As the holiday season approaches, many of us look forward to baking. While enjoying festive treats is an important part of the holiday season for many people, it’s also the perfect opportunity to incorporate healthier choices. Consider the tips below to elevate your holiday baking and boost the nutritional value of your favorite baked goods. With a little creativity and mindfulness, you can enjoy delicious holiday treats that nourish your body and keep your spirits high!
Tip #1: Swap refined flours for whole-grain flours.
In many recipes, you can replace refined flour entirely with 100% whole-grain flour or use an equal mixture of both. Swapping refined flour for whole-grain flour will enhance the fiber and nutrient content of the food, which helps to keep blood sugars steadier and has benefits for your digestive system.
Tip #2: Incorporate strategies to cut-back on added sugars.
Added sugars can add up quickly in holiday recipes, and we know that eating too many of these sugars can lead to increased calorie consumption and subsequent weight gain. However, you can often reduce the amount of sugar that a recipe calls for by 25% without significantly altering the taste! When lowering the amount of sugar a recipe calls for, you should increase liquid ingredients to maintain the texture and consistency of the final product. For example, mashed bananas and applesauce are natural sweeteners that can be added to desserts in place of refined sugar. You can also consider incorporating unsweetened dried fruits like dates, apricots, and raisins.
Tip #3: Increase fiber.
Boost fiber intake by incorporating ingredients such as rolled oats, dried fruit, pureed beans, nuts, and seeds into holiday dishes like waffles, pancakes, and muffins. For extra flavor and fiber, top with fresh fruit. The American Institute of Cancer Research suggests consuming at least 30g of fiber daily as part of a cancer risk-reducing diet.
Tip #4: Boost nutrients and flavor with spices and extra ingredients.
Adding aromatic spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, or clove not only enhances festive flavors but also provides phytochemicals. These spices can help reduce salt and sugar usage in baking while improving taste. Additionally, incorporating shredded or pureed apples, pears, carrots, coconut, mashed banana, pumpkin, or sweet potatoes can enhance nutrients, flavor, and moisture. In many cases, these ingredients can even substitute for some of the butter or oil in a recipe.
Try Out this Healthier Holiday Recipe!
Gingerbread Bundt Cake
Adapted from Erin Lives Whole
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour + 1 cup whole-grain flour
- ½ cup almond butter
- 1/3 cup sugar
- ¼ cup coconut oil
- ¼ cup molasses
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ginger
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp cloves
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup chocolate chips
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the almond butter, sugar, coconut oil, and molasses.
- Add in the eggs and vanilla and then whisk. Set mixture aside.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the 2 types of flour, baking powder, and all spices.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Stir until completely combined.
- Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Pour into greased bundt pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.