Christmas menu: easy and healthy ideas to enjoy without going overboard

Light but tasty starters

Starters are the starting point of any Christmas meal and can be an excellent opportunity to offer dishes that are both delicious and nutritious.

It is not necessary to resort to heavy or excessively caloric options to impress our guests; On the contrary, a lighter and more creative approach can make a difference. In fact, it is not necessary to spend hours in the kitchen either, with just a little imagination and quality products we can achieve a spectacular result.

I’ll tell you how to prepare a zucchini snack with smoked sardine:

Preparation:

First, we cut the zucchini into slices that are not too thick, around 2 cm, so that they can withstand the ingredients that we put on top of them.

On the other hand, we extract the pulp from the avocado and mash it with a fork. We add lime juice to the mashed avocado and adjust the salt. We cut the tomato and onion into small squares and add it to the mashed avocado and mix it well.

Finally, we put the mixture made with the avocado, a piece of smoked sardine on the zucchini and finally we finish by adding chopped cilantro.

Preparation:

First, we wash the cucumber well and cut it with a mandolin into very thin slices.

Then, with the help of a mortar, chop two cloves of garlic and a handful of mint leaves into very small pieces.

Next we make a vinaigrette with olive oil, a splash of apple cider vinegar and pepper to taste, stir well and add the previously crushed garlic and mint mixture.

Finally, place the cucumber slices on a plate and season with the vinaigrette to taste.

Optional: we can add a little grated Parmesan cheese on top.

First course: comforting and warm

The first course of a Christmas meal can be an opportunity to offer something warm, comforting and healthy. A consommé or a light cream are ideal options that combine tradition and well-being, preparing the palate for the rest of the menu without being too heavy.

Preparation:

Boil the peas in plenty of salted water, remove them from the heat and drain.

Meanwhile, we boil some eggs.

Then, in a blender we add the peas, the juice of half a lemon, half a glass of water, a few cilantro leaves and season with salt and pepper.

Finally, we blend until we obtain a homogeneous cream and all that remains is to serve the cream in your favorite bowl, with some ham tacos and half a hard-boiled egg.

Complete it with a healthy main dish, at the same time festive:

For the main course, choose options that combine lean meats, fish or seafood with vegetables, healthy cooking methods and sauces prepared with vegetable bases.

Baked fish with citrus and herbs: Salmon or sea bass are ideal, accompanied by slices of lemon, orange and a touch of dill. You can also opt for a more exotic option, surprising your guests with a ceviche or tartare.

Turkey stuffed with quinoa and nuts: A light and nutrient-rich alternative to the classic stuffed with processed meats.

Vegetarian alternative: parmigiana

Or as a vegetarian alternative you can surprise them with a parmigiana recipe that I leave you below:

Preparation:

We cut the eggplant into slices and fry it for a couple of minutes, on each side, in a frying pan with a little olive oil, salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, cut the onion and carrot into small cubes, and add them to a saucepan with a little olive oil and salt.

Next, we add the crushed tomato and some basil leaves and cook the tomato sauce for at least 15 minutes.

Then, we assemble our parmigiana by alternating slices of eggplant that we will cover with tomato sauce. We will repeat the process until we add four slices of eggplant and grate Parmesan cheese on top.

Finally, we cook in the oven for 10 minutes, until we see that the cheese has melted.

For side dishes, always remember to accompany your main dishes with vegetable bases to add freshness, color and a healthy touch to your Christmas meals. Vegetables, whether sautéed, steamed, roasted or in the form of creative salads, not only provide fiber and essential nutrients, but also balance the dish by combining textures and flavors to surprise your guests.

A delicious dessert

Don’t forget to complete your menu with a delicious dessert! Finish this delicious menu by preparing a healthy sweet like a chocolate mousse that never fails or a brownie and you will not only have prepared a delicious and complete dinner, but also a healthy one.

Preparation:

First, we peel and chop the banana.

In a blender we put the banana with the cocoa powder, the eggs, the vanilla essence and blend.

We transfer to a mold with parchment paper and add the chocolate and nuts and bake in the air fryer at 175º for about 10 minutes.

With this menu you will not leave anyone indifferent and you will not only be sharing special moments at the table, but also taking care of your well-being and that of your loved ones. In short, I propose that you enjoy a healthy and flavorful Christmas.

You can learn more about nutritionist Elisa Escorihuela through her Instagram account: @eliescorihuela his work in the Nutt Nutrition Center and in his book ‘Diet therapy‘. You can also read all the nutritional recommendations contained in their articles in ABC’s ‘Nutrition Classroom’.