Christmas Dinner Side Dishes: Rice Pilaf With Cranberries

Keeping recipes easy yet delicious this holiday season can be an often complicated task. The experts at Travaasa have a delicious recipe for Rice Pilaf With Cranberries that will surely solve your #HolidayProblems and make your holiday party interesting.
Directions

Cook 1 1/4 cups wild rice blend in chicken broth with 1/2 cinnamon stick, as the label directs. Cook 1/2 minced onion in a skillet with 3 tablespoons butter, 5 minutes. Add 1/3 cup sliced almonds and cook 2 minutes. Add 1/3 cup dried cranberries and cook 2 more minutes. Toss with the rice. Top with chopped parsley.

Christmas Dinner Side Dishes: Cheese-Crusted Squash

Keeping recipes easy yet delicious this holiday season can be an often complicated task. The experts at Travaasa have a delicious recipe for Cheese-Crusted Squash that will surely solve your #HolidayProblems and make your holiday party interesting.

Directions

Mix 2 minced garlic cloves, 8 minced sage leaves, the zest of 1 lemon, 1/2 cup grated parmesan, 3 tablespoons each breadcrumbs and olive oil, and some salt and red pepper flakes. Pat onto thin wedges of acorn squash. Bake in a single layer at 450 degrees F, 15 to 20 minutes.

Christmas Dinner Side Dishes: Fresh Mushroom and Parsley Salad

Keeping recipes easy yet delicious this holiday season can be an often complicated task. The experts at Travaasa have a delicious recipe for Fresh Mushroom and Parsley Salad that will surely solve your #HolidayProblems and make your holiday party interesting.

Ingredients

• 1 pound large button mushrooms, trimmed, cleaned and thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Shaved Parmesan

Directions

In a medium salad bowl, mix together the mushrooms and parsley.

In a small bowl, whisk together the oil and lemon juice until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Add the oil mixture to the salad bowl and toss until all the ingredients are coated. Place parmasen on top and serve.

5 Tips to Cure a Holiday Hangover

Ah, hangovers. One minute, you’re having conversation over a few (too many) holiday cocktails, and the next, you’re waking up with a searing headache and a churning stomach. Not to fear,  just try one of these #HolidayProblems quick fixes, and hopefully you’ll be ready to tackle your next holiday party.

1. Gatorade/Vitamin Water/Coconut Water – Low blood sugar paired with dehydration accounts for most of those nasty hangover symptoms (think headache, shakiness and thirst), so a beverage enhanced with vitamins, sugar and electrolytes are your best bet for a quick rebound. Meanwhile, if you’ve got an exceptionally wicked hangover, just go straight for the Pedialyte.
2. Spa Day – If your hangover is mild to moderate, a massage might be just the thing to release toxins, ease achy muscles and relax an overworked nervous system. Afterward, spend some time in the steam room to sweat out any leftover toxins. Just make sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day so you don’t get dehydrated. *Note: If your hangover has you feeling truly terrible, it’s best to skip the massage, since releasing any more toxins into your bloodstream can actually make you feel worse.
3. Bitters and soda water – If nausea is your biggest hangover issue, this old-fashioned remedy is a well-known standby for quick stomach relief. Angostura Bitters was initially created nearly 200 years ago as a stomach medicine, but nowadays, it’s frequently used as a cocktail flavoring (or hangover remedy, whatever).
4. Peppermint Tea – This warm, caffeine-free beverage helps hangovers in a number of ways. Peppermint is a well-known cure for headaches and migraines, and it also has anti-spasmodic properties, which can help alleviate stomach maladies. Not to mention, tea is mostly made of water, which is what you really need after a night of heavy drinking.

Anti-Inflammatory Recipe: Pumpkin Soup

Eating anti-inflammatory foods during the holidays can not only make you look better, but feel better as well. Our experts at Travaasa say that a great anti-inflammatory food to eat during the holidays is pumpkin (skip the sugar packed pumpkin treats, though). This healthy soup protects against inflammation, is low calorie, and tastes delicious!

Ingredients:

• 16 ounces of pumpkin or winter squash such as butternut (may be canned or freshly puréed
• 3 cups of chicken broth
• 1 large onion
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup of light cream or whole milk
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ginger
• Greek-style plain yogurt for topping
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Sea salt to taste
• Chopped pumpkin seeds

Preparation

1. In a large pot, heat olive oil and gently sauté onion and carrots until soft.
2. Optional: Put vegetables and broth into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
3. Return to pot.
4. Add pumpkin and light cream or milk.
5. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
6. Pour into soup crocks or soup bowls.
7. Top with yogurt and chopped pumpkin seeds.

Healthy Dessert Recipes: Mini Pumpkin Pies

With only 148 calories per pie, these treats are sure to delight your taste buds without making you feel guilty.

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp wheat germ
• 2 Tbsp ground flaxseed
• 1 whole graham cracker, crushed
• 2 lg eggs
• 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
• 1 can (12 fl oz) can fat-free evaporated milk
• 2/3 cups brown sugar
• 1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• ¼ cups pure maple syrup
• ¾ cups 2% plain Greek-style yogurt

1. Heat oven to 375°F and coat 12-cup nonstick muffin pan with cooking spray.

2. Combine wheat germ, flaxseed, and crushed graham cracker in small bowl. Divide evenly among muffin cups.

3. Whisk eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla extract. Pour evenly into cups. Bake until sides are set and centers jiggle slightly, 30 to 35 minutes.

4. Stir maple syrup into yogurt in small bowl while pies bake. Chill until ready to serve.

5. Let pies stand 10 to 15 minutes before removing from pan with spatula. Top each with a dollop of the yogurt mixture.

Healthy Dessert Recipes: White Chocolate Holiday Bark

This heart-healthy treat is packed with antioxidants and tastes just as great!

Ingredients

• 1 cup sliced almonds
• ¼ cup unsweetened coconut
• 1 cup oven-toasted rice cereal
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 ½ lbs high-quality white chocolate, chopped
• 2 tsp vegetable oil

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Spread the sliced almonds and the unsweetened coconut in an even layer on the baking sheet. Toast 5-8 minutes or until coconut just begins to brown. Remove baking sheet from the oven, and let cool.

3. In a large bowl, combine almonds, coconut, rice cereal, and dried cranberries. Reserve about ¼ cup of the mixture, and set aside.

4. Place chopped white chocolate and 2 teaspoons vegetable oil in a large heatproof bowl, and set over a medium saucepan of simmering water. Stir with a spatula until the chocolate is completely melted.

5. Remove the chocolate from heat, and fold in the almond mixture. Spread mixture evenly on parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle on the reserved ¼ cup topping. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes or until the chocolate has completely set. Break the bark into small pieces, and serve.

Adventurous Side Dishes to Serve This Holiday Season: Orange-Balsamic Cranberry Sauce with Dates

Looking to add to your recipe repertoire this holiday season? Spice up run-of-the-mill side dishes with this recipe for Orange-Balsamic Cranberry Sauce with Dates. A new interpretation on an old standby, this sauce combines the sweetness of dates with the tanginess of balsamic vinegar and orange.

Ingredients

1 cup water

½ cup sugar

Zest from one orange

1 cup fresh orange juice

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

1 cinnamon stick

1 cup chopped, pitted dates

2 (12 ounce) bags fresh cranberries

Directions

1. Simmer water, sugar, zest, orange juice, vinegar and cinnamon stick in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring, 5 minutes.
2. Add half of dates and half of cranberries and simmer, stirring occasionally, until cranberries begin to burst, 7-10 minutes.
3. Stir in remaining dates and cranberries and simmer until remaining cranberries begin to burst, 7-10 minutes more. Remove cinnamon stick and transfer to a serving dish. Serve at room temperature.

What to Do With Leftover Wine

Don’t get us wrong, we love it when guests arrive to our holiday parties with a bottle of alcohol in hand, but when half-finished wine bottles are left at the end of the night, it can feel like a bit of a waste. Make the most of leftover wine with these quick, easy tips.

Tip 1: Cook with it.

If you’re making a recipe that calls for vino, it’s the perfect opportunity to use leftover wine without opening  a fresh bottle. If you’re not planning to cook anytime soon, freeze wine in ice cube trays and throw it into soups, stews or other recipes at a later time.

Tip 2: Mull it.

If you have half a bottle left, breathe some new life into it by turning it into mulled wine (perfect for the holiday season). For half a bottle of red wine, add 2 cups of apple cider, 2 tablespoons of honey, 1 cinnamon stick, the juice and zest from half an orange, 2 whole cloves and 1 star anise. Add all ingredients to a medium saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Pour into mugs and garnish with an orange peel or cinnamon stick.

Adventurous Side Dishes to Serve This Holiday Season: Ginger-Curry Pumpkin Mash

Looking to add to your recipe repertoire this holiday season? Spice up run-of-the-mill side dishes with this recipe for Ginger-Curry Pumpkin Mash. It’s delicious alterative to ordinary mashed potatoes and will add color, exotic flavor to your holiday side dish selection.

Ingredients

1 (2 ½ pound) baking or butternut pumpkin, trimmed, cleaned and cut into 2-inch wedges

1 tsp ground ginger

2 tsp curry powder

1 tbl butter

¼ cup vegetable stock

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Place pumpkin wedges on baking sheet and bake in oven under tender, 40 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly.
3. When pumpkin is cool enough to handle, scoop out flesh and transfer to a large bowl. Discard skin. Add ginger, curry and butter and vegetable stock; season with salt and pepper.
4. Using a potato masher or handheld mixer, beat until smooth. Transfer to a serving dish.

Tofurkey (Tofu Turkey) Recipe with Vegan Gravy

Thanksgiving is all about coming together with friends and family over a delicious meal, but what about when your guest list includes non-meat eaters? Even those on a vegetarian or vegan diet will feel welcome at your feast with these meat-free, dairy-free Thanksgiving recipes.

Tofurkey

5 (16 oz.) packages extra firm tofu, drained and crumbled

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1 red onion

1 1/3 cups celery, diced

1 cup chopped mushrooms

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons Herbes de Provence

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup soy sauce

3 cups prepared stuffing

½ cup sesame oil

¼ cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons miso paste

5 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

1 teaspoon mustard

½ teaspoon orange zest

3 sprigs of fresh rosemary

1. Line a medium sized, round colander with a cheese cloth or a clean dish towel. Place the crumbled tofu in the colander. Place another cheese cloth over the top of the tofu. Place the colander over the top of a bowl to catch the liquid. Place a heavy weight on top of tofu. Refrigerate the colander, tofu and weight for 2 to 3 hours.
2. Make the stuffing: In a large frying pan, sauté onion, celery and mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of the sesame oil until tender. Add the garlic, Herbes de Provence, salt, pepper and 1/4 cup of soy sauce. Stir well; cook for 5 minutes. Add prepared stuffing and mix well. Remove from heat.
3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a cookie sheet.
4. Combine 1/2 cup sesame oil, 1/4 cup soy sauce, miso, orange juice, mustard and orange zest in a small bowl; mix well.
5. Remove the weight from the tofu. Hollow out the tofu so that there is one inch of tofu still lining the colander. Place the scooped out tofu in a separate bowl. Brush the tofu lining with a small amount of the miso seasoning. Scoop the stuffing into the center of the tofu shell. Place the leftover tofu on top of the stuffing and press down firmly. Turn the stuffed tofu onto the prepared cookie sheet. Putting the leftover tofu side of the Tofurkey (the flat side) down. Gently press on the sides of the Tofurkey to form a more oval shape. Brush the Tofurkey with 1/2 of the soy sauce-oil mixture. Place the sprigs of rosemary on top of the tofu. Cover the Tofurkey with foil.
6. Bake for one hour. After one hour, remove Tofurkey from the oven and remove the foil. Baste the Tofurkey with the remaining soy sauce-oil sauce (reserving 4 tablespoons of sauce). Return Tofurkey to oven and bake another hour or until it is golden brown. Place the Tofurkey on a serving platter, brush with the remaining soy sauce-oil mixture and serve hot.

Gravy

Ingredients

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup chopped onion

5 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons nutritional yeast

4 tablespoons soy sauce

2 cups vegetable broth

1/2 teaspoon dried herbs, such as thyme or rosemary

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions: Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Sauté onion and garlic until soft and translucent, 5-7 minutes. Stir in flour, nutritional yeast and soy sauce until a smooth paste forms. Gradually whisk in vegetable broth. Season with sage, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring constantly, for approximately 10 minutes, or until thickened.

Cooking a Turkey 101

With turkey being one of the most important Thanksgiving traditions, our holiday experts at Travaasa have put together some easy tips that are sure to have everyone coming back for seconds.

1. Make sure you leave enough time for the turkey to defrost. In the fridge five pounds of turkey takes about a day to defrost on average, so make sure you plan ahead.
2. A turkey will cook more evenly if it is not overstuffed. Place the remaining stuffing in an oven-safe dish and cook it separately.
3. Be sure the stuffing inside of the turkey reaches at least 165 degrees before taking it out to ensure no holiday mishaps, such as salmonella.
4. Use a meat thermometer!
5. Continue basting the turkey every 30-60 minutes to keep it moist and give it more flavor.
6. Let the turkey sit for at least 15 minutes before carving. Make sure the knife you’re using is sharp. Electric ones work well also.

Healthy Dessert Recipes for Thanksgiving: Maple Walnut Cake

This healthy delicious cake is high in omega-3s and has only 342 calories per serving.

Ingredients

Cake

• 1 cup chopped pitted dates, (6 ounces)
• ½ cup boiling water
• 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chopped toasted walnuts, divided
• ¾ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 lg egg
• ¾ cup pure maple syrup, preferably dark amber (Grade B)
• ¼ cup canola oil
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tsp cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Glaze

• 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp cider vinegar
• ¾ cup gently packed confectioners’ sugar
• 1-2 tsp water, if needed

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Coat a 10-inch spring form pan with cooking spray.
2. Place dates in a small bowl. Pour boiling water over them to soak. Let cool to room temperature.
3. Process whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, 2/3 cup walnuts, baking soda and salt in a food processor until the walnuts are completely ground and the mixture resembles coarse meal. Transfer to a medium bowl; make a well in the center.
4. Puree the dates and soaking water in the food processor until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary. Add egg, ¾ cup syrup, oil, butter, 2 teaspoons vinegar and vanilla and process until smooth and creamy. Scrape the date mixture into the well in the dry ingredients and stir together gently until just combined. Transfer to the prepared pan.
5. Bake the cake until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Run a knife around the edges to loosen the cake, if necessary, and remove the sides of the pan.
6. To glaze cake: Carefully lift the cake from the pan bottom and place on a cake stand or serving plate. Whisk maple syrup, vinegar and confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl. Add water, 1 teaspoon at a time, if necessary to make a spreadable consistency. Spread the glaze evenly over the top of the cake, then decorate with the remaining 1/3 cup walnuts.

Healthy Holiday Tabletop Tips

Hungry for more ways to revamp your holiday menu? Try these tips to set a healthier table this holiday season:

• Appetizers: Veggie trays make for a wholesome first course. Replace ranch dip with a hummus spread to keep the appetizer low-calorie.
• Condiments: Condiments are sneaky calorie culprits. Manage your meal by keeping the condiment count under control. Cut down on butter, sour cream, brown sugar and other high-calorie garnishes.
• Sauces: Cranberries are an excellent source of vitamin C. Create your cranberry sauce with fresh fruit in place of the canned variety to maximize the nutritional value while minimizing sugar content. Opt for artificial sweetener in place of sugar to really take your sauce to healthier heights.
• Desserts: Sweet potatoes make for a nutritious (and delicious) dessert. These holiday favorites are full of nutrients, such as vitamins A and C, beta-carotene, potassium and fiber. Top with margarine and cinnamon in place of butter and brown sugar to keep your dessert on the lighter side.

Ways to make traditional holiday dishes healthy: Bake a lighter pumpkin pie.

The holiday season can be a challenging time of year to make healthy choices. But healthy holiday eating is possible. The experts at Travaasa offer some tips to help guide you through healthy holiday eating options.
Bake a lighter pumpkin pie.
Pumpkin is rich in nutrients, such as vitamins A and C, beta-carotene and potassium. Enjoy this classic holiday dessert without the waistline worries by giving your ingredient list a switcheroo. Swap in evaporated skim milk for whole milk, egg whites in place of whole eggs and a low-fat graham cracker crust instead of traditional pie crust. Top your treat with fat-free whipped cream and savor every delicious bite.

Ways to make traditional holiday dishes healthy: Make more sensible stuffing

The holiday season can be a challenging time of year to make healthy choices. But healthy holiday eating is possible. The experts at Travaasa offer some tips to help guide you through healthy holiday eating options.
Make more sensible stuffing.
Sacrifice holiday stuffing? Not a chance! Revamp your recipe by substituting margarine for butter and low-fat chicken broth for chicken stock. Ditch the giblets and replace with lean meats and dried fruit, such as raisins. Cut fat content by cooking your stuffing in a casserole dish instead of inside your turkey.

Ways to make traditional holiday dishes healthy: Simplify the green bean casserole

The holiday season can be a challenging time of year to make healthy choices. But healthy holiday eating is possible. The experts at Travaasa offer some tips to help guide you through healthy holiday eating options.

Simplify the green bean casserole.
This classic holiday dish doesn’t have to be a diet doozy. The secret to slimming it down? Simplify. Combine canned green beans with low-sodium/low-fat cream of mushroom soup and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grease your baking dish with cooking spray. Bake for 30 minutes and then top with toasted almonds and bake 15 minutes more. This finishing touch offers fewer calories than the traditional fried onion topper — plus nutrients such as vitamin E, protein, fiber, potassium and calcium.

Ways to make traditional holiday dishes healthy: Slim the mashed potatoes

The holiday season can be a challenging time of year to make healthy choices. But healthy holiday eating is possible. The experts at Travaasa offer some tips to help guide you through healthy holiday eating options.

Slim the mashed potatoes.
Potatoes are packed with potassium and other nutrients, most of which lie in the skin. Try mashing yours (skins included) with margarine and low-fat milk to retain the nutrients and reduce the fat. Slim down your gravy recipe by swapping turkey fat for low-fat broth. Feeling extra healthy? Forgo the gravy altogether and top your taters with veggies, such as corn or peas. If you want a sweeter alternative, try baked (not candied) yams.

Ways to make traditional holiday dishes healthy: Trim the turkey.

The holiday season can be a challenging time of year to make healthy choices. But healthy holiday eating is possible. The experts at Travaasa offer some tips to help guide you through healthy holiday eating options.

Trim the turkey.
Turkey is a staple at most holiday get-togethers. With a few simple tricks, you can pile your plate with protein without piling on the calories. Bake turkey on a rack inside your roasting pan so the fat can drip away (instead of soaking into the skin). Drain any excess fat before serving. When it comes time to fill your plate, pass up the dark meat. It has more saturated fat than white meat. Skimp on the skin to curb calories and fat.