Christmas Budget Recipes

Even though you're on a budget, your Christmas can be every bit as delicious as a non-budgeted feast. From breakfast to dessert and everything in between, these recipes will keep spending in check without compromising on flavor.

Staff Picks

Massaged Kale Salad

Rating: Unrated
11
Here a pungent garlicky dressing is infused into kale by massaging the greens and the dressing together with your hands. Any type of kale will work in this kale salad recipe, just remember to remove the tough stems before you start.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Slow-Cooker Cassoulet

Rating: Unrated
1
This classic French stew recipe is typically made with a variety of meats and simmered over the course of multiple days. In this easy, streamlined cassoulet, the slow cooker makes it a breeze to have a healthy dinner on the table when you get home.
By Stacy Fraser

Broccoli Casserole

Rating: Unrated
11
The lightened-up luscious sauce elevates this easy casserole recipe over standard broccoli and cheese side dishes.
By Breana Killeen

Quinoa & Chia Oatmeal Mix

Rating: Unrated
5
Make your own hot cereal mix with this healthy recipe. Keep it on hand and just cook up the amount you need when you're ready for a hot breakfast. One serving of the warm cereal contains 6 grams of fiber--almost a quarter of your daily quota-which helps stave off hunger throughout the morning.
By Carolyn Casner

Nonna's Spaghetti & Meatballs

Rating: Unrated
5
The meatballs and sauce are cooked in the slow cooker for this traditional Italian spaghetti and meatballs recipe. You could also serve the meatballs over creamy polenta or on a sandwich with melted provolone.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Slow-Cooker Vegetarian Lasagna

Rating: Unrated
18
Sure, the slow cooker's great for stews and soups, but it also happens to make a mean lasagna! In this ingenious slow-cooker recipe, all you have to do is chop your veggies, then layer the ingredients (raw) into the crockpot. Serve with: Garlic bread and a green salad.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Mini Brie & Apple Quiches

Rating: Unrated
2
We love the way Brie and apples taste together in these mini quiches. Mini phyllo cups make it swift and simple to create an elegant appetizer.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Dill Mustard Sauce

Rating: Unrated
1
This tangy mustard-dill sauce recipe is delicious served with smoked salmon, used as a vegetable dip or spread on a sandwich.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Nutty Pimiento Cheese Balls

Rating: Unrated
1
These bite-size pimiento cheese balls from Jamie and Bobby Deen are a huge hit with kids (of all ages). They're the perfect appetizer to bring to a summer picnic. Jamie and Bobby share a passion for great home-cooked food with a Southern flair with their celebrity-chef mom, Paula Deen. These brothers are following in their mom's footsteps with their own TV shows, books and website. Our favorite part of what they're up to: healthy makeovers of some of Paula's recipes! Recipe adapted from The Deen Bros. Get Fired Up, by Jamie & Bobby Deen and Melissa Clark (Ballantine Books, 2011).
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Creamy Turnip Soup

Rating: Unrated
2
In this recipe, the humble turnip is transformed into a rich turnip soup made creamy with just 1 tablespoon of butter. Serve it as a starter or side soup. The mini salad on top is optional, but we love the bit of texture from the greens and pop of flavor from the vinaigrette.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Elderflower Champagne Cocktail

Elderflower adds sweet and fruity notes that mingle seamlessly with mint in this refreshing Champagne cocktail.
By Stephanie Olson

Garlic Chicken

Rating: Unrated
10
Whole garlic cloves are mild when simmered with chicken in a simple white wine-mustard sauce in this garlic chicken recipe. Serve with smashed potatoes with buttermilk and sautéed green beans.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Inspiration and Ideas

EatingWell Meat Pie

EatingWell Meat Pie

Rating: Unrated
2
Traditionally meat pie recipes are made with mostly ground pork. This recipe for French-Canadian meat pie, or tourtiere, is lightened up by using lean ground beef with a little ground pork for flavor and bulked up with plenty of shredded vegetables. You can make it even easier by using a store-bought crust.
Sauteed Broccoli & Kale with Toasted Garlic Butter

Sauteed Broccoli & Kale with Toasted Garlic Butter

Rating: Unrated
3
In this easy vegetable side dish, broccoli and kale are drizzled with a butter, garlic and crushed red pepper sauce. Serve this healthy recipe alongside roasted chicken, turkey or ham--or on top of your favorite whole grain, such as quinoa or farro.
Cauliflower-Broccoli Gratin

Cauliflower-Broccoli Gratin

Rating: Unrated
1
Flourless Chocolate Cookies

Flourless Chocolate Cookies

Rating: Unrated
4
Sheet-Pan Eggs with Spinach & Ham

Sheet-Pan Eggs with Spinach & Ham

Rating: Unrated
4
Chocolate Nut Bark

Chocolate Nut Bark

Rating: Unrated
5

Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Onions

Rating: Unrated
6

Fresh herbs, onion and bacon sauté alongside Brussels sprouts in this easy vegetable side dish recipe. This savory dish is delicious in the fall and winter months, when Brussels sprouts are in season. If you can find them still attached to the stalk, don't be intimidated--buy them, as they're likely more fresh. Recipe adapted from The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters.

All Christmas Budget Recipes

Banana-Blueberry Muffins

Rating: Unrated
14
The slight acidity of buttermilk tenderizes and moistens baked goods while allowing you to cut way back on butter or oils. Here, it also lends a slight tanginess to the winning combination of bananas and blueberries.
By Jim Romanoff

Layered Mashed Potato & Mushroom Casserole

Rating: Unrated
3
Fancy up regular mashed potatoes with a layer of mushroom duxelle--a sauté of finely chopped mushrooms and shallots. We omitted the traditional butter in the duxelle and added chard for a nutritional boost. Serve this hearty side in place of mashed potatoes at any holiday feast or enjoy it as a vegetarian main dish.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Parmesan Scalloped Potatoes with Spinach

Rating: Unrated
1
Classic scalloped potatoes get a burst of color, heartier texture and a healthy update with the addition of chopped spinach. The greens in this side dish also create a nice contrast to the creamy, velvety potatoes.
By Hilary Meyer

Mushroom & Wild Rice Frittata

Rating: Unrated
4
Packed with a flavorful medley of chewy wild rice and three kinds of mushrooms, this satisfying frittata is perfect for Sunday brunch. Don't worry if you can only find one kind of mushroom--the richly aromatic top of baked Parmesan and crisp prosciutto will make up for it.
By Maria Speck

Simple Roast Chicken

Rating: Unrated
2
There's no reason to get overly fussy with complicated techniques for a flavorful, rich and simple roast chicken, the ultimate comfort food.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Cauliflower Steaks with Chimichurri

Rating: Unrated
2
In this stunning, healthy cauliflower recipe, a head of cauliflower is cut into thick slabs then roasted until caramelized and served with chimichurri, a garlic-herb sauce. The cauliflower steaks make a fine accompaniment to actual steaks, or better still, serve them on their own as a vegetarian alternative to steak. Each head of cauliflower will provide 2 to 3 steaks from the center--the sides tend to crumble. For a truly show-stopping presentation, use the center portion of 2 heads and save the rest of the cauliflower for another recipe that calls for cauliflower florets.
By Molly Stevens

Wilted Kale with Warm Shallot Dressing

Rating: Unrated
2
Vinegar is the key to making this sautéed kale recipe special. Look for vinegar that's cloudy--it likely still has some of the mother in the bottle and will give you a sweet acidity rather than a harsh bite. Organic apple cider vinegar is usually your best bet. For the most eye-catching version of this side, use different colored varieties of kale.
By Summer Miller

Individual Brussels Sprout & Potato Frittatas

Rating: Unrated
3
Brussels sprouts and preshredded potatoes make these oversized muffin-shaped frittatas hearty. They're as good served warm for dinner as they are at room temperature for lunch. Pair with a mixed green salad with cherry tomatoes and buttermilk dressing.
By David Bonom

Cauliflower, Romanesco & Broccoli Gratin

Rating: Unrated
1
This cauliflower-and-broccoli gratin is healthier than traditional gratins thanks to a sauce made with low-fat milk and just enough full-flavored cheese to keep it rich without extra saturated fat and calories. For a healthier cheese-crust topping, opt for cheese crackers made without partially hydrogenated oils.
By Bill Scepansky

Green Beans with Parmesan-Garlic Breadcrumbs

Rating: Unrated
3
In this easy green bean recipe, browning the butter before tossing it with the breadcrumbs produces a nice nutty flavor. Serve this green bean dish as a healthy alternative to green bean casserole or as an easy side with steak, chicken or fish.
By Breana Killeen

Parsley Smashed New Potatoes

Rating: Unrated
4
Freshly dug, true “new” potatoes are so creamy and flavorful they hardly need any additional ingredients to make them spectacular. Here we tumble them with a bit of butter, tangy yogurt, scallions and just-chopped fresh parsley. If new potatoes are not available, use any small red potatoes.
By Katie Webster

Coconut-Dark Chocolate Truffles

Rating: Unrated
4
Coconut macaroons meet dark chocolate truffles in these little treats. Inside the snap of the dark chocolate shell lies the tender coconut-cocoa filling: a mix of naturally sweet dates, cocoa and coconut flour. Coconut flour is a healthy way to add decadent coconut flavor to this coconut-dark chocolate truffle recipe and other baked goods. It packs a whopping 5 grams of fiber per 2 tablespoons (with only 2 grams of total and saturated fat). Look for coconut flour near other gluten-free flours.
By Katie Webster

Pan-Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Dried Cherries & Pecans

Rating: Unrated
3
Dried cherries and nuts give this healthy sweet potato side dish recipe a traditional feel. The addition of some bacon for lushness and Aleppo pepper for a little bite really kicks things up.
By Marcus Samuelsson

Brown Sugar Broiled Grapefruit

Rating: Unrated
1
Grapefruit for dessert? Why not! In this broiled grapefruit recipe, grapefruit halves are topped with spiced brown sugar, caramelized under the broiler then topped with a dollop of vanilla-infused whipped cream.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Apple-Cinnamon Fruit Bars

Rating: Unrated
4
These easy apple-cinnamon fruit bars make a big batch--perfect for fall potlucks and parties.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Chocolate Decadence

Rating: Unrated
11
Inspired by the old-school, ultra-rich, mousselike chocolate cake that usually called for a whole pound of chocolate, half a dozen eggs and lots of butter, this enlightened rendition has deep bittersweet chocolate flavor and dense melt-in-your-mouth texture. No one will guess it's healthier. The secret is excellent natural cocoa powder and good-quality bittersweet chocolate, preferably with 70% cacao. Although the cake can be eaten once it's completely cool, it comes out of the pan much easier and even tastes better if it has been chilled at least overnight.
By Alice Medrich

Carrot-Parsnip Gratin

Make this creamy carrot-and-parsnip casserole for your next holiday meal--everyone will beg you for the recipe! Our healthier version skips the heavy cream and butter found in most recipes--saving about 160 calories and 12 grams of saturated fat compared to a traditional version.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Greek Walnut Spice Cake

Rating: Unrated
1
A rich, flavorful syrup infuses this Mediterranean-inspired walnut coffee cake with the bright aroma of oranges and cloves. Heart-healthy olive oil and whole-grain barley flour add subtle complexity and texture to this nutty treat.
By Maria Speck

Healthy Banana Bread

Rating: Unrated
3
Got leftover bananas? Give everyone's favorite baked good recipe a healthy whole-wheat spin with this easy banana bread recipe.
By Breana Killeen

"Use a Spoon" Chopped Salad

Rating: Unrated
6
When Paul Newman and Michel Nischan opened their Westport, Connecticut, restaurant Dressing Room, Paul's request was that the menu always include a chopped salad that you could eat with a spoon. This chopped salad recipe is full of great flavors, colors and textures, featuring celery, carrots, red pepper, apple, cucumber, greens, cabbage, goat cheese and almonds. This is great for any holiday meal: you can let it stand and it stays crisp.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Hasselback Potatoes with Cheese

Hasselback potatoes are the perfect side dish for people who love crispy potato-chip-like slices as well as the tender interior of a baked potato. Simple to prepare, these hasselback potatoes look impressive and decadent with melted Cheddar cheese and a sprinkle of paprika on top.
By Carolyn Casner

Polenta Wedges with Tomato Tapenade

Rating: Unrated
2
Crispy pieces of polenta topped with a tangy sun-dried tomato tapenade makes a pretty and tasty appetizer.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Garlic-Parmesan Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Rating: Unrated
2
Speed up roasting vegetables, like these lemon-and-thyme-infused Brussels sprouts, by cooking them on two large baking sheets instead of just one. This basic roasting technique also works for other root vegetables such as carrots, parsnips and potatoes.
By Hilary Meyer

Broccoli & Goat Cheese Souffle

Rating: Unrated
4
This elegant broccoli and goat cheese soufflé will wow your family and friends. Soufflés are surprisingly easy to make--the only trick is getting them on the table before they deflate. Serve with: A tomato-and-fennel salad and, for dessert, fresh strawberries drizzled with balsamic vinegar.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen
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