A Recipe Collection: 100+ Healthy Holiday Recipes

If you have links to favorite healthy holiday recipes (made without any processed foods, of course!) please add them in the comments!

One of the best parts of being a blogger is having the “responsibility” (yeah… responsibility… that's it…) of knowing what my fellow bloggers are up to.

And I consider it a vast blessing to be surrounded with such an amazing group of bloggers in the real food and natural living community. These are men and women who are passionate about sustainable living, eating for health AND joy, and who live full of heart and soul.

I myself have followed many of these blogs and lurked on many of these websites for years. Other blogs linked here are very new but have great ideas to offer the community. Thus, it is a deep pleasure to share a bit of the treasure trove of nourishing wisdom from these sites with you at this holiday time.

No matter whether this year has been a bountiful one for you or full of sorrow, may the joy in your home be nourished as you gather together with family and friends, thanking God for our rich blessings.  May you and yours be filled with joy and peace!

10 Tips for Happy, Healthy Holidays

Healthy Holiday Recipes: Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving in the United States tends to be a grand affair. Even when done simply, there tends to be lots of food and lots of leftovers – and of course, lots of great recipes. Therefore, I couldn't help but divide the Thanksgiving recipes into smaller, “bite-sized” portions.

Thanksgiving Morning

Cranberry-Orange Cinnamon Rolls
Molasses and Cranberry Cinnamon Rolls
Cranberry-Orange Sourdough Muffins
Pumpkin Pie Pancakes
Omelettes to Go
Pumpkin Raisin Quinoa Porridge
Pear, Ginger, and Turkey Patties
Maple Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal

The Main Course

How To Pick Your Turkey
How to Slow-roast the Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey (with Video!)
The Best Roast Turkey
Rosemary, Clementine and Ginger- Stuffed Whole Turkey
Roast Pheasant with Whisky-Cumberland Sauce
Roast Duck with Cherry Reduction Sauce
Roast Suckling Pig

Appetizers

3 (Scrumptious) Liver Pâtés
Deviled Eggs with Salmon Roe
Bacon Wrapped Sweet Potato Bites
Sourdough Pretzel Bites
Amazing Homemade Hummus

Sides

Maple Roasted Yams with Cranberries and Orange
Real Food Green Bean Casserole (with Cream of Mushroom Soup and French-Fried Onions!)
Vanilla Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Roasted Sage Squash with Honey
Grain-Free Thanksgiving Stuffing
Homestyle Stuffing (GAPS, Paleo)
Pumpkin Pie Casserole
Sourdough Rye Bread
Sour Milk Biscuits
Maple Roasted Apples & Brussels Sprouts
Crispy Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Garlicky Green Beans
Braised Cabbage and Beets
Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Herb Mushroom Sauce
Sweet Potato Turnip Mash
Butternut Squash Risotto
The Best Baked Spinach
Butternut Squash Soup with Apple
Sweetly Spiced Butternut Squash
Fall Harvest Spinach Salad
Roasted Carrot Whip
Butternut Squash Gratin
Hazelnut and Chard Ravioli Salad
Coconut Curry Pumpkin Soup

Condiments

(Did you know I've written THREE books about homemade condiments?

• Restocking the Pantry is an instant download and features everything from Worcestershire sauce to holiday favorites like Jellied Cranberry Sauce with Rosemary and Honey and Salted Maple Whipped Cream.
• The DIY Pantry will be in bookstores everywhere on January 2, 2014 – but can be pre-ordered now!
• The Natural Pantry Handbook is due out February 2014.)

 Mandarin & Cranberry Relish
Turkey Gravy with Porcini Mushrooms
Ginger Cranberry Sauce
Spicy Fermented Cranberry Relish
Gluten-Free Gravy (Grain-free)
Sugar-Free CranApple Sauce
Maple Mustard Cider Vinaigrette
Honey Mustard Dressing
Kombucha Vinaigrette with Fresh Herbs
6 Stunning and Nourishing Cranberry Sauces

Desserts

Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Pumpkin Whipped Cream
Apple Pie Bites
Pumpkin Custard
Pecan Crusted Apple Crisp (with video)
Spice-Kissed Pumpkin Pie
GAPS-friendly Apple Crisp
Maple Pecan Pie
Pie Crust Two Ways: Grain-Free and Sprouted
A Gallery of Pies
Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownie Bars
Grain-Free Mudslide Fudge Cookies
Grain-Free Pumpkin Cookies
Pumpkin Spice Cake with Chocolate Walnut Crumble
Pumpkin 7-Layer Bars
Butternut Cupcakes with Cardamom Buttercream
Coconut Whipped Cream

Beverages

Honey Caramel Apple Cider
Spontaneous Apple Cider
Chai Kombucha
Old Fashioned Root Beer
Kefir Soda Pop
Dairy Free Pumpkin Spice Creamer
Spiced Cranberry Apple Cider

What To Do With Leftovers

Saving Food on Thanksgiving: Black Friday Pie and Turkey Soup
Get Creative With Leftover Turkey
How to Make Turkey Stock

Healthy Holiday Recipes: Hanukkah

While I am not Jewish, many of my Jewish friends have introduced me to a wonderful, delicious spread of Jewish holiday foods, so I absolutely wanted Hanukkah foods to have a good representation in this collection. I have tried – with my very limited knowledge – to vet the recipes and only list ones that are kosher, but please forgive me if I have not done my job well.

Hanukkah commemorates the miracle when one day's worth of oil in the temple lasted for a full 8 days, and thus Hanukkah foods often feature foods fried in oil. Thankfully there are some wonderfully healthy fats – olive and coconut included – to nourish you through all the noshing.

Beef Brisket with Gravy
Fig and Olive Chicken
Fried Winter Squash with Mint
The Absolute Best Borscht
Vegetable Laktes
Winter Squash & Chicken Tzimmes
Spiced & Sweetened Apple Sauce
Butternut Squash Kugel
Broccoli Potato Kugel
Spinach Pomegranate Salad with Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette
Sweet Potato Latkes
Honey Almond Cake
Mandarin Orange Cheesecake on Pecan Ginger Crust with Pomegranate Cranberry Compote
Apple Honey Challah

Healthy Holiday Recipes: Advent & Christmas

Gingerbread Men
Cinnamon and Molasses Cookies
Sourdough Stollen: German Christmas Bread
Sugar Plums
Hamentaschen – yes, I know these cookies belong in the springtime for the Jewish Purim, but I find the flavor and texture make for the perfect cookie for Christmas cookie platters!
Molasses Crinkles
Raw Holiday Fudge
GAPS-friendly Snickerdoodles
How to Build a Gingerbread House
Pork Loin with Cranberry Sauce
Citrus Honey Glaze for Ham and How to Cure Your Own Ham
Cranberry Spinach Quinoa Salad
Honey Macadamia Halibut
Cider-Braised Chicken
Roasted Asparagus and Mushrooms
Kale with Walnuts and Cranberries
Wild Mushroom Soup
Roasted Vegetable Galette with Olives
Roasted Beet and Blood Orange Salad
Fresh Green Bean Casserole
Warm Maple Spinach and Endive Salad
Sweet Potato and Apple Pie
Homemade Chai Tea
Raw Honey Mulled Wine
Maple Apple Crisp
GAPS-friendly Chocolate Bread
Coconut Cream Truffles

Healthy Holiday Recipes: New Year's Eve

New Year's Eve noshing tends to focus on lots of appetizers, both simple and extravagant, and tends to give an excuse to celebrate with decadence. Whichever way you choose to spend your New Year's Eve (my favorite way is to curl up in the front of the fire, playing board games, sipping mulled wine and hot cider, until the wee hours of the morn), here are some great ideas to get you in a celebratory mood.

Natural Cocktails – a new ebook from Kendahl of Our Nourishing Roots – an absolute MUST READ if you plan to make cocktails of any sort this holiday season. It's thought-provoking, intriguing, incredibly informative, and most of all – inspiring! So go get your cocktail on – without any processed ingredients or artificial additives.
Non-Alcoholic Cranberry Wassail
Traditional Wassail
Traditional Eggnog
Sourdough Black Forest Cake
Chicken & Bacon Roulades
Lamb & Quinoa Meatballs
Morrocan Spiced Meatballs
Stuffed Grape Leaves
Shrimp With Spiced Cocktail Sauce
Shallot Fig Spread
Spicy Leek Meatballs
Eggplant Foccacia
Maple-Rosemary Glazed Walnuts
Olive Cheese Bread
Asparagus and Truffle Oil Risotto
Cleansing Kale Salad
Raspberry Champagne Punch
Chocolate French Silk Pie
Dairy-Free Chocolate “Pudding”

And for New Year's morning:

Claflouti

Here's To Your Health and a Blessed New Year!