It’s the season of holiday hosting! I have tips to help make your season delicious, nutritious and stress-free, starting with the side dishes. Instead of using cream and butter in classic holiday dishes like mashed potatoes, grains and pasta, use bone broth with adds a lot flavor AND protein, for very few calories.
I use Pacific Foods bone broths which contains 9 grams of protein and about 40 calories per cup. It’s made from non-GMO, organic-certified ingredients like chicken and beef slow-simmered alongside flavorful vegetables, herbs and cider vinegar so you get pure flavor. For lightened up mashed potatoes simply cover 2 lbs of potatoes with 2 cups of broth in a saucepan and boil over medium-high heat until tender before mashing and seasoning to taste. Tip: leave the skin on for added fiber. The Pacific Foods bone broth is great for those who are keto, paleo, gluten-free… or just looking for a simple way to add a delicious protein boost to your favorite recipes. You can find it at your local grocery store.
Next, the holiday season is incomplete without dessert. Put a nutritious twist on classic desserts by serving what I call desserts with benefits. One of my go-to baking hacks is beans.When cooked and rinsed well, beans can add moisture and fudginess to baked goods like brownies and blondies while cutting back on the amount of fat and flour needed. Not only that, but beans add nutrients such as plant protein, B vitamins, and fiber. To make these bean blondies, combine 1 can of chickpeas with 1 egg, ½ cup oats, 2/3 cup coconut sugar, 3 tbsp coconut oil, 1 tsp vanilla and 1 tsp baking powder. Fold in chocolate chips and transfer to a baking pan before baking for 30 min at 350 F.
Next, use prep-ahead hacks for stress-free hosting. First, prep veggies in advance. Wash, chop, and store a variety of vegetables in the refrigerator that can used for salads, sides, or quick stir-fries. Next, marinate proteins a day or two before your event. This allows them to absorb more flavor, and you can simply cook or grill them on the day of the gathering. Finally, cook and refrigerate grains like quinoa, brown rice, or farro. They can be used as a base for salads or sides, saving you time on the day of the event. Entertain in style with JennAir refrigerators which break the luxury mold – embracing new materials, designs, connectivity, and performance, offering some of the quietest-performing luxury appliances available. They open to reveal an Obsidian black interior illuminated by Multi-Point Cinematic Lighting. You can learn more about JennAir appliances by visiting JennAir.com.
Finally, take trash off your to-do list this holiday season by turning food waste into fertilizer. Lomi is the World’s first Smart Waste Kitchen Appliance. Eliminate garbage at the push of a button which turns your food waste including produce and even meat, dairy and compostable plastics and packaging into fertilizer for your plants + lawn. Lomi Bloom not only reduces your waste footprint, it enables you to track the positive impact you’re having on the planet + earn rewards with every cycle by connecting to the Lomi app. You can find Lomi for up to 44% off right now at Lomi.com.
