Have a Cracker of a Christmas by Reigning in the excess

Each year, as we get nearer to Christmas day, we start to over-indulge, and it builds momentum right up to the day.  Then we spend the whole of January berating ourselves and making promises to be better this year.  

The thing is, it doesn't really matter what we do every now and again(in general), it only really makes a difference when we do it regularly.

This applies to most things in life, it is the consistency that gets the results.  

So this Christmas, enjoy yourself, join in with the fun, I know I will be, but remember it all depends on how much you have and for how long you keep having it, how much of an affect it will have on you!

Here's a few tips to reign it in over the Christmas and still have a great time:

• Have a healthy attitude towards food in between parties
• If you have a number of events to go to be sensible at some of them, don't have the full turkey roast with all the trimmings each time, miss the dessert some of the time.
• allow yourself some indulgences and enjoy them, but don't go to the point it's just gluttony.
• Find some healthier but still amazing recipes for the Christmas dinner (I'll add some below)
• Keep up the liquids (non alcoholic) - Water - rehydrate.
• Stop berating yourself
• Be sensible - the Christmas season seems to get longer and longer each year, more and more nights out, more and more parties.  The big indulgent dinner at Christmas didn't use to be an issue, but if you are doing it every weekend for a month it can pose and issue, add in all the boxes of sweets and alcohol and we'll all be looking like Santa in January
• Most of all enjoy it, don't use it as an excuse to make up for the rest of the year.
• Be happy, share joy and give some meaningful hugs and grab someone special under the Mistletoe

RECIPES
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pears and Pistachios
Serves 2
Ingredients

•  1
pound brussels sprouts, halved lengthwise
•  3 
Tbsp olive oil
•  1/2
 tsp salt
•  1 tps black pepper
•   1
 pear, halved lengthwise and cored
•   1/4
cup shelled pistachios, chopped coarsely
•   Juice of 1/2 large lemon

Method

1. Preheat oven to 425F/220C.
2. Place the prepared brussels sprouts on a baking sheet and pour on the olive oil, salt, and pepper and mix.
3. Place the pear halves, cut sides-down, on the baking sheet, making sure there is enough oil to coat their cut surfaces.
4. Roast the brussels sprouts and pear for about 20 minutes. Then turn the brussels sprouts so that both sides get caramelized.
5. Check the pear -- it many not be caramelized at this point.
6. After another 10 minutes, turn the brussels sprouts again. Flip the pear. Reduce the oven heat to 375F./190C
7. Add the pistachios -- you just want to heat them up and toast them slightly.
8. After 5 minutes, remove the baking sheet from the oven. Squeeze lemon juice directly over all the ingredients. Use your spatula to chop up the pear halves. Toss everything thoroughly, check the seasoning, and serve on a platter or in a bowl.

Lentil Walnut Loaf

Makes 8 slices
Ingredients

•             1 1/2
cups walnuts, toasted
•             1
cup green or brown lentils, dry
•             2 
cups vegetable stock
•             1
Tbsp olive oil
•             2
cups diced  onion
•             1
cup diced celery
•             1/2
cup diced carrot
•             3 
cloves garlic, minced
•             1
tsp thyme, dried
•             1/2
tsp sage, rubbed
•             1
tsp rosemary, dried and crushed
•             1/2
tsp salt
•             black pepper
•             1 1/4
cups breadcrumbs/panko/polenta
•             1/4
cup tomato paste
•       1
Tbsp flax meal, mixed with 2 tablespoons warm water

          
Method

1. Use a food processor to grind the walnuts into a meal. Set the meal aside.
2. Rinse the lentils. Place them in a pot along with the vegetable stock. Bring the broth to a boil and lower it to a simmer. Simmer the lentils until they've absorbed all of the liquid and are tender but not mushy. Add more broth as needed. When the lentils are done, remove them from heat and set them aside.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrot. Saute until the onion is clear and the carrots are tender (about 6 to 8 minutes). Add the garlic and cook it for another 2 minutes. Add the cooked lentils, along with the thyme, sage, rosemary, and salt. Check the mixture for seasoning and add more salt and black pepper as needed.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, walnuts, and the lentil mixture, along with the tomato paste and the flax mixture. Use your hands to combine it all thoroughly.
5. Press the mixture into a loaf pan (mine is 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inches), smoothing the top over. Glaze it with ketchup, if desired.
6. Bake the loaf for 40 minutes, or until the top is browning. Allow it to sit for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

FRUIT MINCE PIES

Ingredients

• 1 1/2  cups  (175 g / 6 oz) rolled oats
• 1/2  cup (40 g / 1  1/2 oz) desiccated coconut
• 1/2 cup (60 g / 2  1/4 oz) almond meal / ground almonds
• 2  1/2 Tbsp macadamia nut oil or olive oil or cold pressed coconut oil
• 2 Tbsp honey , organic maple syrup or rice syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• 1 Tbsp water to mix if needed to form a dough
• 200 g (7 oz) fruit mince pie filling 

Method

1. Combine oats, coconut and almond meal into a food processor or large bowl.
2. Add the oil, honey and vanilla.
3. Turn on the food processor and mix well for about 30 seconds or until combined. Alternatively, mix by hand until you form a soft dough.
4. Add the water and process again. The addition of water will help the cookie mixture stick together.
5. Roll out between 2 sheets of baking paper and cut into circles, large enough to to cover the base and sides of your tart shells.
Make sure to prepare 10 tart shells before lining with a light coat of oil or butter, followed by a dusting of coconut or ground almonds to prevent sticking.
6. Fill lined tart shells with 1 tbsp of the fruit mince.
7. Roll out rest of the pastry and cut out in the shape of stars.
8. Arrange stars over the top of the mince pies.
9. Bake in a low 150 C (300 F) oven for 30 minutes or until golden.
10. Cool completely before eating and enjoy.
11. Makes 10 delicious fruit mince pies
12. Store in an airtight container for 7 days.

 
GERMAN GLÜHWEIN {MULLED WINE} – RECIPE FOR RED AND WHITE VERSION

Ingredients

•  1 bottle (750ml / 25 oz) bottle dry red wine
• 3-5 cloves (I prefer less)
• 2-3 star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1  organic orange, sliced
• 1 organic lemon, sliced
• 3 -4 Tbsp sugar OR maple syrup 

 
Method

• Pour wine into a pot and heat slowly. Do not boil the wine!
• Make sure to keep it on low heat.
• Add all ingredients to wine and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Taste Glühwein: If it is not spicy enough, simmer for another 10 minutes. Depending on your wine, you might want to add extra sugar/maple syrup, too.
• Remove all spices from wine (you can leave oranges and lemon) and enjoy immediately!
• Tip: Use a crock pot to keep wine heated. For decoration, use half slices of orange and spike it with cloves and add one to each glass. Leftover Glühwein tastes great reheated the next day!

SKINNY EGGNOG

Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup light coconut milk
• 1 cup dairy-free milk (such as almond or hemp)
• 3 Tbsp coconut sugar
• 1/4 tsp  powdered stevia extract
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 tsp vanilla
• pinch sea salt
• 1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

 
Method

• Beat egg yolks until lighter in colour.
• Add in sugar and stevia and beat until sugar is dissolved.
• Combine milks, salt, and nutmeg in a saucepan, and bring the mix to a boil, stirring occasionally.
• Remove the pan from the heat, and slowly mix it into the egg/sugar mix, stirring continuously.
• Return everything to the pot, stirring continuously, and heat until temperature reaches 160C, or about 1-2 minutes (don't go longer or it will curdle). I usually turn off the heat after about 30 seconds and let the pan sit there for another minute or so while stirring.
• Add in the vanilla.
• Chill and serve

 Veggie option

Skillet Filo pie with butternut squash
(Adapted form Alex Lau recipe)
4 Servings
Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for brushing
• 2 medium red onions, finely chopped
• ½ small butternut squash (about 1 pound), peeled, cut into ¾-inch pieces
• 1½ tsp chopped thyme
• ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 bunch kale, ribs and stems removed, thinly sliced crosswise
• 2 large eggs, beaten to blend
• 3 ounces Parmesan, grated/nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
• 8 ounces frozen Filo pastry, thawed 
• 4 ounces fresh goat cheese or feta, crumbled

Method

1. Place a rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 400F/200C. Heat 3 Tbsp. oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, 6–8 minutes. Add squash and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost tender, 8–10 minutes. Mix in thyme and red pepper flakes and transfer to a medium bowl; let cool. Wipe out and reserve skillet.
2. Add kale, eggs, Parmesan, and lemon zest to squash mixture and gently mix to combine; season with salt and pepper. Layer phyllo sheets inside reserved skillet. Spoon kale-and-squash mixture into phyllo and dot top with goat cheese. Brush edges of phyllo lightly with oil and fold over filling, overlapping slightly, leaving centre exposed.
3. Cook pie over medium heat until bottom of pastry is just golden (carefully lift up on one side with a heatproof rubber spatula so that you can take a peek), about 3 minutes. Transfer skillet to oven and bake pie until kale is wilted and tender and phyllo is golden brown and crisp, 20–25 minutes. Let pie cool in skillet at least 15 minutes before slicing into wedges.
4. Do Ahead: Pie can be baked 6 hours ahead. Let cool; store uncovered at room temperature.

Vegan option
Beetroot & squash Wellingtons with kale pesto

By Sophie Godwin 
serves 6Ingredients

• 1 red onion, cut into 8 wedges
• 250g raw beetroot peeled and cut into small chunks
• ½ butternut squash, peeled and cut into small chunks
• 4 fat garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp picked thyme leaves, plus extra for sprinkling
• 1 tbsp sumac, plus extra for sprinkling
• 250g pouch ready-to-eat Puy lentils
• 180g pack whole cooked chestnuts roughly chopped
• 100g kale
• ½ lemon, juiced
• 2 x 320g packs ready-rolled puff pastry suitable for vegans (we used Jus-Rol)
• 2 tbsp almond milk

Method

1. Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/ gas 5. Toss the onion, beetroot, squash and garlic in a roasting tin with 2 tbsp olive oil, the thyme leaves, sumac and some seasoning. Roast for 45 mins until the vegetables are tender but still retain their shape, then stir in the lentils and half the chestnuts. Squeeze the garlic cloves from their skins, reserve half and squash the other two into the lentil mixture. Leave to cool completely.
2. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, tip in the kale, cook for 1 min until wilted, then drain and run under cold water until cool. Squeeze all the water from the kale, then put it in the small bowl of a food processor along with the reserved garlic cloves, chestnuts, the lemon juice, olive oil and some seasoning. Blitz to a thick pesto, and season to taste.
3. On a lightly floured surface, unravel the sheets of puff pastry. Cut each sheet into three widthways so that you have six strips in total then divide the kale pesto between these, followed by the roasted veg and lentils, heaping the mixture on top of the pesto and leaving one side free of filling so that it is easier to roll. Brush all the borders with half the milk, fold over the ends, then carefully roll the pastry lengthways to completely encase the filling into a roll. Place your six individual Wellingtons on a baking tray lined with baking parchment and chill for at least 1 hr, or cover with cling film and leave overnight. If freezing, cover and freeze on a lined baking tray for up to 3 months. 
4. To bake from chilled, heat oven to 190 C/170 C fan/gas 3 and line a baking tray with parchment.
5. Brush the top of each Wellington with the remaining milk and sprinkle with a little sumac, then bake for 30 mins from chilled or 45 mins from frozen until crisp and golden. Scatter over extra thyme and some flaky sea salt and serve.

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