Recipes for Healthy Holiday Sides and Stuffing

Mid-December finds us in full holiday mode here at Rebecca’s. So far, we’ve helped patrons find the perfect local turkey, shop smarter for Christmas gifts (consult our trusty, annual conscious gift guide here), and consider practicing mindful eating during a season of endless hors-d’oeuvres trays (it’s a process). We know that many of you may already be in planning mode for Christmas Day or another big holiday meal such as New Years and have quite a bit of entertaining ahead. 

If you’ve adopted a healthy lifestyle or have specific dietary needs, traditional holiday recipes are, well, less than ideal. Stuffing tends to be a gluten bomb, most sweet potato recipes have just as much sugar as your average desserts and carbs reign supreme. We know that many people value tradition around the holiday season, and it can cause friction in families when you stray. For our December Monthly Recipe, we’re tackling more than one recipe so you can make a holiday meal that doesn’t ruin your wellness plan. We’ve gathered some of the most classic holiday recipes we could find. They’re as healthy as they are delicious and hopefully won’t leave you with *too* much of a food coma.

Read on for five traditional holiday recipes to try with a healthy twist! 

Alternative Healthy Sides

With a few alternatives, many classic side dishes can easily be made with a healthy twist. They’re also the best way to sneak some nutrition into your holiday meal. Read on for several gluten-free options!

~Gluten and Dairy Free Sweet Potato Casserole 

This recipe, via Mama Knows Gluten Free, still has quite a bit of sugar, but it’s a great alternative to many of the casserole recipes out there. 

Click here to view the full recipe.

~Winter Greens with Pine Nuts, Chili, and Garlic

A stunningly simple recipe that is also delicious via Olive Magazine. Also, the perfect way to get some greens in during your holiday feast! 

Click here to view the full recipe.

~Ghee-Roasted Spiced Root Veggies

Another one via Olive Magazine. Ghee is magical, consider cooking with it this holiday season as an alternative to butter.

Click here to view the full recipe. This one is delightfully simple!

Keto Stuffing Recipes

Stuffing, or “dressing,” is a classic American dish. In the old days, it was a resourceful way to make use of the “extras” from the kitchen, and recipes vary widely depending on the region. Read on for two keto-friendly versions. 

~Best-Ever Keto Stuffing (with bread?!)

An excellent recipe that makes use of Keto bread for stuffing. The “haters” who say you can’t make stuffing without bread will be at a loss for an argument with this one, via delish.com.

Click here to view the full recipe. 

~Keto Sausage Stuffing

All we have to say is YUM. Another keto-friendly recipe that you’ll hardly recognize as keto via All Day I Dream About Food. (Fitting name… let’s just say we’re dreaming about this recipe.)

Click here to view the full recipe. 

We hope you find these recipes helpful and enjoyable! As always, come see us at Rebecca’s for all of your holiday needs. 

If you enjoyed this piece, you may enjoy our article about diffusing oils to keep holiday stress at bay.