Low-Calorie Christmas Recipes

Just because it's Christmas doesn't mean you can't find delicious recipes that'll fit your low-cal diet. From pan-roasted sweet potatoes to thumbprint cookies, we have enough recipes so you can plan a satisfying low-cal meal from start to finish.

Staff Picks

Spiralized Apple Crisp

Rating: 5 stars
1
Use a spiralizer to skip the peeling and slicing in this easy apple crisp recipe. Plus the noodly texture of this gluten-free fruit dessert is a fun adaptation of traditional versions.
By Breana Killeen

Pan-Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Dried Cherries & Pecans

Rating: 5 stars
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

Mixed Green Salad with Pomegranate, Dates & Bacon

Rating: 4 stars
1
Jewel-like pomegranate seeds star along with bacon, tangy clementines and sweet dates in this mixed green salad recipe. To make it a dinner salad, top with chicken, shrimp or pan-seared salmon.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Mushroom- & Cranberry-Stuffed Turkey Cutlets

Rating: 4 stars
2
This quick and healthy turkey cutlet recipe delivers a taste of Thanksgiving in just 40 minutes start to finish. Serve with wild rice pilaf and steamed green beans.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Sheet-Pan Eggs with Spinach & Ham

Rating: 4.5 stars
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

Creamed Spinach Casserole

Rating: 3.4 stars
2
This creamy spinach casserole recipe is a more sophisticated cousin to creamed spinach. It's perfect for weekend entertaining or as a holiday side dish.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Vegan Scalloped Potatoes

Rating: 5 stars
1
These scalloped potatoes are surprisingly rich and creamy even though they're made with no dairy (milk, butter or cheese)--vegan comfort food at its best. We use almond milk, herbs and spices to make a flavorful sauce and finish the dish with a crunchy almond topping. This makes a satisfying side dish if you're cooking for dairy-free or vegan diets.
By Hilary Meyer

Banana-Bran Muffins

Rating: 4.83 stars
36
By the end of the week, any bananas left in the fruit bowl are past their prime--just right for these moist bran muffins. Add a handful of dark chocolate chips to entice children to enjoy a fiber-rich treat.
By Patsy Jamieson

Lemon-Garlic Marinated Shrimp

Rating: 4.88 stars
3
Marinating precooked shrimp in garlic- and lemon-infused oil is a simple yet elegant appetizer.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Quinoa & Chia Oatmeal Mix

Rating: 4.67 stars
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

Morning Glory Muffins

Rating: 4.54 stars
6
These Morning Glory muffins are full of everything you'd expect in the bakery favorite-carrots, apple and raisins, topped with nuts and toasted wheat germ. If raisins aren't your favorite, substitute an equal amount of the dried fruit of your choice.
By Patsy Jamieson

Cauliflower-Broccoli Gratin

Rating: 3 stars
1
This creamy broccoli-and-cauliflower casserole is a hassle-free side dish that just about everyone loves. 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
Advertisement

Inspiration and Ideas

Creamy Mashed Cauliflower

Creamy Mashed Cauliflower
Our savory cauliflower puree makes a perfect low-carb stand-in for mashed potatoes. It has about one-quarter of the calories of typical mashed potatoes.
"Use a Spoon" Chopped Salad

"Use a Spoon" Chopped Salad
This fresh and crispy salad recipe is full of great flavors, colors and textures. Chopped veggies, fruit, nuts and goat cheese come together for an impressive holiday side that's easy enough to make any day.
Chocolate-Dipped Pineapple Rings

Chocolate-Dipped Pineapple Rings
Low-Calorie Holiday Dessert Recipes

Low-Calorie Holiday Dessert Recipes
Low-Calorie Holiday Brunch Recipes

Low-Calorie Holiday Brunch Recipes
Low-Calorie Holiday Dinner Recipes That Won’t Pack Pounds

Low-Calorie Holiday Dinner Recipes That Won’t Pack Pounds

Flourless Chocolate Cookies

Rating: 4.5 stars
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.

All Low-Calorie Christmas Recipes

Garlic Chicken

Rating: 4.32 stars
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

Layered Mashed Potato & Mushroom Casserole

Rating: 4.82 stars
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

Dill Mustard Sauce

Rating: 5 stars
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

Slow-Cooker Vegetarian Lasagna

Rating: 3.89 stars
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

Maple-Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Rating: 4.86 stars
12
In this easy vegetable side dish recipe, sweet potatoes are tossed with maple syrup, butter and lemon juice and are roasted until tender and golden brown. The delicious glaze that forms on these maple-roasted sweet potatoes transform this ultra-simple dish into something sublime.
By Kathy Farrell-Kingsley

Turkish Spice Mix

Make a big batch of this Turkish spice mix to have on hand when you need to whip up a quick vegetable dip or flavorful, easy salad dressing. Or try it as a rub for grilled or roasted meat or vegetables. The spice mix is also perfect to give as a hostess gift along with a recipe card for turning it into a dip or vinaigrette (see Tips, below). For the freshest, most economical spices, head to a store that has a large, well-stocked bulk spice department.
By Hilary Meyer

Sauteed Broccoli & Kale with Toasted Garlic Butter

Rating: 5 stars
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

Chile-Lime Peanuts

Rating: 3 stars
3
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.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Lemon-Raspberry Muffins

Rating: 4.68 stars
13
The secret to the sparkling flavor of these delicately crumbed muffins is the strips of lemon zest finely ground into the sugar. Enjoy the muffins warm right from the oven.
By Marie Simmons

Chocolate Nut Bark

Rating: 4.91 stars
5
Use your favorite combination of nuts to make this quick and easy chocolate nut bark.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Cured or Smoked Salmon Appetizer Platter

Rating: 4 stars
2
This smoked salmon platter requires little effort but the spread makes a big impression. Served with all the fixings--capers, hard-boiled eggs, cucumber and more--a smoked salmon platter is the ultimate make-ahead appetizer. Lay out everything listed in the ingredients below or just a few of the elements along with an assortment of crackers, cocktail bread and/or sliced baguette.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Massaged Kale Salad

Rating: 4.71 stars
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

Brown Sugar-Glazed Beets

Rating: 5 stars
4
Try a sweet glaze on beets or other root vegetables to help balance their earthy flavor. This easy recipe will work with steamed carrots, turnips or rutabaga too.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Everything Bagel Cheese Ball

This is not your grandma's cheese ball. It has all the flavor of an everything bagel without all the carbs and with just 3 ingredients! Want to emphasize the bagel taste? Serve it with bagel chips and some raw veggies for dipping to keep things healthy.
By Melissa Fallon

Classic Shrimp Cocktail Sauce

Rating: 4 stars
1
This easy-to-make shrimp sauce is the only recipe you need for a shrimp cocktail appetizer that will be devoured every time. Our tried-and-true sauce is the perfect balance of sweet and tangy.
By Carolyn Casner

Yukon Gold & Sweet Potato Mash

Rating: 4.62 stars
7
The addition of delicious sweet potatoes gives a nutrient boost to mashed potatoes. Double it: Cook the potatoes in a Dutch oven rather than a large saucepan.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Fresh Apple Squares

Rating: 3.5 stars
4
One batch of dough does double duty as both the crust and streusel topping to make one of the easiest desserts around.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

"Use a Spoon" Chopped Salad

Rating: 4.57 stars
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

Meringues

Rating: 4.4 stars
1
Perfect meringues depend on totally yolk-free whites. The seemingly fussy step of separating each egg into a small bowl before combining them guarantees yolk-free whites for bakeshop-quality meringues every time. These crispy little morsels travel well and make great gifts too.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Slow-Cooker Spinach Artichoke Dip

Rating: 5 stars
1
This creamy, crowd-pleasing dip comes together with ease in your crock pot. Leave it in the slow cooker all party long to keep it warm for serving with perfect, melty cheese in every bite. Whole-wheat bread and raw veggie dippers allow you to dig in without the guilt.
By Carolyn Casner

Roasted Honeynut Squash

Rating: 5 stars
2
Honeynut squash looks just like mini butternut squash, but on the inside you'll find an even sweeter, deeper orange flesh. This winter squash has only been available at farmers' markets and in select grocery stores for a few years. If you see it, grab a few to try! This simple roasting method enhances the natural flavor of the squash with butter and spices.
By Carolyn Casner

Slow-Cooker Green Bean Casserole with Crispy Onions

Rating: 4 stars
1
Thanks to fresh green beans, an easy homemade cream sauce and crispy onion topping, this green bean casserole recipe is healthier and more delicious than traditional recipes that use canned soup, beans and onions. Plus, the slow cooker saves you time cooking at the stove. Make sure to use fresh green beans, as frozen green beans will become mushy.
By Carolyn Casner

Beet Salad

Rating: 4.13 stars
7
It's time we rescued beets from our childhood nightmares--when they were little better than bland wedges scooped out of a can. Roasted beets are delightful, sweet but very earthy and aromatic--great for a side salad.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Pear-Pecan Cheese Ball

Rating: 4.67 stars
3
Sweet pear, salty Cheddar cheese and crunchy nuts make this healthy cheese ball recipe an alluring holiday treat. Serve with an array of crudités and crisp party crackers.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen
Load More
Advertisement
© Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.eatingwell.com