Healthy Holiday Recipes for a Guilt-Free Gathering

When working toward maintaining a healthy lifestyle, the holiday season might leave you stressing over the possibility of getting off-track. The good news is that with a few easy swaps, you can feel free to indulge and stay aboard the nutritious train. For all of your festivities, give these wholesome treats a try. Best of all, these recipes take less than 30 minutes of prep time.

Pomegranate Ginger Smash

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Total Time 10 minutes mins

Course Drinks

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup pomegranate juice
• 2/3 cup vodka
• 2/3 cup ginger beer (use diet for low sugar)
• ice

For garnish:

• pomegranate arils
• ginger rosemary sugar

Instructions

 

• In a pitcher, combine pomegranate juice, vodka and ginger beer.
• To make ginger rosemary sugar, finely chop a few rosemary leaves.
• Grate about 1/4 tsp from a knob of frozen ginger.
• Mix ginger and rosemary with a few tablespoons of sugar.
• Put on a small plate for rimming glasses.
• Wet rims of 4 glasses and rim with ginger rosemary sugar (optional).
• Fill glasses with ice.
• Pour cocktail mixture into each glass and garnish with pomegranate arils.
• Serve immediately. Cheers!

Notes

This recipe was provided by Kaleigh McMordie from Lively Table, as part of the Healthy Aperture blogger partnership. 

As the mingling begins, treat your guests to some seasonal sips. Our festive Pomegranate Ginger Smash only takes ten minutes of your time to prepare, and can be done in advance so you can enjoy the time visiting with your guests. Plus, here’s a healthy perk: 100% pomegranate juice is packed with potassium, which helps support the body’s fluid balance and healthy blood pressure.

Want a wider range of flavor? Get the party started with our Maple Spiced Rum Punch, offering a tasty blend of maple, apple, and cranberry.

Slow-Cooked Cranberry Pot Roast

Cranberry juice adds a rich depth of flavor to this slow-cooker pot roast that’s loaded with root veggies.

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours 25 minutes

Total Time: 4 hours 50 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 cup cranberry juice

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 cup beef broth

1/4 cup tomato paste

2 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp each finely chopped fresh rosemary and thyme

Pot Roast:

1 chuck pot roast (about 2 lb)

1/2 tsp each salt and pepper

4 tsp canola oil

1 lb mini red potatoes (each about 2 inches in diameter)

1 large carrot, cut into 2-inch chunks

1 large parsnip, cut into 2-inch chunks

2 cups turnip chunks (about 2-inch pieces)

2 stalks celery, cut into 2-inch lengths

1/2 lb mushrooms, halved

1 onion, chopped

6 cloves garlic, halved

2 bay leaves

2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley

Instructions:

1. Whisk together cranberry juice and flour until blended; whisk in beef broth, tomato paste, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, rosemary and thyme. Set aside.

2. Pot Roast: Pat roast dry with paper towel; season all over with salt and pepper. Heat oil in skillet set over medium heat; cook roast for 8 to 10 minutes or until browned all over. Add to slow cooker.

3. Top with potatoes, carrot, parsnip, turnip, celery, mushrooms, onion, garlic and bay leaves. Pour reserved cranberry juice mixture over top.

4. Cover and cook on Low for 8 hours or High for 4 hours or until meat is tender. Remove bay leaves. Strain liquid into saucepan set over high heat; simmer for 12 to 15 minutes or until reduced by half. Arrange vegetables on platter, top with beef and drizzle with sauce. Sprinkle with parsley.

Tip: Alternatively, substitute stewing beef for roast. 

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While a pot roast is a common addition to a holiday spread, this version is anything but traditional. This dish includes a variety of nutritious root vegetables including turnips, carrots, and parsnips, and a serving of 100% cranberry juice. In addition to being a holiday favorite, cranberry is a good source of vitamin c and the flavonoids anthocyanidins and proanthocyanidins. Both of these compounds have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties, and support cardiovascular and urinary tract health.

Pork Tenderloin with Pomegranate & Garlic

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Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  

• 4 6 oz. pieces pork tenderloin
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• ¼ cup shallot finely chopped
• 1 garlic finely chopped
• 1 tsp thyme leaves
• 1 cup pomegranate juice

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 400ºF.
• Sprinkle the pork with the cumin, salt and pepper to taste. Heat a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the oil and the pork. Brown on all sides, about 5 minutes.
• Place the pork on a baking tray and put in the oven for about 10 minutes for medium, or cook to desired doneness.
• While the pork is cooking, make the pan sauce. Place the shallot in the sauté pan and cook until translucent and starting to brown, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and continue to cook until aromatic, another 30 seconds. Add the pomegranate juice. Simmer and reduce by half. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
• To plate the pork, slice each piece (if desired) then top with pan sauce.

Jazz up pork tenderloin with spices, herbs, and an extra juicy touch. The addition of 100% pomegranate juice adds a slightly tart kick to this dish, and helps keep the pork moist and flavorful. Plus, pomegranate is a good source of potassium and antioxidants.

Beef Marinated in Cranberry Juice and Spices

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Marinate for up to 1 day d

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup cranberry juice
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp grated ginger
• 2 tsp thyme leaves
• 4 4 oz. well-marbled steaks such as hanger, skirt or rib eye
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Instructions

 

• Combine the cranberry juice, soy sauce, ginger and thyme in a bowl that can hold the steaks. Add the steaks and marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.
• Heat a grill over medium-high heat. Remove steak from marinade, reserving it, and blot excess moisture. Drizzle with vegetable oil. Grill until nicely charred on both sides and cooked to desired doneness. This will depend on the cut of steak, about 4-5 minutes per side for a 1” steak to be cooked to medium rare.
• While the steak is cooking, place the marinade in a saucepan and boil it down to by half. Mixture should be syrupy. Pour over steak.

For an elegant entrée, try our cranberry-marinated beef. Cranberry juice is a low calorie, naturally sweet marinade that helps tenderize the meat. Add a side of vegetables, and you’ve got yourself a nourishing dish that is sure to become a new family tradition.

Want more tasty ways to enjoy 100% juice? Check out our Recipe Page. For inspiration on how to integrate 100% juice into your daily routine, visit our Health Tips page.