To get you prepared for your Christmas dinner this year, I want to give you some amazing healthy Christmas recipes.
I've scoured hundreds of recipes and have come up with 3 healthy starters, 5 main courses (3 meats and 2 vegetarian), 5 sides, and 3 healthy desserts that I think give the perfect balance of healthiness and tastiness.
To make it super easy, I've even gathered up all the ingredients you need for each and put them together into a complete grocery list for you.
I hope you enjoy at least a few of these recipes on Christmas Day. If you do, shoot us over some snaps to [email protected]
It would be great to see you guys enjoying our healthy Christmas recipes with your family!
Healthy Christmas Recipes: The Starters
The 3 starters I have for you below are all light, healthy, and bursting with flavor.
They're all straightforward and easy to cook, so you won't need to spend hours in the kitchen away from your guests.
In fact, you could pre-prepare and store them the day before, ready to put together and serve at just the right moment.
Melon & Parma Ham
This healthy Christmas recipe is possibly the easiest one I have for you in this whole article, so a great one to kick off with.
Melon and parma ham mixes two great flavors that really enhance one another.
Adding Rocket to it for an extra kick of pepper really finishes this dish off nicely.
Check out the full recipe and method here: Melon & Parma Ham
Smoked Salmon With Horseradish Crème Fraîche & Beetroot
If you're not having seafood as your main course, I always think smoked salmon is hard to beat as a starter.
This recipe is light, healthy, and delicious. It's sure to go down as a treat with your Christmas dinner guests.
Adding Horseradish to the Crème Fraîche gives it a nice ‘kick,' and if your guests are all adults, the recipe even suggests adding some Vodka too!
You can check out the full method for ‘Smoked salmon with horseradish crème fraîche & beetroot,' by clicking the link.
Roasted Tomato Soup
Soup is a great starter, mostly because it goes with everything.
No matter what your main course is going to be, the soup is usually a great compliment to it.
This recipe is particularly easy to prepare, and as I've mentioned above, you can store it overnight and reheat it once your guests are ready.
You can find everything about this dish here: Roasted Tomato Soup. (The link goes to a page with other recipes, so you will need to scroll down to find it…sorry!)
Healthy Christmas Recipes: The Main Courses
Ok, so you've checked out the starters, and now we move to the main course.
Traditionally, the complete main course is a meat or vegetarian dish served with sides and vegetables.
As we have separate healthy Christmas recipes for the sides, we'll concentrate on the meat and vegetarian dishes here.
Martha Stewarts Herbed Roasted Turkey
For the festive Roast Turkey, I have turned to one of the world's best-known homemakers, Martha Stewart.
This ‘Herbed Roasted Turkey' recipe has a quick prep time. Therefore, you can either prepare it on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, depending on what else you have to do.
Of course, Turkey is only one choice of a festive main course. Although I can't add recipes for every corner of the world that the Fit Father Project has reached, I have another couple of recipes for you below.
Fresh Ham with Red Pepper Glaze
If Turkey isn't your thing, or if you've only just finished using up your Thanksgiving leftovers, this Ham recipe might be a better option for you.
Roasted Ham is an excellent dish anyway. But when you prep it up with this red pepper glaze, it's like a party's going on in your mouth.
It's also a great dish to serve cold as a ‘leftovers' meal with a leafy salad and some pickles.
However you choose to eat it, this is one of those healthy Christmas recipes that you shouldn't miss.
You can see the complete recipe, right here: Fresh Ham with Red Pepper Glaze.
Beef Tenderloin with Cabernet-Mushroom Sauce
Mmmmmmm, just the sound of this dish has me salivating beyond control. I don't think it's possible to combine 3 better ingredients – Beef, Wine and Mushrooms.
Anyway, enough of my food fantasies! Let's take a look at this other alternative to a Turkey dinner for your festive celebration.
My suggestion is to check that you know what temperature and cooking time will get your beef to your desired doneness. There's nothing worse than overcooked, dry beef!
To see the full recipe and recommendations, visit the Beef Tenderloin with Cabernet-Mushroom Sauce page at EatingWell.com.
Persian Squash & Pistachio Roast
For the vegetarians among you, this excellent twist on a nut roast makes a great Christmas main course.
The recipe is brought to you by one of Britain's most popular chefs, Jamie Oliver.
I use Jamie Oliver's recipes all the time, and his Christmas Turkey recipe has been my ‘go-to' for the past 4 years. It has never disappointed!
This Persian Squash & Pistachio Roast is packed full of great flavors that will excite your tastebuds on Christmas Day.
Kale, Spinach & Feta Pie
When it comes to eating vegetarian meals, I absolutely love tucking into a Feta & Spinach pie.
When made correctly, it can be one of the tastiest dishes around.
This recipe and method include the addition of Kale into the mix, adding more health benefits to this tasty dish.
To give this a whirl for your Christmas main course, follow the recipe here: Kale, Spinach & Feta Pie.
Healthy Christmas Recipes: The Sides
The sides are the bulk of your Christmas Dinner and include the potatoes, veggies, and stuffing.
I have 5 great recipes for you below, to serve up and impress your guests with.
So dive in, check them out and get prepping!
Mushroom-Cornbread Stuffing
Whether you call it stuffing or dressing, this recipe contains mushrooms, leeks, garlic, and herbs to give plenty of flavor.
It's the perfect accompaniment to whichever of the mains above you decide to try for Christmas dinner.
I would highly recommend giving this a go. It takes a while longer to make than packet stuffing, but the homemade taste will definitely be appreciated by your guests.
Follow the method for this amazing side dish, here: Mushroom-Cornbread Stuffing.
Healthier Roast Potatoes
In my opinion, you can't have a traditional Christmas Dinner without roast potatoes. They're simply the best!
So, to stay on the topic of healthier recipes, this one is for healthier roast potatoes.
Using minimal oil, fresh herbs, and garlic, you can still have crispy and flavorsome roasties at your Christmas table.
Click the link to check out the full ingredients list and cooking method. Healthier Roast Potatoes.
Scalloped Potatoes
As I've been looking around at traditional Christmas recipes, I've noticed that many households cook scalloped potatoes as a side dish.
If scalloped potatoes are your chosen dish, then this healthier twist on them is just for you guys.
Nice and creamy, but with only 4g of fat per serving, you're definitely on to a winner here.
See the full recipe here: Skinny Chef – Scalloped Potatoes.
Secret Ingredient Honey Garlic Roasted Carrots
It can be difficult to find an alternative recipe for roasted carrots, but this one blew my socks off!
For a 10 minute prep time, this is easily the simplest side dish out of any of them.
You can simply prep them and throw them in the oven while you get on with the rest of your meal.
To give them a try, use the recipe right here: Secret Ingredient Honey Garlic Roasted Carrots.
Balsamic Sea Salt Roasted Brussels Sprouts
If Brussels sprouts aren't your thing, then this recipe may well change your mind.
The flavor in these things is just incredible. No longer will you just steam your sprouts.
Similar to the carrots recipe above, these are very straightforward to prep. Once they're seasoned, they can go straight in the oven and left until done.
Make your vegetables the easy part of your Christmas meal by following the recipe here: Balsamic Sea Salt Roasted Brussels Sprouts.
(*Quick note – The recipe is about 3/4 of the way down the page, so you'll need to scroll down)
Healthy Christmas Recipes: The Desserts
Often the most difficult part of the meal to find a healthy option for, the dessert is still a ‘must-have' for most households at Christmas time.
I've scoured the internet for the most delicious and healthy dessert recipes for you to use.
I hope I've chosen well and that you enjoy these amazing dishes.
Let's dive on in and check out what I've got for you.
Quick & Healthy Christmas Pudding
What's better than a healthy recipe for Christmas pudding? At Christmas-time, almost nothing!
Knowing that you can literally have your cake and eat it is pretty exciting, right?
Christmas pudding is THE traditional Christmas dessert, so rightfully goes on here as the first healthy dessert in my recommendations.
You can learn how to make this amazing pudding by following this link: Quick & Healthy Christmas Pudding.
(*Quick note – Next to Fit Father Project, this website is my new favorite. The layout and design are literally flawless.)
Vegan Pecan Pie
During my research for this article, I've learned that Pecan Pie is almost as traditional a Christmas dessert as Christmas pudding itself.
So, if this is your dessert of choice, then I have you totally covered.
This great Pecan Pie recipe from the amazingly named ‘Chocolate Covered Katie' website is outstanding… and healthy!
Check out Katies ‘ooey-gooey' recipe for Vegan Pecan Pie.
Healthier Pumpkin Pie: Low Calorie & Low Sugar
If Thanksgiving has given you a taste for Pumpkin Pie, then this low calorie and low sugar recipe is going to excite you.
With a prep time of only 20 minutes and a calorie count of under 200 per slice, it's an all-round winner.
This is sure to be a recipe that'll become a favorite in your household for years.
You can enjoy this wonderful recipe by following this link: Healthier Pumpkin Pie: Low Calorie & Low Sugar.
Go Forth and Enjoy…
So there you have it, my friends, a list of healthy Christmas recipes that you can follow to keep the calories down, but the festive cheer up.
I've got you covered for every course of the meal, so you can relax in the knowledge that you can have a perfectly healthy Christmas dinner this year.
Most of the websites that I have linked to have a long list of amazing, healthy recipes. If there is something on this list that doesn't suit you, I would advise checking them out for something closer to your liking.
However you decide to enjoy your festive meal, I hope it's a fantastic day. May it be filled with love, happiness, and joy.
Have a Wonderful Christmas & a Happy and Prosperous New Year.
Your new friend & health coach,
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