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

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

Nonna's Spaghetti & Meatballs

Rating: Unrated
10
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

Broccoli Casserole

Rating: Unrated
10
The lightened-up luscious sauce elevates this easy casserole recipe over standard broccoli and cheese side dishes.
By Breana Killeen

Massaged Kale Salad

Rating: Unrated
19
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

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

Rosemary-Ginger French 75

Rating: Unrated
1
Rosemary and ginger add a flavorful twist to a classic citrusy gin cocktail topped with a little bubbly for a festive libation.
By Stephanie Olson

Creamy Turnip Soup

Rating: Unrated
4
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

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

Sheet-Pan Eggs with Spinach & Ham

Rating: Unrated
4
Making a big batch of eggs has never been easier with this one-pan oven-baked eggs recipe. Whether you are making brunch for a crowd or just want to meal-prep healthy breakfasts for the week, you'll have 12 servings ready in just 45 minutes.
By Carolyn Casner

Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Onions

Rating: Unrated
11
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.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

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.
By Lia Huber

Slow-Cooker Vegetarian Lasagna

Rating: Unrated
45
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

Inspiration and Ideas

Flourless Chocolate Cookies

Flourless Chocolate Cookies

Rating: Unrated
4
These flourless cookies get their volume from whipped egg whites (like a meringue) instead of grains, making them gluten-free and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. A chocolate chip in each bite adds to the rich chocolate flavor.
Chile-Lime Peanuts

Chile-Lime Peanuts

Rating: Unrated
8
These spicy nuts were inspired by ones sold by street vendors across Mexico. If you can only find salted peanuts, omit the added salt. Add the maximum amount of cayenne pepper if you want an extra hit of spice.
Rosemary-Ginger Honey Simple Syrup

Rosemary-Ginger Honey Simple Syrup

Polenta Wedges with Tomato Tapenade

Polenta Wedges with Tomato Tapenade

Rating: Unrated
2
Garlic Chicken

Garlic Chicken

Rating: Unrated
16
Chocolate Nut Bark

Chocolate Nut Bark

Rating: Unrated
11

Savory Chestnut Puree

Rating: Unrated
2

Try this easy, elegant chestnut puree with roasted quail, turkey or chicken.

All Christmas Budget Recipes

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

Simple Roast Chicken

Rating: Unrated
3
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

Nut & Honey Biscotti

This crunchy Italian cookie recipe isn't traditionally very sweet, so just a touch of honey adds flavor along with mild sweetness. Dipping them in chocolate makes them extra special.
By Joanne Chang

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

Curried Cashews

Rating: Unrated
4
These curried cashews are impossibly addictive--every time we made them in the Test Kitchen they disappeared in a flash. If you use salted cashews, omit the added salt.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Lemon-Cranberry Muffins

Rating: Unrated
11
These lemony cranberry-studded muffins crunch lightly with cornmeal and are topped with a kiss of sugared lemon zest. They're great warm from the oven, but also keep well for a few days and freeze beautifully.
By Melissa Pasanen

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

"Use a Spoon" Chopped Salad

Rating: Unrated
13
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

Orange Spice Molasses Cookies

Rating: Unrated
25
These spiced molasses cookies have added applesauce to help keep the cookies moist, and whole-wheat flour and oats to incorporate whole grains.
By Shyla Huber

Layered Mashed Potato & Mushroom Casserole

Rating: Unrated
11
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

Fig 'n' Flax Thumbprint Cookies

Rating: Unrated
13
We love how the ground flax adds a nutty flavor and the brown sugar caramelizes on the outside of these thumbprint cookies. Fig preserves make this cookie special; other fruit preserves could be used as well.
By Amy Knapper Whitinsville

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles

Rating: Unrated
2
Looking for a fun cooking project to do with kids? Make chocolate truffles! In this easy vegan dessert recipe, we make a chocolate ganache filling with peanut butter and coconut milk instead of heavy cream. Make chocolate bark with the leftover chocolate and wrap it up together with a few truffles for a beautiful edible gift.
By Joy Howard

Loaded Scalloped Potatoes with Bacon, Cheddar & Chives

Rating: Unrated
1
Imagine a loaded baked potato topped with bacon, Cheddar and chives combined with the creamy goodness of scalloped potatoes, and you have the ultimate comfort food casserole. This scalloped potato recipe is made healthier than original versions by using low-fat milk in place of heavy cream, but it still tastes just as rich and creamy.
By Hilary Meyer

Chocolate & Pecan Macaroons

Rating: Unrated
3
We love the rich chocolate flavor in these chewy cookies that are like a cross between higher-fat coconut macaroons and low-fat, low-calorie, egg-white-based meringues.
By Amy Jamison

Cranberry-Rosemary Stuffed Pork Loin

Rating: Unrated
4
This cranberry-rosemary stuffed pork tenderloin recipe looks gorgeous with the cranberry- and rosemary-flecked stuffing bursting from the juicy browned pork loin. Don't be scared by the task of double butterflying a pork loin--the process is fairly simple.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Button Shortbread Cookies

This healthy shortbread cookie recipe uses white whole-wheat flour instead of white flour. The light-colored flour is mild in flavor, adding nutrients without overpowering the classic shortbread taste. These cookies are easy to make, so they're perfect for a holiday cookie swap or afternoon tea. These cookies are also wonderful to bake with small kids because they'll love poking the buttonholes in the shortbread dough.
By Virginia Willis

Greek Walnut Spice Cake

Rating: Unrated
2
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

Cranberry Bundt Cake

Rating: Unrated
6
In this healthy cranberry-walnut Bundt cake recipe, Greek yogurt and shredded apple or pear keep the cake moist and are a healthy substitute for extra butter. If you want to use something other than allspice, try pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon in the filling. For a nut-free variation, omit the walnuts in the cake or use chopped dried cranberries in their place.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Banana-Blueberry Muffins

Rating: Unrated
28
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

Sweet Potato & Turnip Mash with Sage Butter

Rating: Unrated
6
This sweet potato and turnip mash is fragrant with fresh sage.
By Raghavan Iyer

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

Slow-Cooker Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Rating: Unrated
1
This simple slow-cooker mashed potatoes recipe skips tedious peeling and boiling and helps save precious stovetop space by letting the slow cooker do the work. It's a great timesaving set-it-and-forget-it side dish recipe to round out any hearty meal. Buttermilk makes the mashed potatoes creamy while garlic and shallots add flavor.
By Carolyn Casner

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

Scandinavian Pickled Herring Bites

Rating: Unrated
1
This Scandinavian-style appetizer is a good way to try pickled herring if you've never had it. The potent flavor of the herring is balanced by a dollop of sour cream and the potato slice it's served on.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen
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