The holidays are a time for gathering, celebrating, and enjoying food together. But they don't have to mean abandoning your health goals. These recipes are designed to be showstoppers at any holiday table — delicious enough that no one will notice they're also good for you. Free of gluten and dairy, they accommodate the dietary needs that are so common at holiday gatherings.
Cucumber Mint & Pomegranate Quinoa Salad on Endive
A wonderfully festive hors d'oeuvre or side dish — beautiful, delicious, and free of gluten and dairy. Serve spooned into endive leaves for an elegant presentation, or as a light side dish.
- 1 cup dried quinoa, cooked according to package
- ½ medium cucumber, diced small
- ¼ cup fresh mint, packed and thinly sliced
- ¼ cup fresh pomegranate seeds
- ¼ cup green onions, sliced
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- Juice of ½ a lime
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Sprouts for garnish
Directions
- Cook quinoa according to package and set aside to cool.
- Dice cucumber, slice green onions and mint.
- Combine cooled quinoa with cucumber, green onion, mint, and pomegranate seeds.
- Shake dressing ingredients together in a small jar.
- Pour dressing over salad and toss.
- Serve as a side dish or spoon into endive leaves with sprouts on top.
Mushroom Sage & Walnut Vegetarian Stuffing
This gluten-free vegetarian stuffing pleases everyone at the table — even the meat eaters. Made with brown and wild rice in a savoury miso broth, topped with toasted walnuts.
- 1 cup dried brown/wild rice mixture
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 3–4 cups mixed mushrooms, chopped
- 1 large onion, diced
- 10–12 fresh sage leaves, chopped
- 1 tbsp camelina or avocado oil
- 1½ tbsp organic miso paste
- ½ cup filtered water
- 2 handfuls fresh parsley, chopped
- 3 tbsp superseeds (chia, flax, hemp mix)
- ¼ tsp Himalayan sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook rice according to package.
- Toast walnuts on a cookie sheet for 8–10 minutes.
- Sauté onions, mushrooms, and sage in oil for 5 minutes.
- Dissolve miso paste in ½ cup hot water. Add to mushroom mixture and cook 7–10 minutes.
- Combine mushroom mixture with cooked rice. Add parsley, walnuts, and superseeds.
- Serve as a side dish or stuff into mushroom caps (bake caps at 350°F for 8 minutes first).
Cran-Bucha Spritzer
A great option if you're avoiding alcohol but still want something special. This tastes like a cocktail but is actually healthy — organic cranberry juice meets fermented kombucha with a splash of fresh lime.
- 1 part organic 100% cranberry juice
- 2 parts Live Kombucha (naked/original flavour)
- Splash of fresh lime juice
- Lime slices for garnish
Directions
- Combine cranberry juice, kombucha, and lime juice in a pitcher.
- Serve in your glass of choice with a lime wedge.
- Share amongst friends and enjoy!
Cranberry Coconut Flour Cookies
Made with coconut flour, these cookies are naturally gluten free and a healthier alternative to the sugar-heavy sweets that dominate the holidays. Quick to make, guilt-free to enjoy.
- ⅓ cup coconut flour
- ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp ground flax seeds
- ¼ tsp Himalayan salt
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Combine all ingredients except cranberries in a bowl. Stir until well combined.
- Fold in cranberries.
- Place tablespoon-sized cookies onto a lined cookie sheet and shape into rounds.
- Bake for 14 minutes.
- Let cool before serving. Enjoy and share!
Eating well through the holidays is about having better options available — not about deprivation. If you'd like to develop a personalized nutrition plan that works for your lifestyle year-round, we're here to help.