When we think of holiday meals, we immediately imagine large decorated tables on which are arranged appetizers, starters, seafood platters, dishes, spirits, cheese and the famous ice cream log. Celebrating Christmas and New Year's Eve becomes a gastronomic marathon. To avoid sickness while respecting the spirit of abundance and sharing, here are healthy and appetizing ideas to prepare your end-of-year meals.
A healthy and festive appetizer
The appetizers are often the scene of all crimes: ultra salty peanuts and pistachios, appetizer cakes that are way too fatty, chips with synthetic flavors... Make a splash by offering a healthy aperitif without spending hours on it in preparation :
Organic cut-up vegetables to dip in a yogurt sauce
Hummus: chickpea puree mixed with sesame puree (tahina), salt, cumin and olive oil
Homemade buckwheat flour blinis spread with avocado and smoked salmon
Baked brick and samoussa
Seafood: Oysters, whelks, shellfish and crustaceans are low in calories and are an excellent source of iodine.
Find all the benefits of oysters In the article : Are oysters good for your health?
A tasty main course without weighing down the stomach
The main course is often greasy, heavy and all washed down with alcohol. Your suffering stomach and liver may be crying out for some lightness! Why not swap butter or sour cream sauces, cold cuts and fried foods for ratatouille, julienne vegetables or roasted vegetables and if necessary, prepare sides with coconut milk, cream of rice or mahogany, it will be more digestible.
Spices and aromatics for better digestion
Spices and aromatics not only provide flavor, but also have medicinal properties. Laurel, rosemary, thyme, oregano, savory, cloves, pepper, cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, cardamom, nutmeg, etc... are all plants that aid digestion.
What to substitute for potatoes
Potatoes usually accompany Christmas or New Year's Eve dishes. To vary the pleasures, quinoa, bulgur, rice semolina, millet go perfectly with dishes in sauces.
Mild steaming for healthy holiday eating
Slow steaming or vitalizer cooking allows you to cook everything while keeping the gustatory and nutritional quality of fresh produce. Thanks to this technique ofcontrolled steam cooking, the heat never exceeds 95°C , vitamins, minerals and trace elements are thus preserved.
It is possible to cook in this way as well meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, cakes, breads, muffins, bananas bread....
Alternatives to sugar
For the preparation of desserts and sweets of Christmas, you can adopt alternatives to refined sugar such as coconut sugar which has a sweetening power at the gustatory level but has a low glycemic index. Agave syrup, stevia, the honeyThe rapadura, the maple syrup are also substitutes for sugar.
Original desserts without wheat flour
There is a huge consumption of wheat flour. The white flours generate a rise in blood sugar and participate in the inflammation of the digestive mucosa. In addition, the gluten contained in wheat flour disturbs the good digestion as well as the assimilation of nutrients.
To overcome its inconvenience, think of gluten-free flours: brown rice, amaranth, millet, chickpea, chestnut, corn etc... Be careful though, gluten-free flours are not breadable.
If you opt for a frozen log, those made with water ice (sorbets) are more digest because they are lactose-free.
What to drink during holiday meals
Red wine, white wine, champagne and spirits are popular on holiday tables. For variety, why not offer fresh fruit or vegetable juices, fruit cocktails, homemade iced teas?
The end of year holidays are the occasion to treat yourself, to share exceptional moments with your loved ones around a well-stocked table. Treat yourself, enjoy your loved ones, eat and drink in moderation and listen to your body!