control of your fitness goals this holiday season. Stay tuned for our 15 TIPS on how to stay motivated & on track with your exercise program and through holidays.

Brussels Sprout Salad

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed
  • 1 cup (about 3 navel oranges) navel orange juice
  • 1/4 cup grapeseed oil or oil of your choice
  • 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 small red onions, thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • ½ jalapeño, seeded and thinly chopped
  • 2 roasted red peppers, diced
  • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, remove outer leaves of Brussels sprouts and discard cores. Fill a bowl with ice water. Blanch leaves in boiling water until bright green, about 40 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon, then plunge into ice water until cool, 15 to 30 seconds. Drain leaves on paper towels and blot dry.

In a medium bowl, whisk together next 7 ingredients.

Place leaves, avocado, and red peppers in a serving dish. Drizzle dressing over salad. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine.

Note: I chose to mix all of the ingredients together so I could package it in mason jars for the week. Your choice how to serve it.

NUTRITION

  • Calories 171
  • Carbohydrates 20g
  • Fat 10g (poly and mono unsaturated fats!)
  • Protein 3g

Wheat Berry Waldorf Salad

from wholefoodsmarket.com

Most people are familiar with the ground version of wheat berries, aka whole wheat flour, and not the grain as a whole. Wheat berries keep the bran, germ, and endosperm of the grain intact thus making it a powerhouse for nutrients. Wheat berries are a great source of fiber, magnesium, an array of B vitamins, potassium and Vitamin E. When cooked, they contain a sweet, nutty flavor which makes this dish a hit.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 cups uncooked wheat berries
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts
  • 2 medium apples, cored and chopped
  • 1 cup seedless raisins
  • 1 cup finely chopped parsley
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup apple juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

METHOD:

  1. Put wheat berries into a large bowl, cover with at least 2 inches of water and set aside to let soak for 6 to 8 hours or overnight. Drain well.
  2. Put 7 cups water into a medium pot and bring to a boil. Add wheat berries, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 50 minutes, or until cooked through. (Wheat berries retain a firm, chewy texture when cooked.) Drain and set aside to let cool.
  3. Transfer wheat berries to a large bowl. Add walnuts, apples, raisins, parsley, vinegar, apple juice, salt, pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, olive oil and lemon juice and mix everything together thoroughly.

NUTRITION:

  • Calories: 372
  • Carbohydrates: 56g
  • Fat: 14g (12g of polyunsaturated/monounsaturated)
  • Protein: 8g