Wholesome Christmas Magic — RD-Approved Recipes to Enjoy

Ho-ho-hold the sugar crash, extra fat and unwanted calories! Santa Claus is coming to town, but that doesn’t have to mean a stocking full of regret. The elves may be busy in Santa’s workshop, but our favorite Registered Dietitians whipped up some holiday magic and shared their favorite seasonal dishes so you can be merry and light! Get ready to sleigh your goals and have the jolliest season yet!

Whipped, chocolatey and full of protein, French Silk Chocolate Cottage Cheese Mousse by Kaitlin Hippley, M.Ed, RDN, LD, CDCES, a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator based in Cleveland, Ohio, with a Master’s Degree in Community Health and expertise as a Media Dietitian. You can follow her at @Kaitlintherd on Instagram.

Photo Courtesy of Kaitlin Hippley, M.Ed, RDN, LD, CDCES

Ingredients: (serves 2)

• 1 cup 2% milkfat cottage cheese
• 2½ Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tsp chia seeds
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 Tbsp organic honey (or sweetener of choice. Can adjust the amount to your sweetness preference.)
• ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
• Optional: Dark chocolate shavings and whipped cream to taste
• Optional: Christmas sprinkles, fruit, or crushed candy canes for garnish

Instructions:

1. Blend the Base:
   In a blender or food processor, combine the cottage cheese, cocoa powder, chia seeds, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and honey.
   → Blend for 45–60 seconds until smooth and creamy.
2. Whip the Cream:
   In a separate bowl, use a hand mixer or whisk to beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form.
3. Combine:
   Gently fold the whipped cream into the chocolate cottage cheese mixture until fully incorporated and fluffy.
4. Chill:
   Spoon the mousse into two serving bowls or ramekins. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow it to thicken and chill.
5. Serve & Garnish: Top with additional whipped cream, dark chocolate shavings, your favorite Christmas sprinkles, fruit, or even crushed candy canes before serving.

Optional Enhancements

• Add a pinch of salt to deepen the chocolate flavor.
• Mix in ½ tsp instant espresso powder for a mocha twist.
• Top with nuts for added crunch and healthy fats.
• Swap out honey for monk fruit, maple syrup, or your go-to sweetener

Nutrition:

Calories: 255kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 10.5g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 220mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 18g | Calcium: 125mg

Net Carbohydrates: 21g |Per serving (recipe serves 2) Garnishes excluded.

Sticky, swirly, and naturally sweet Homemade Cinnamon Rolls with Date Filling by Nkechi Ajaeroh, MPH, A Public Health Promotion Expert with a Master’s Degree in Public Health and founder of nkechiajaeroh.com; the creator of The Juice Approach and the author of Make Time for Dinner (an e-Cookbook)! You can follow her at @nkechiajaeroh on Instagram, Facebook and X.

Photo Courtesy Of Nkechi Ajaeroh, Mph

Ingredients:

For the dough:

• 3 cups of flour
• 1 packet of yeast
• 6 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoons cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• 1 egg
• ¾ cup yogurt (I used low vanilla fat); milk works as well.
• ¼ coconut sugar

For the filling:

• 11 pitted dates
• 3 tablespoons of butter (or plant butter
• ½ teaspoon of salt (or less)
• ¼ cup of coconut sugar
• 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon

Glaze/Topping:

• ¾ cup of icing (powdered) sugar
• 1 – 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon of Vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Warm up the oil and yogurt; then beat the egg and sugar and add the yeast. Add the sugar mixture to the oil/yogurt mixture.
2. Add all dry ingredients into the food processor (or stand mixer), start processing at low speed, gently add the wet ingredients as you process, stop after it forms a dough.
3. Remove the dough and knead a couple of times into a rounded dough. Oil a pan, place the dough and cover tightly with a cling film. Allow rising for an hour to two. You can also leave it overnight. The goal here is for the dough to double in size.
4. For the filling: Soak dates in hot water early on to soften (this can be prepped the day before). Add dates to the food processor, add the butter, or plant butter, cinnamon, salt, and coconut sugar. Process until smooth; if it seems to dry, add a teaspoon of maple syrup or water to loosen. Finish processing and set aside for use later.
5. Sprinkle flour on a clean working surface and place rose dough and roll out using a rolling pin. Possibly roll it out in a rectangular form.
6. Then dump the filling in the middle of the rolled-out dough and gently spread it to reach everywhere except the very ends.
7. Then roll up, ensuring that fillings are intact and not falling out, then pinch tightly to seal. Gently, use a serrated knife to cut into equal sizes and place on a well-greased baking dish.
8. Cover tight and place in a warm place for 1 hour to an hour and a half to rise; I typically do an hour. Give the dough enough time to double in size, and do not over proof dough.
9. Then bake in 375 preheated oven for 25 – 30 minutes, place foil in the 20th minute if you don’t want it too toasty! Also, feel free to bake it for longer if you want it to be toastier.
10. To make the Glaze or icing: add icing sugar or powdered sugar to a bowl, add vanilla extract and milk. Whisk together until combined.
11. Pour the glaze on the buns as soon as it comes out of the oven! This way, it melts into every corner of the buns and makes them stickier and gooier. Serve and enjoy with family/friends.

Nutrition:

Calories: 285kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 210mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 18g | Calcium: 40mg Net Carbohydrates: 44g | Glaze included; (Yields ~12 rolls; nutrition per 1 roll) values are estimates.

Christmas Wreath Salad by Angela Cardamone Campos, a Registered Nurse, Runner, Ironman Triathlete, & Cooking Enthusiast who shares inspiration and some of her favorite recipes on Marathons and Motivation. You can follow her at @MarathonsandMotivation on Instagram and Facebook

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of baby spinach
• 1 cup of grape tomatoes
• 2 cups of broccoli cut into florets
• 1 cup snow peas
• 5 sprigs of fresh rosemary

Instructions:

1. Arrange spinach leaves in wreath shape on a platter.
2. Add the rosemary sprigs around the wreath.
3. Place broccoli florets on top of spinach and rosemary sprigs
4. Add whole grape tomatoes on top in various places to resemble holly berries.
5. Place snow peas around the wreath in scattered places.
6. Make a bow by using 2 snow peas and grape tomato sliced in half at bottom of one side of wreath.
7. Serve with your choice of salad dressing and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 26kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 28mg | Potassium: 300mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 2451IU | Vitamin C: 46mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 1mg

Whisper light and full of Parisian flair Macarons by Tracy Stopler, MS, RD, a registered dietitian, with a Master of Science in Nutrition from New York University, the nutrition director at NUTRITION E.T.C. in Plainview, Long Island, and the head pastry chef at Trace of Sweetness. Tracy has been a nutrition professor at Adelphi University for 28 years. Tracy is also the author of two award-winning novels: The Ropes that Bind and My Brother Javi: A Dogs Tale.

Ingredients:

For the Cookie:

• 100 g egg whites room temperature (about 3 large eggs)
• 140 g almond flour (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 90 g granulated sugar (just under 1/2 cup)
• 130 g powdered sugar (about 1 cup)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar

For the Buttercream:

• 1 cup unsalted butter softened
• 5 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 tbsp water
• 1 pinch salt

Instructions:

For the Macarons:

1. Sift the confectioners’ sugar and almond flour into a bowl.
2. Add the room temperature egg whites into a very clean bowl.
3. Using an electric mixer, whisk egg whites. Once they begin to foam add the cream of tartar and then SLOWLY add the granulated sugar.
4. Add the food coloring and vanilla then mix in. Continue to beat until stiff peaks form.
5. Begin folding in 1/3 of the dry ingredients.
6. Be careful to add the remaining dry ingredients and fold gently.
7. The final mixture should look like flowing lava and be able to fall into a figure eight without breaking. Spoon into a piping bag with a medium round piping tip and you’re ready to start piping.
8. Place your snowman or Santa templates onto a baking sheet and cover with parchment paper. After piping over the figures, tap the baking sheet on the counter several times to release air bubbles. Allow to sit for 30-40 minutes until the shells are no longer sticky before placing in the oven.
9. Bake at 300F for 12-15 minutes, rotate the tray after 7 minutes. Note that every oven is different. Allow to cool completely before removing from the baking sheet.

Filling:

Place your favorite preference (peanut butter, Nutella or fruit fillings) into a piping bag.

For Assembly:

1. Pipe your filling onto the back of half the shells. Form a sandwich and repeat. Macarons should be aged in the fridge for 1-3 days for best results. This allows the filling to soften the shells inside.

Notes:

• THE MERINGUE!!!! That meringue HAS TO BE STIFF! This could take up to 15-20 minutes on medium speed.
• Sift, Sift, SIFT! Discard the larger pieces of almond particles. Do not press them through the sieve.
• Use a scale if possible, accuracy helps with this recipe.
• The mixing will take some practice, you will fold and fold the batter and then use the spatula to GENTLY press the batter against the bowl. Continue this until it reaches a thick “lava” consistency. It should slowly fall off the spatula in ribbons and be able to form a figure eight without breaking.
• When you are finishing the piping motion stop squeezing the bag and pull up with a circular motion.
• The macarons will be best after 2-3 days resting in the fridge.

Nutrition:

Calories: 135kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 25mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Calcium: 15mg Net | Carbohydrates: 13g | (Yields ~20 sandwiched macarons; nutrition per 1 sandwiched macaron) Values are estimates

You’ve got the recipes for success — now make some magic for a season that tastes as good as it feels!

About the author:
Charlene Bazarian is a fitness and weight loss success story after losing 96 pounds. She mixes her no-nonsense style of fitness advice with humor on her blog at Fbjfit.com and on Facebook at FBJ Fit and Instagram at @FBJFit.

Disclaimer
The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

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