Our Favorite Holiday Recipes – The Fitnessista

From Nana’s Famous Egg Dish to Spiced Sangria and Bourbon Pecan Pie, these are our favorite holiday recipes that we enjoy every Christmas!

Hi friends!! ‘Tis the season for festive eats and drinks. As we get closer to Christmas, I’m getting increasingly more excited to prepare our favorite holiday recipes and enjoy the holiday with family.

While most of the time I aim to eat nourishing recipes with greens and protein and fresh wholesome ingredients (like these spa cuisine recipes), I like to live by the 80/20 perspective, allowing plenty of space for special treats. I’m also a big believer of enjoying holidays, special food, and time spent together without worrying too much about what I’m eating.

Year after year, we make a point to include several traditional-to-us recipes among the offerings at meal times. For example, it’s tradition to have Alton Brown’s Overnight Cinnamon Rolls on Christmas morning while opening presents. Making these comforting and delectable holiday recipes is on of favorite ways to make breakfast, lunch, or dinner extra special. So, with that mind, I thought I’d share our favorite holiday recipes, from brunch casseroles to spiced sangria and Ina’s rib roast. Let’s dig in!

Our Favorite Holiday Recipes

Nana’s Famous Egg Dish

This egg casserole is perfect for any brunch or holiday celebrations. It freezes beautifully to make ahead and tastes amazing with pico de gallo salsa.

Madre’s famous Grammie recipe

Oh, you have to try Madre’s Famous Grammie Recipe! It’s the perfect holiday dessert – a delicious cookie bar that will satisfy even the sweetest tooth. Trust me, after one bite, you’ll be begging for the recipe.

Greens Beans with Goat Cheese, Almonds & Cranberries

These green beans are bright and fresh, with creamy goat cheese, orange zest, crunchy slivered almonds, and sweet cranberries. The recipe is gluten-free and only takes 15 minutes from start to finish.

The Ultimate Fall & Winter Salad

This salad is a fall dream come true. It has butternut squash, spicy arugula, a tangy vinaigrette, chicken, pumpkin seeds, and goat cheese. It’s perfect for any holiday gatherings or parties and makes a veggie-packed side dish. My vegetarian friends can easily omit the chicken and it’s just as delicious without it.

The Best Raw Chocolate Tart

This raw chocolate tart, made with cashews and cocoa and an almond coconut crust is a decadent gluten-free dessert that doesn’t require any cooking!

Holiday Spice Sangria

Holiday spice sangria! It’s made in advance of any holiday soirees, and the flavors just get better over the span of a few days. It’s perfect to take to parties, as it’s a fun switch-up from the usual bottle of vino.

Ina Garten’s Mulled Wine

Warm up with a pot of Ina Garten’s Mulled Wine recipe, a mix of apple cider and red wine infused with cinnamon, cloves and orange.

Ina’s Sunday Rib Roast

Ina’s Sunday Rib Roast with mustard horseradish is often our centerpiece at a holiday party. It’s a crowd favorite.

Ina’s Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pie

Another favorite from Ina. Chocolate, bourbon, and pecans – what’s not to love? I’ve made this twice this year already and plan to make it again on Saturday. I just use the gluten-free frozen crust from Whole Foods.

Our Christmas Weekend Menu

Here’s what our menu will look like this year:

Christmas Eve

Dinner at my dad’s house is always a fiesta of delicious food and treats. We usually enjoy some type of Mexican food buffet, with tamales, enchiladas, beans, and rice, as well as an assortment of desserts. My aunt usually makes egg nog and it’s SO good.

Christmas Day is at our house. We host breakfast and open gifts, then everyone goes home to chill/nap and then they come back for dinner, desserts and cocktails.

Here’s our usual menu:

Christmas Brunch:

• Nana’s egg casserole
• Alton Brown’s cinnamon rolls
• Bacon or ham (I haven’t decided yet)
• Tamales and beans (from madre!)
• Coffee and mimosas

Dinner on Christmas Day:

• Cheese board and artichoke dip with crackers
• Mediterranean chopped salad
• Smoked turkey on the Traeger
• Stuffing and gravy
• Beef tenderloin with horseradish sauce
• Cheesy potatoes (madre)
• Fresh sourdough
• Bourbon pecan pie + dessert platter (tons of different cookies and candies)
• Mulled wine, egg nog, and champagne

It should be a very good, and very tasty celebration ahead 😉

I’d love to hear what you have on your holiday menu this year!! Brussels sprouts, cheese ball, fun appetizers, yule log? Please share your holiday faves in the comments below!

xo

Gina

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