World Of Christmas
Health conscious people need not lose sleep over the fattening effects of Christmas food. Read this article to learn some healthy Christmas recipes.

Healthy Christmas Recipes

Are you one of those kinds who get the jitters thinking of the rich, fatty food they'll be forced to gulp down this Christmas? That all the hard work put in the gym and control exercised while following your diet plan might just sink in that extravagant pudding. Well, it need not be the case if you plan to have Christmas parties at home. There are some fantastic recipes, which are not only healthy, but also a treat for the taste buds. Your guests will be delighted to have dishes which are wholesome and yet do not send their cholesterol levels skyrocketing. Adding some healthy ingredients to your recipes is one change you can incorporate. Use healthy products like olive oil, lean meat, soy, fat-free milk and cream, fibrous vegetables and fruits for your main course and side dishes. You can also learn recipes and techniques to make desserts less fattening. Go through some of the recipes given here to make this Christmas a reason to celebrate good health.

Healthy Recipes For Christmas

Christmas Turkey

Ingredients
  • 1 12 to 14-pound Turkey
  • 1 peeled and quartered medium Onion
  • 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 1 Lemon
  • 6 sprigs fresh Thyme
  • 6 sprigs fresh Rosemary
  • 6 sprigs fresh Sage
  • Salt to taste
  • Freshly ground Black Pepper
Preparation
  • Preheat oven to 425°F.
  • Remove neck and giblets from inside the turkey and rinse from both inside and outside with cold water. Pat dry with kitchen paper.
  • Put the quartered onion, half a lemon and 4 sprigs each of thyme, rosemary, and sage inside the bird's cavity.
  • Tie the turkey’s legs together with kitchen string and place breast side up on the roasting rack in pan. Squeeze the remaining half of the lemon into a small bowl. Brush on the outside with lemon juice and olive oil, and add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Place in the oven and roast for 15 minutes at 425 degrees.
  • Reduce the temperature to 325 degrees. Baste the turkey frequently with pan juices along with lemon juice and olive oil, and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh reaches 180°F or for about 3 to 3 3/4 hours.
  • Remove turkey from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes. To serve, transfer to a warm platter and garnish it with remaining herbs.
Orange-Roasted Duck

Ingredients
  • 1 5-pound Duck
  • 1/2 cup Orange Marmalade
  • 2 small Oranges
  • 3/4 cup Reduced-Sodium Chicken Broth
  • 3 tablespoons divided Reduced-Sodium Soy Sauce
  • 2 tsp Cornstarch
  • 1 tsp Brown Sugar
Preparation
  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Remove both wingtips at the top joint using kitchen scissors or a heavy knife; reserve wing tips. Remove neck and giblets from inside and reserve the neck. Trim the excess skin and fat around the neck and cavity opening. Removing excess fat makes the dish healthier with more proteins than fat.
  • Grate 1/4 teaspoon orange zest (citrus peel) and keep aside. Now, peel and cut oranges into quarters. Keep 3 sections for later and place the remaining orange sections inside the duck. Fold the wings under the body and secure the legs together with kitchen string. With a fork, prick holes in the skin without piercing the flesh. This allows fat to drain during roasting.
  • Mix the marmalade and 2 tablespoons soy sauce in a small bowl. Loosen the skin over the breast and thigh and rub about 3 tablespoons of the mixture under the skin.
  • Line a large roasting pan with foil and place the bird breast-side down on it.
  • Place the pan on a roasting rack and put in the oven to roast for about an hour. Remove the duck from the pan and pour off the fat. Return the duck to the rack, breast-side up. Continue roasting, basting every 15 minutes with 2 tablespoons of the marmalade mixture, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thigh without touching bone registers 165°F, or for about 1 to 1 1/4 hours.
  • In the meantime, take the chicken broth and put in the reserved wingtips and neck and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the broth is reduced by half. Strain the broth and discard solids. Now, squeeze the juice from the reserved orange sections into a small bowl; add cornstarch and mix until smooth. Put the broth in a pan and stir in the juice mixture, reserved zest and brown sugar; cook over medium heat, stirring, until thickened. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce.
  • Cool the duck for 15 minutes and carve. Serve with the sauce on the side.
Winter Fruit Salad

Ingredients
  • 2 Navel Oranges
  • 2 Blood Oranges
  • 2 Star Fruit
  • 1 Pink Grapefruit
  • 1 Yellow Grapefruit
  • 1 Pomegranate
Preparation
  • Peel and cut the oranges and grapefruit into segments. Remove all the pith, pips and membranes.
  • Extract the pomegranate seeds and slice star fruit. Place the oranges and grapefruit in a bowl with the star fruit and gently mix. Sprinkle the pomegranate seeds on top.
  • Cover and chill until ready to serve.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients
  • 2 pounds peeled and cut Yukon Gold Potatoes
  • 1/3 cup Fat -Free Sour Cream
  • 1/3 cup warmed Fat-Free Milk
  • 6 peeled Garlic Cloves
  • 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
  • Freshly chopped Chives
Preparation
  • Take a large saucepan and boil the potatoes with garlic cloves for 20 minutes until potatoes are soft.
  • Drain the water; add heated milk and sour cream to the potatoes and garlic. Now mash with a potato masher until the mixture is smooth. Pour a little more milk if you like thinner mashed potatoes.
  • Add black pepper to taste.
  • Garnish with some chopped chives and serve.