Staying healthy is especially important for your mental health right now because we know the holidays may look a little different for you this year.
With everything going on in the world, you may be experiencing a rollercoaster of emotions, which is completely normal. We want to help you find ways to manage your stress so you can feel relaxed and find joyful moments this festive season. You deserve it!
A major part of staying healthy, not only physically, but mentally, is paying attention to the food you put into your body on a daily basis.
Unhealthy, processed foods might have a negative effect your skin and your mental health! These foods negatively impact your gut and create internal inflammation, which in turn increases stress hormones and causes a decline in feel good chemicals in your brain.
We know not it's not realistic, or even desirable, for everyone to cut out every little processed food. Especially during the holidays.
Of course we think you deserve to treat yourself and enjoy delicious food all season long, so we have decided to put together some recipes that will serve two important purposes.
Number one, delicious food that will leave you satisfied, and number two, food that is brimming in nutrients to feed your cells and your brain with everything you need to feel energetic, calm and happy!
We have included some classic holiday treats, made healthier, along with some savory comfort food that we know you'll love.
Don’t blame us if you’re drooling by the time you're done reading through all of these recipes!
Creamy, mood-boosting vegan mac n’ cheese
Okay so this one is good for any time of year, but we wanted to start strong. Who doesn’t love a good mac n’ cheese?
Of course, we aren’t trying to lure you over to the vegan side (unless you want to of course!) Rather, we want to show you that there are healthier substitutions for common foods like dairy, that can create some inflammation in the body.
If you’re a mac n’ cheese lover, then you may like to alternate with this version every once in a while!
Nutritional yeast is used to create this heavenly, rich sauce. It's brimming with Vitamin B12 to boost your energy levels and your mood!
Dark Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
Your whole home will fill up with nostalgic holiday aromas when you whip these babies up!
These oatmeal cookies are not only delicious, they are also free of common trigger foods, like white flour, and sugar, both of which increase internal inflammation and don’t support your mental health in any way.
These are rich in fiber for a healthy digestive system, festive cranberries and antioxidant rich dark chocolate for a cookie that deserves to be shared with those you love!
Paleo Gingerbread Cookies
Yes, that’s right, we are diving right into another cookie recipe, these are the holidays after all!
What’s the festive season without gingerbread? Yeah, we don’t know either.
Gingerbread houses are fun, but so are making these adorable gingerbread men with your kids, or for yourself, we aren’t judging!
The great news is that they aren’t filled with artificial ingredients or a hefty dose of sugar. This is a clean, refined sugar-free recipe that means you can indulge without the sluggishness and fatigue that usually accompanies a sugar crash.
Made with traditional holiday spices, including cloves, cinnamon and, of course, ginger, these cookies are sure to evoke sweet holiday memories!
Butternut Squash Veggie Pizza
What could be better than pizza when it comes to serious comfort food?
You have the soft, buttery dough, the creamy cheese, your favorite toppings, it’s a dream in your mouth.
Of course, we know pizza isn’t ideal to indulge in too often thanks to the white flour and dairy, which by now we know can impact us negatively.
That’s where this beauty comes in…
Butternut squash is an essential winter veggie and it’s used as the base sauce on this mouth-watering veggie pizza. We aren’t kidding, don’t bash it till you try it, you may be pleasantly surprised!
It’s creamy and delicious and packed in good-for-you vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, along with a heaping of veggie and fiber-rich toppings that are sure to satisfy any comfort food craving!
If you want to add a little cheese then go for it! Or add some nutritional yeast flakes or a mozzarella dairy-free alternative if you are trying to stay clear from dairy. If you have a little though, it is totally okay! This healthy pizza more than makes up for a little cheese!
Vegan Friendly Eggnog
Oh, eggnog. What a classic holiday drink!
Of course you can’t let your eggnog fantasies slip away just because you are trying to avoid things like sugar and dairy!
This healthy eggnog version is made with a blend of almond, cashew, and coconut milk to provide that dreamy creaminess. It's full of healthy fats to fight inflammation in your body and to leave your skin dewy and radiant.
It's a Christmas miracle!
We hope that you are excited to try these truly delicious recipes! Let us know what you think :)
We wish you and your family a healthy and happy holiday season!
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