Healthy Christmas Recipes and Menus

Featured Recipes

Mississippi Spiced Pecans

Make plenty of these mildly sweet and salty nuts—they are great to have on hand over the holidays.

For this cousin of the Caesar salad use a combination of winter greens, such as radicchio and escarole; the anchovies and lemon juice temper their bitterness. Vary the amount of garlic and anchovy according to your preference.

» Bold Winter Greens Salad

Rack of Lamb with Warm Apple & Lentil Salad

Mustard and rosemary complement rich lamb and earthy lentils in this elegant meal. Don't let rack of lamb intimidate you. It is simple to prepare.

» Rack of Lamb with Warm Apple & Lentil Salad

Slow-Cooked Provençal Beef Stew

The flavors in a slow-cooked beef stew improve as it sits for a day or two, so it is a perfect make-ahead for a dinner party. Buy nicely marbled meat, such as chuck, for this recipe.

» Slow-Cooked Provençal Beef Stew

Citrus Ginger Cake with Spiced Orange Compote

The flavor of this spiced orange compote improves with time so make it a day ahead or the morning of your party. Serve chilled in a clear bowl so the colors show through.

» Citrus Ginger Cake with Spiced Orange Compote

Game Hens with Brussels Sprouts & Chestnuts

Game hens are even easier to prepare than chicken and help make your celebration more festive. Their buttery flavor complements roasted Brussels sprouts and chestnuts.

» Game Hens with Brussels Sprouts & Chestnuts

Shredded Root Vegetable Pancakes

Red beets and golden carrots look especially festive in these zesty horseradish-and-bacon-flecked cakes. Avoid parsnips, which need to be cored, in this recipe, as trying to shred the smaller cored pieces might result in nicked knuckles. Try the pancakes with seared steaks or make them bite-size for a beautiful appetizer.

» Shredded Root Vegetable Pancakes

It often happens when hosting a holiday get-together that you spend more time getting the feast on the table and cleaning up than actually spending time with your loved ones—which is the whole reason you hosted Christmas anyway, right?

Well, this year Christmas can be different but just as tasty thanks to a few simple menus along with plenty of make-ahead dishes to maximize your time spent with your family and friends and minimize your time in the kitchen. Two of our menus even have planners outlining what to make ahead when and what to do Christmas day. We’ve also included a few other of our favorite menus (including one for brunch and one for Christmas Eve) to enjoy with your family before and after the gifts come. And don’t forget to leave Santa some of our award-winning cookies this year!