Healthy Holiday & Occasion Dinner Recipes

This creamy, refreshing cucumber salad is an easy side dish for any summer BBQ. Bright dill and white-wine vinegar add fresh tartness to cucumbers and red onions. Enjoy this salad the day you prepare it so the ingredients don't turn watery.

Fresh cheese tortellini and classic Greek salad ingredients like tomatoes, cucumbers and red onion come together for a fast side dish that's perfect for potlucks, picnics and other casual gatherings.

Give traditional potato salad a fresh spin with sweet potatoes, peppery arugula and a tangy-sweet dressing. This crowd-pleasing side dish is also versatile; you can add ingredients you prefer in potato salad, like bacon or green onions. Enjoy at room temperature or chilled.

This egg-free version of the summertime staple is so creamy no one will ever guess it's vegan. Tossing the potatoes with dressing while they are still warm helps them absorb the flavors. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

A classic black bean salad is a must for picnics and potlucks. This vegan version gets its creaminess from blended avocado. Any mix of salad greens will work well, but try arugula if you want to give this hearty salad a peppery kick.

If a holiday meal at your house isn't complete without a corn casserole, try this calorie-trimmed version. It's delicious and will help keep your meal plan on track.

If you've never grilled lobster, you're in for a treat. The smokiness of a charcoal, wood or even a gas grill adds great flavor. If you are squeamish about the idea of cutting a live lobster, ask your fishmonger to do it for you, but be sure to cook the lobsters within about an hour after they have been cut.

Whole-wheat flour, cornmeal, and flax seed meal make this tender, thin crust distinctive.

These seasoned ground beef and pork burgers are topped with a fresh herb sauce and served in a pita. Quick and easy, you can make them in just 30 minutes.

This frittata is made with cheddar cheese and zucchini and is quick and easy to prepare. With just 115 calories per serving, this is a guilt free meal.

Brining the chicken before grilling ensures that it's juicy and tender. A sesame-cilantro pesto, with ginger, mint, and crushed red pepper, is the perfect topping for this Asian-style main dish.

Typically, pressed sandwiches are a celebration of many meats. Here, we've opted for grilled eggplant slices, artichokes and arugula to make a satisfying vegetarian version. Giardiniera, a type of Italian relish typically made from bell peppers, celery, carrots, cauliflower, olives, vinegar and spices, perks up the flavors of any sandwich. You can use convenient prepared giardiniera or homemade. Choose a hot or mild version, depending on your preference for heat.

Brown rice add fiber to this diabetic-friendly pork and beans side-dish recipe. Skip the salt when cooking the rice to keep the sodium low.

Mirlitons are gourdlike fruits that taste similar to squash; they are sometimes called chayote. Try them in this diabetic-friendly turkey and vegetable stuffed pepper side dish recipe.

Make this vegetable side dish in less than 30 minutes, using only five ingredients. Cover and refrigerate, then serve the diabetic-friendly salad at a cookout or party.

Black-eyed peas boost the fiber in this quick vegetable side salad. Serve this diabetic-friendly salad with grilled meats or chicken.

Although this simple side dish recipe is delicious with salmon and other fish, it's also tasty with beef, pork, and poultry.

For this grilled pork main dish recipe, served with spinach and pasta, the low-fat sauce calls for a bit of pesto for flavor.

For Christmas or Thanksgiving, for breakfast or brunch, these whole wheat and cranberry-nut rolls contribute color to the table. Serve them as part of a diabetic food plan.

Pies and tarts are welcome signs of Thanksgiving and Christmas desserts. This low-fat, low-calorie, and low-sugar vegetable pie, suitable for diabetic meals plans, has vitamin-rich sweet potatoes and a tender oil-pastry crust.