It can be hard to cook for a large group for the holidays while also staying healthy and not missing out on the flavor. Below are some great recipes for a delicious, healthy, vegetarian (or easily substituted vegan), and gluten free course dinner. Its surprisigly filling that you will be stuffed to the last fork full.
Simple Winter Apple Salad
Serves 6
Ingredients:
¼ cup greek yogurt
3 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste
1 apple, sliced thin
lemon juice
1 lb. baby spinach
⅓ cup dry cranberries
½ cup maple glazed almonds
6 oz goat cheese
Directions:
- Combine the yogurt, cider, balsamic, salt, and pepper in a bowl and whisk. Set dressing aside while preparing salad. Coat apple slices in lemon juice. Set aside.
- In a large bowl toss greens, apple slices and cranberries. When ready to serve, add the dressing slowly to the greens and gently combine. Then plate the greens and top each with a portion of the nuts and cheese.
Nutritional Facts: per serving
226 cal; 16g total fat (6g sat fat); 13g carb; 204mg sod; 3g fiber; 11g protein; 8g sugars
Raw, Vegan Lasagna
Serves 6
Ingredients:
5 large zucchini, stems removed
1½ cups fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley, leaves and stems
3 cups arugula
½ bunch cilantro, leaves and stems, coarsely chopped
1 small bunch spinach
4 Rainbow chard leaves, stems removed and reserved
2 green onions, trimmed, cut into chunks
4 cups cherry tomatoes
Small handful of fresh oregano
A few sprigs of fresh basil
¾ cup raw pine nuts
1 small yellow squash, cut in chunks
1-2 Tbs nutritional yeast
1 small garlic clove, optional
Directions:
- Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise. Then cut long, thin lengthwise slices (noodles) by running the zucchini down your mandoline, slicing by hand with a knife, or peeling with a vegetable peeler. Set aside.
- Puree parsley, arugula, cilantro, spinach, rainbow chard leaves, green onions into a rich green paste in a food processor. Scrape into a bowl with a spatula and set aside.
- Put cherry tomatoes, chard stems, oregano, and basil into the blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a bowl and set aside.
- Put yellow squash, pine nuts, nutritional yeast, and garlic into a blender and blend into a thick creamy filling. Pour into a bowl and set aside.
- Line the bottom of a deep-dish pan, if using, with a double layer of zucchini slices. The bottom layer needs to support a lot of food, so make sure this layer is thick and sturdy.
- Top the bottom zucchini layer with a third of the green paste mixture, a third of the tomato sauce, and 8 to 10 more zucchini slices. Continue layering with half of remaining green paste mixture, half of pine nut mixture, and another row of zucchini slices. Top with remaining green paste mixture and half of remaining tomato sauce.
- Place the lasagna in the freezer for about 30 minutes to help firm the layers.
- Remove from the freezer and add another layer of zucchini slices, remaining pine nut mixture, remaining tomato sauce, and a final layer of zucchini slices.
- Freeze for another 2 hours (but no longer) to help everything firm up and make the lasagna easier to slice. Cut the lasagna into squares and serve.
Nutritional Facts: per serving
212 cal; 13g total fat (1g sat fat); 19g carb; 108mg sod; 7g fiber; 11g protein; 9g sugars
*This recipe is based off of recipes from Vegetarian Times Magazine
Roasted Asparagus Bundles
Serves 8
Ingredients:
½ large red onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
2 bunches (about 40) fresh asparagus, trimmed
1 Tbs. sunflower oil
1 tsp. lemon juice
¼ tsp. Gluten-free Dijon mustard
¼ tsp. salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
Kitchen twine
Lemon slices, for garnish
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper, or coat with cooking spray.
- Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add red onion, and blanch 3 minutes. Drain, then pat onions dry with paper towels.
- Whisk together oil, lemon juice, mustard, salt, and pepper in large bowl. Add asparagus and onion slices; toss to coat.
- Group beans and onion slices into 8 bundles, and tie each bundle with 8-inch piece of kitchen twine. Place bundles tie side down on prepared baking sheet. Bake 6 to 8 minutes, or until asparagus ends begin to brown. Flip bundles with spatula so tie side is up, and bake 6 to 8 minutes more, or until all bean tips are brown. Transfer bundles to serving plate, and garnish with lemon slices.
Nutritional Facts: per serving
35 cal; 2g total fat (0g sat fat); 4g carb; 9mg sod; 2g fiber; 2g protein; 2g sugars
*This recipe is based off of recipes from Vegetarian Times Magazine
