Winter Warmth: Healthy Recipes for Christmas Gatherings

Is the festive fretting not over yet? Are you still deciding what to cook for this Christmas Day celebration? We have got you covered. Introducing a fantastic collection of healthy meals that will feel like a warm hug to your guests this winter. From nutrient-dense appetizers to guilt-free desserts, these recipes are guaranteed to bring joy and flavour to your holiday feast. Get ready to delight your taste buds and nourish your bodies with these tasty indulgences.

1 Butternut, Chestnut & Lentil Cake

This exquisite creation reimagines the traditional nut roast as a contemporary showstopper, making it the perfect vegan centrepiece.

Ingredients

• 1 butternut squash
• Sunflower oil
• 3 chopped onions
• Finely chopped sage
• Chopped rosemary
• 3 crushed garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp flaxseeds
• 2 x 200g packs cooked chestnuts
• 2 x 400g Danfe’s Masoor Dal Whole
• 3 tbsp of rapeseed oil
• A bowl of breadcrumbs and ground mace

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 200° C. Slice the butternut squash into cubes and brush some sunflower oil on it. Roast it in the oven for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.
2. Meanwhile, soften the onion in a pan of sunflower oil. Put in the sage, rosemary, garlic, and mace and stir it for a few minutes. Mix the flaxseeds with water and keep it aside with the onions till it has cooled off.
3. Put the chopped chestnuts, with half of the masoor dal, the microwaved squash, and one-third of the roasted squash, in a food processor. Furthermore, remove the mixture and put it in a large bowl with the onions that were left for cooling, along with breadcrumbs, and flaxseeds, and add salt to it. 
4. Mix everything and add another set of the remaining lentils and roasted squash. Place it in the tin by leveling off the top and then cover it with the foil.
5. Keep the cake in the fridge for 24 hours. The next day, preheat the oven to 180°C, put the cake in and bake it for an hour.
6. Before serving, heat the rapeseed oil along with sage leaves and rosemary in a small pan. Slice the baked cake and drizzle it with the freshly made syrup of rapeseed, sage, and rosemary.

2 Rice Flour Snowball Cookies

When we think of Christmas gathering food ideas, our first stop is cookies. So we are presenting you with gluten-free cookies, which can be served as a nutritious health snack that will delight your taste buds.

Ingredients

• Half a cup of Danfe’s rice flour
• 50 g of Almond flour
• 60 g unsalted butter
• Salt for taste
• 40 g icing sugar
• A cup of yogurt for binding
• Vanilla essence

Instructions

1. Place the unsalted butter in the oven for 15 minutes.
2. Add the melted butter to the mixer along with icing sugar. Once it is mixed, add yogurt and salt to the mixture and blend further.
3. Add Danfe’s rice flour, almond flour, and vanilla essence and blend the whole mixture perfectly.
4. Let the dough rest in the fridge for an hour. Next, scoop out small pieces of dough and shape them into balls. 
5. Place the cookies in a tray in the fridge for 20 minutes and preheat the oven to 170°C. Bake the cookies for 15 minutes until the edges are slightly golden.
6. Cool them for 3 minutes and coat the cookies with icing sugar individually. Lastly, dust them with powdered sugar and serve this delicacy with tea or hot chocolate.

3 Potato rösti

This beloved Swiss dish features golden, pan-fried potato patties infused with onion and sage, creating a flavorful and satisfying side dish.

Ingredients

• 400 g of potatoes
• One bowl of yogurt
• 1 tbsp of Danfe’s Atta Flour
• ¼ tbsp of baking powder
• A bowl of chopped onion
• Sage leaves
• 3 tbsp of vegetable oil

Instructions

1. In a bowl add the chopped potatoes, with yogurt, Danfe’s Atta flour, baking powder, onion and sage leaves.
2. Season with salt and pepper and a pinch of Danfe’s jeera (cumin seeds) for taste.
3. Heat the pan and add the vegetable oil. Spoon in the mixture to make rösti’s and flatten them to give them a disc-shape.
4. Cook them until golden brown and serve them hot topped with fried sage leaves.

4 Shepherd’s Pie

This is the number one dish in the list of recipes for Christmas as it is loaded with flavours and vegetables. It is a fulfilling meal as lentils are the star of this dish. 

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp of vegetable oil
• Diced shitake mushrooms
• 1 diced onion and celery
• 2 parsnips and chopped butternut squash
• A bowl of minced garlic
• 1 tbsp of tomato paste
• Half a cup of red wine
• 1 cup of Danfe’s red lentils
• 2 tbsp of flour
• Vegetable stock, salt and pepper to taste
• Peeled potatoes 
• Olive oil
• 6 tbsp of butter
• Chopped parsley

Instructions

1. For making the vegetable filling, heat 2 tbsp of vegetable oil in a pot and sear the mushroom until brown. Remove the mushrooms and add in the chopped onion, celery, parsnips, and butternut squash and cook them for 14 mins.
2. Add in the tomato paste along with the garlic and miso paste while stirring. Deglaze it with red wine and cook for a minute. Add the mushrooms and Danfe’s red lentils. Dust it with flour and stir well.
3. Add in vegetable stock with salt and pepper for seasoning. Bring to a boil and cook until the lentils are soft.
4. For cooking the mashed potatoes, preheat the oven to 425°C. Boil the potatoes and season them with salt. Once done, peel the skin and mash them in a pot.
5. In a separate pan, heat 1 tbsp of oil, thyme, and garlic. Remove the thyme and drizzle the liquid in the mashed potatoes. Add butter and mix it until the texture is soft and silken.
6. Spread this mixture over the vegetable filling and bake it in the oven for half an hour. Garnish with thyme and parsley before serving.

5 Saag Paneer

The majority of Indian restaurants serve this healthy meal. It offers the ideal balance of flavour and spice to keep you feeling toasty and comfortable. The tastes intensify when combined with naan, making it the perfect combination for a filling meal.

Instructions

• 4 tbsp of vegetable oil
• 1 cup of paneer, cut into cubes
• 1 chopped red onion
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 green serrano chile
• Canned tomato sauce
• Ground coriander
• 1 tbsp of cumin powder and cayenne
• ¼ tbsp of Danfe’s turmeric powder
• A pinch of salt, garam masala
• ½ cup of cream and water
• Thinly chopped spinach

Instructions

1. In a pan, heat the vegetable oil until it simmers and then add paneer cubes till both sides are golden brown. Add the paneer to warm water to retain the softness.
2. Add onion, garlic, and chile in a blender with a little water until minced.
3. Add the paste in a pan along with oil and cook for 2 minutes. Put in the tomato sauce, coriander, cumin, cayenne, Danfe’s turmeric, and salt. Simmer for 8 minutes.
4. Add in the spinach until wilted and then add water. Cook it for 15 minutes till the spinach gains a faded green color.
5. Discard the water from the paneer and add it to the spinach with cream and garam masala. Cover it with a lid and let it simmer, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.
6. Serve it with cooked rice or naan to enjoy it to the fullest.

As the chilly winter winds draw loved ones closer during the festive season, what better way to spread warmth and cheer than through delicious and healthy recipes for your Christmas gatherings? Whether you’re hosting a cosy family dinner or a merry holiday party, infuse your dishes with love and creativity to make this Christmas a truly special and heartwarming celebration for everyone around the table. Cheers to spreading winter warmth through wholesome and delightful recipes that bring joy and togetherness to all!