Both my Carrot Cake Pumpkin Muffins and Orange Ginger Yogurt Bread can be made in advance for easy holiday morning munching packed with festivity. Both carbohydrate based meals are full of protein and healthy fats to keep your guests full.
Just in case you have some guests that prefer snacking throughout the day… make some Savory Energy Bites. My favorite go to for holiday appetizers is homemade hummus- spice it up by adding lots of flavor when you make my Roasted Garlic Feta Hummus.
My gameplan for most holiday meals is to make sure to eat a healthy and well balanced lunch since dinner and dessert may lead to some overindulgence. Try my latest favorite salad- Fresh Veggie Quinoa Salad or go with a more greens based salad my Crunchy Festive Salad with Tangy Vinaigrette.
Most people care more about the side dishes than the main course so I always want to make sure I include something both delicious and veggie filled. The Orzo Veggie Salad and Christmas Veggies with Homemade Italian Dressing can be made with any veggies but using red and green colored vegetables makes it extra holiday filled!
For pescetarian friends, try adding these Salmon “meat” Balls to the table for a protein substitute. Or skip the meat all together and use cottage cheese to make your meal protein filled in my Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese. The mac is actually one of my favorite recipes on the blog and I can’t wait to make it again soon
Finally it’s time for dessert… that doesn’t mean we need to overdo it on refined carbs and sugar. Instead try something a little less traditional and both gluten free and vegan friendly with my Homemade Peppermint Patties or Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie (with homemade crust!)…
Don’t forget to squeeze in a quick workout! Try my 12 Days of Fit-mas Challenge for a HIIT to get your blood flowing. If you’re too tired, hungover, or unmotivated for an intense workout try my Christmas Recovery Workout which is mostly stretching- perfect after a long day of traveling!
Just throwing this in there in case you are planning a morning or afternoon workout before the holiday meal. A smoothie is a great way to add fruits and veggies- use my Great Smoothie Organization Chart to create something healthy and delicious!
Well there you have it- perfect full day of meals and a workout for your holiday celebration! Enjoy :)