With Halloween now over, fall is edging into winter. Colorful fall leaves give way to snowscapes, and we trade pumpkin spice in for peppermint and gingerbread. The holidays are creeping ever closer! Unfortunately, as the weather turns colder, so too do people turn to heavy and calorie-dense foods, which can make staying on track with our dietary goals a challenge. How can one maintain their healthy lifestyle whilst also not missing out in the fun of the holidays? GoWISE is here to help.
During the holiday season, you may find yourself invited to many food-based social gatherings. Temptation at these gatherings can be tough to manage. Here are some tips for ensuring that you leave someone else’s party feeling good about your choices.
- Snack beforehand
Don’t arrive to a party already ravenous and ready to eat whatever is in sight. Instead, set yourself up for success by having healthy snacks throughout the day. (May we suggest Sweet Potato Toast or some Cheese and Veggie Cups?)
- Choose a smaller plate
Your eyes may be bigger than your stomach. By giving yourself less space to work with, you avoid overeating just because you feel the need to polish off everything on your plate.
- Start with the vegetables
Load up your plate with veggies before moving onto more caloric choices and try to eat these first. This ensures that you actually eat the vegetables before getting full and may stop you from being tempted into going back for seconds. Speaking of which…
- Wait before going back for seconds
Give food time to settle in your stomach and alert your brain that you are full. Nothing is worse than feeling too full, after all! We recommend waiting between 10 and 20 minutes after finishing your last bite before hitting up the food table a second time.
- Eat mindfully
No one is saying that you should completely miss out on all the food-based holiday fun! However, when you do choose to indulge, do so mindfully. Savor every bite. You may find that you are contented without a second slice of cake!
Being the party host offers more control over how much diet-derailing food you will be facing at these events. Traditional holiday foods can be lightened up or substituted altogether and still be mouthwatering. This is where having a GoWISE USA product comes in handy! With our Air Fryers or Air Fryer Ovens, you can substitute deep fried foods with heart-healthier but equally crispy air fried alternatives. Use the extra time granted by using Pressure Cookers to shop for ingredients or research recipe substitutions. When considering how to fill up before your party, consider making a smoothie in one of our High Powered Blenders. Yes, heated smoothies are a thing, too! And finally, surprise your guests with a fresh-grilled twist on holiday favorites, such as these Glazed Carrots. They will think you a hero for braving the cold. No one needs to know that you actually used your Indoor Smokeless Grill!
Of course, the best intentions are nothing without recipes to go with them! This week we’ve gathered three recipes to kickstart your healthy holidays.
November is here, and that means that it’s almost time for Thanksgiving! Of all the iconic foods associated with this holiday, stuffing ranks below only turkey and perhaps pumpkin pie. In other words, no Thanksgiving is complete without it! However, the ingredient list in traditional stuffing may make you think twice. Packed with carbs, salt, and even high fructose corn syrup in the instant versions, it’s clear that stuffing is unfortunately the not healthiest choice. Instead, try swapping out the bread for wild rice and superfood quinoa in this recipe! Not only is it better for you, but this recipe includes other holiday ingredients, such as cranberries and pecans.
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil + more to coat baking dish + more for drizzling on the top
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped (about ½ cup)
2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced
2 medium cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
2 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves, minced
1 tsp kosher salt + more to taste
½ cup dry-ish white wine, such as Sauv Blanc or Chardonnay
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
2 cups uncooked wild rice blend
1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed well
1 ½ cup dried cranberries
1 cup raw pecans
½ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley + ¼ cup more for topping after baking
¼ cup fresh sage leaves, minced
Directions:
Add oil to the pot of the pressure cooker. Use the Sauté setting. When the oil is hot, add the onions and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft (about 5 minutes). Add the apples, garlic, thyme, and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for one more minute. Stir in wine and then add broth and rice.
Add quinoa and wild rice, stir to combine. Cook on high pressure for 25 minutes, then do a quick release.
Stir in cranberries, pecans, ½ cup parsley, and sage. Taste and add additional salt, if desired.
Finishing option
In conventional oven:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Rub a 9x13 inch casserole dish with a little olive oil. Lightly scoop the rice mixture into the casserole dish, lightly mounding it instead of mashing it down.
Bake until golden brown, 25-30 minutes. Drizzle with a little more olive oil and sprinkle with remaining chopped parsley. Serve.
In Air Fryer Oven:
Preheat air fryer oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Rub a 8"x 8" inch casserole dish with a little olive oil. Lightly scoop the rice mixture into the casserole dish, lightly mounding it instead of mashing it down.
Bake until golden brown, 15 minutes. Drizzle with a little more olive oil and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve.
Pairing perfectly with the lightened version of stuffing is this alternative to potatoes – Mashed Cauliflower! Potatoes are undoubtedly delicious, but unfortunately quite high in starch. Cauliflower offers an alternative that is similar in texture, filling, a great source of fiber, and chock full of vitamins! It’s even keto friendly! If you prefer mashed potatoes that are completely creamy, we recommend pouring the “potatoes” into a separate bowl and using an immersion blender to get rid of all chunks.
Ingredients:
1 large head cauliflower
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
¼ cup sour cream
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup parmesan cheese, finely shredded
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Directions:
Place cauliflower in a steaming basket on a rack into the pressure cooker. Cook for 3 minutes on high pressure. Use quick release to vent pressure.
Remove cauliflower and pour out water. Using the Sauté setting, heat butter. Sauté the minced garlic until fragrant (about 1 minute).
Return cauliflower to the pot and mash thoroughly. We strongly recommend using a non-metal potato masher to avoid damaging your pot.
Stir in parmesan cheese, sour cream, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
For the final recipe this week, we chose a recipe that has been made healthier by slightly altering the original ingredients rather than swapping them out altogether. This delicious Spiced Applesauce treats you to the nostalgic holiday tastes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. By taking out half a stick of butter, substituting 2 egg whites for each of the whole eggs, and using sugar substitute instead of sugar, this iteration of the bread has all the flavor with less calories and cholesterol.
Ingredients:
1 ¼ cups applesauce
1 cup Stevia baking sugar
½ cup vegetable oil
4 egg whites
3 Tbsp milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground allspice
¼ tsp salt
½ cup chopped pecans
Directions:
Preheat your air fryer oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease the baking pan.
In a large bowl, combine the applesauce, sugar, oil, eggs, and milk; beat well. Sift in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt; stir until smooth. Fold in the in pecans. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake in preheated Air Fryer Oven for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
Most of all, as we enter this holiday season, remember to enjoy yourself! Treat yourself in moderation and ensure that counting calories does not stand in your way of spending time with your loved ones.
If you’re looking for more recipes, try our Pressure Cooker Fall Stew. It’s hearty enough to keep you going on the coldest day but includes plenty of vegetables as well to make you feel full and give you the vitamins you need to weather the winter months.
If you still feel unsure, there are so many outlets out there to help you with tips, tricks and recipes! We also have a YouTube channel and other helpful blog posts to help you get more familiar with your GoWISE USA product and find useful tips and recipes.
We appreciate every one of our customers and hope you found this post helpful with getting more familiar with your GoWISE USA Products. And don’t forget to share your experiences and creations with our products using the #GoWISEUSA on all of our social channels or join our GoWISE Creations community on Facebook.
A big thank you to the authors of the recipes we tested out. Check out the links below to take a look at the original recipes.
https://www.kitchentreaty.com/herbed-wild-rice-and-quinoa-stuffing/
https://greenandketo.com/creamy-keto-mashed-cauliflower-potatoes
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/17683/spiced-applesauce-bread/
