If you're anything like me, the holiday season, from November through January, despite the good habits that you've cultivated during the other months of the year, can resemble one hearty splurge after another. Between sweet potato pie, an abundance of carbohydrate heavy side dishes, and Christmas cookies, tarts and candy, by New Years, I am usually ready for a good cleanse.
I love being in the kitchen, it's place of great creativity and intention, it's a place where magic happens. This being said, this year, as holiday season approaches, I am pushing myself to hold onto my nutrition values and incorporate superfoods into my spread. Holiday food can be healthy food and you don't have to compromise taste.
Three Superfoods To Add To Your Thanksgiving Spread:
1) Add chia seed to your stuffing!
Whether making your grandma's time tested recipe or relying on good ole' Stove Top, adding chia to your stuffing is a quick and easy way to add nutrients to your spread. One tablespoon per cup of stuffing will add a lovely bit of texture without altering the taste of your stuffing.
Why Chia? Chia seeds are a powerful source of omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, antioxidants and minerals. Chia is easily digested and can be digested whole.
2) Add gogi berries to your cranberry sauce!
Gogi berries, with their tart and astringent bursts of flavor are the perfect compliment to cranberry dressing. Simply soak your gogi berries in water overnight. Add twice the amount of water as berries. You'll want to add 1/2 cup of gogi berries to every cup of cranberries.
Why Gogi Berries? Gogi berries are chock full of essential amino acids, vitamin C, fiber, calcium, zinc, selenium and trace minerals. Gogi berries have the distinction of having the highest concentration of protein of any fruit. They also contain more carotenoids than any other food and have 15 times the amount of iron found in spinach- hello gogi berries!
3) Add ground flax seed to your cornbread!
Flax seed, is a great compliment to cornmeal based breads. With a subtle nutty flavor, flax blends well into muffins and breads. I add two simple tablespoons to my cornbread recipe and mix it right in with my other dry ingredients. The texture of my cornbread is unaltered and the taste is beautifully enhanced.
Why Flax Seed? Flax seed is a superfood powerhouse with heart healthy and cancer fighting properties. Flax is full of fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, lignans and antioxidants.
How do you keep your holiday meals healthy?