Healthy Holiday Eats

If you find yourself accumulating some Holiday fluff from eating too much ham and sweets or sweet ham, enjoy the feast by eating clean with these  alternatives that are healthy as well as tasty.

Lessen the bilbil tendencies by cleaner food choices that do not taste like chalk this Holiday season

Hummus and Veggie Sticks

A fresh batch of smoky, spicy and utterly addictive #RGTK Chipotle Hummus now available. Order now! #realgirltoykitchen #slowfoodforfastlives #heatandeat #gourmettogo

A photo posted by Johanna Garcia (@realgirltoykitchen) on May 25, 2016 at 7:55pm PDT

Hummus is a dip made of chickpeas, lemon juice, olive oil, tahini, and garlic. It's great with toasted pita bread and veggie sticks. Use it as an option to chips and dip for starters. Hummus is also a vegetarian protein source that's great post-workout. Is that probably why Zohan is so strong?


Fresh Juices and Smoothies 

Have a smoothie instead of beer. You got good sugars and good energy

I developed alcohol intolerance so I don't drink alcohol. So what to drink in these Holiday festivities? The alternative may be fresh juices which are rich in antioxidants and vitamins. Cocktails also actually contain a lot of sugars which can be bad for you. Try this juice recipe, which I got from Solenn Heussaff's fitness book Hot Sos - slice 1/4 pineapple, 1/2 beetroot, 2 oranges, 1 big carrot, and a half-thumb size of ginger and place it in a juicer. Place in a wine glass and add chia seeds. The drink looks like red wine but it contains a load of nutrients your body would love. You can drink this any time of the day too! Try also a red margarita by combining beet juice, lemon juice, coconut sugar or honey, and water. moisten the rim of a margarita glass and dip in Himalayan pink salt. Pour in your concoction and drink up!


Healthy Cookies

I myself love homemade, fresh chocolate chip cookies. Too much of it though leaves me with a muffin top. These healthy cookies from Honest Junk do not scrimp on flavor as well as the pretty factor. These are gluten free, dairy free, low sugar, low sodium, vegan, and contain superfoods like malunggay (moringa) and chia that up the health factor. Try their healthy gummies too, which taste like citrusy orange gummy chews.


Salads

Juju Eats Big Boy Salad is my go-to post-workout light meal. 

Salads are refreshing as they are pretty! Have a DIY salad bar or make a family favorite. It's one excuse to literally eat a rainbow of awesome raw vegetables! Up the nutri factor by choosing light, oil-based sauces instead of heavy, creamy ones. It also gives you more space in your tummy to enjoy the main course


Grilled Food Versus Fried 

DIY Grilled lunch: Grilled zucchini and grilled salmon with chimichurri

Grill your meats instead of frying them, and choose meats that are lean like lean beef, top round chunks for stews, chicken breast, and seafood. A few weeks ago, I bought this book of healthy Mediterranean recipes with super-easy food that's fast and simple without the added baddies. I was surprised to find a healthy stew recipe that's flavorful but hardly contained salt! Yes, we can have our hearty, savory dishes  and eat healthy and low-cal! Just don't overindulge or burn the food!

I remember totally going YOLO one Christmas season and letting go and ended up having my pants a bit too snug and so much sluggishness shedding off the Holiday weight gain via training was more difficult. I mean it's okay to do a bit of indulgence. With a bit of research and switching things around, you can make healthy choices that are yummy, pretty, and you don't feel you are depriving yourself. Since these food choices contain a lot of good nutrients, it powers you through properly through the hectic Holiday schedule and can help you avoid getting sick during this time.

To introduce others to healthy food,  we can bring a healthy dish we prepared for others to try, most especially if it's something new. Choose one that's easy to prepare. It also helps to present it in a nice, Instagram-worthy way, so people can be attracted to it. For example if it's a dip, arrange the dip with veggies and pita in a nice plate. Choose a salad that's got lots of flavor and color. Present a smoothie in a pretty cocktail glass. This is one encouraging way of sharing healthy meals.

Do you have a healthy Holiday food choice this year?  Let's share this gift of health with family and friends. I'd love to see what you've got tomorrow on Christmas Eve!


Image Directory:

Cover Photo by Fritz Tentativa
fritztentativa.com; facebook.com/fritztentativaphotography

Hummus Photo:
instagram.com/realgirltoykitchen


Store Directory:

Honest Junk
facebook.com/honestjunk77; instagram.com/honestjunk; email at honestjunk77@gmail.com

Hot Sos
available at all leading bookstores nationwide

Real Girl Toy Kitchen
realgirltoykitchen.com; facebook.com/realgirltoykitchen; instagram.com/realgirltoykitchen

Juju Eats
click here for store locations; jujueats.com; instagram.com/jujucleanse