Who doesn’t love sugar cookies, mashed potatoes, gingerbread cookies, peanut butter balls, homemade mac and cheese, stuffing, brown sugar-glazed ham, and apple pie? It's okay to indulge, but the holidays span over a couple of months, and all of those treats can add up. However, there's no need to miss out! Consider healthier alternatives to your favorite holiday dishes that will still satisfy your cravings.
Mac and Cheese Galore!
Who doesn’t love creamy, homemade mac and cheese? This dish’s calories and dietary fats add up, however, don’t give up on this holiday staple just yet.
Instead of using regular pasta, you can switch it out for bean-based pasta. This will help avoid the unnecessary carbohydrates in regular wheat pasta. Or swap full-fat cheese for low-fat cheese – or just eliminate dairy altogether! There are plenty of vegan cheeses on the market now that will not lead to an upset stomach. To increase your fiber intake and decrease the amount of saturated fat, use turmeric or nutritional yeast in your recipe.
Mashed Potatoes or Creamy Mashed Cauliflower?
Did you know that mashed cauliflower tastes JUST like mashed potatoes? Cauliflower considerably lowers your glycemic load and contains more nutrients and fiber than potatoes do. Steam a large head of cauliflower and mash it with some low-fat butter, salt, and pepper – voila!
Peanut Butter Cups With Pumpkin, but Make It Healthy!
At Aloe Ferox, we love dessert. Once you start eating peanut butter balls, it’s hard to stop. We found a healthier alternative that you won't feel guilty eating that also includes pumpkin!
Follow this recipe for a healthier alternative:
- 1 ½ cups of melted chocolate chips of your choice
- 1 cup of peanut butter
- ¼ cup of maple syrup
- ¼ cup of pumpkin puree
- ½ teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice.
- Mini muffin tin & mini muffin cups.
Mix the peanut butter, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, and pumpkin puree in a small bowl until it's all smooth. Add melted chocolate at the bottom of the muffin cup, pour the peanut butter filling in the middle, and top it off with more melted chocolate. Freeze your cups for about 20-30 minutes until firm. This recipe yields about 10-12 servings.
No Judgment Here!
Listen, we know that it's not realistic to partake in healthy eating 24/7. That’s where Aloe Ferox comes in. Aloe Ferox aids your digestion and gastrointestinal function. If you’re indulging this holiday season, Aloe Ferox has your back.