Holiday Favorites

This crust-less “Spinach Pie” is actually closer to a soufflé or quiche than a pie. With eggs, ricotta, and Parmesan cheese, it makes a great dish for a holiday brunch, but it’s also packed with enough nutrient-rich spinach to serve as a dinner side dish in place of creamed spinach.

Spinach Pie

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

40 mins

Total time

55 mins

 

Author: The Perfect Portion

Recipe type: Holiday Favorites

Makes: 6 side dish portions

Ingredients

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 cup diced yellow onion
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 (16-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
• 3 large eggs
• 4 large egg whites
• 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• ⅔ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons diced pimentos
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 x 9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Heat olive oil, onion, and garlic in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté for 5 minutes, just until onions are lightly caramelized.
3. In a fine mesh strainer, squeeze as much water from the thawed spinach as possible.
4. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, egg whites, and ricotta cheese until fully combined. Stir the Parmesan cheese, diced pimentos, salt, pepper, drained spinach, and cooked onion mixture into eggs, and mix well.
5. Pour the spinach and egg mixture into the prepared baking dish, and bake for 40 minutes, or until the center is springy to the touch. Let cool 10 minutes before slicing. For 100 calorie portions, slice into 12 sections by cutting 3 rows by 4 rows.

Helpful Tip: While jarred pimentos add a nice roasted flavor, finely diced fresh bell pepper (cooked in the skillet in step 2) can be used in place of the pimentos (if you already have bell pepper on hand).

Serving size: 1/12 pie Calories: 100

3.5.3226

Mona’s Family Favorites: Butternut squash was the first veggie that I could get both of my children to eat. Roasting it makes it so sweet that they thought I was giving them candy and, for a mother, that is a WIN. Now that my kids are older, I love mixing up roasted squash with spices. The combination of cinnamon and cumin in this recipe gives the squash a true Mediterranean flair to perfectly play off its natural sweetness. Plus, you’ve got to stay hip with the times, right?

Roasted Butternut Squash

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

40 mins

 

Author: The Perfect Portion

Recipe type: Holiday Favorites

Makes: 4 Side dish portions

Ingredients

• 4 cups cubed butternut squash (see tip)
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, toss the cubed squash in all the remaining ingredients until well coated.
3. Spread the coated squash on a sheet pan in a single layer, and bake for 25–30 minutes, stirring halfway through. Squash is done when well caramelized and fork-tender.

HELPFUL TIP: You can get about 4 cups of cubed butternut squash from 1 (2-pound) squash. Use a heavy vegetable peeler to peel the squash and then remove the pulp and seeds before chopping into cubes. Some stores sell bags of already cubed butternut squash in the refrigerated produce section, making this recipe as easy as it gets!

Serving size: ¾ cup Calories: 100

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Mona’s Family Favorites: On Thanksgiving my family always gets together to not only give thanks, but also to celebrate my father’s birthday. His smile and infectious laugh are still with us around the dinner table. I can’t help but think of the holidays shared with him when I serve this dish. I’ve lightened up my recipe over the years by using less butter and leaving out egg yolks. The fresh and dried herbs and seasonings makes for a fantastic, flavor-packed stuffing.

Thanksgiving Stuffing

 

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

55 mins

Total time

1 hour 15 mins

 

Author: The Perfect Portion

Recipe type: Holiday Favorites

Makes: 8 Side dish portions

Ingredients

• 1 (1-pound) loaf French bread
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 cup diced yellow onion
• 1 cup diced celery
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ¼ teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 2 large egg whites
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut the French bread into ½-inch cubes. Arrange the cubes in a single layer on 2 sheet pans.
2. Bake the bread cubes for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let cool.
3. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F. Spray a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
4. Spray a skillet with nonstick cooking spray, and place over medium-high heat.
5. Add the onion and celery to the skillet, and sauté for 5 minutes, or until onions are translucent and celery is almost tender.
6. In a large mixing bowl, combine the chicken broth, sage, thyme, onion powder, salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. Add the toasted bread cubes to the bowl, and quickly toss until nearly all the liquid has been soaked up by the bread.
7. Add the sautéed vegetables to the cubed bread in the mixing bowl, and toss to combine. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
8. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg whites and melted butter. Drizzle over the stuffing in the baking dish.
9. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until the top of the stuffing begins to brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before slicing. For 100 calorie portions, slice into 12 sections by cutting 3 rows by 4 rows.

Serving size: 1/16 dish Calories: 100

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These cookies pack all the flavors of a holiday pumpkin pie, with only 100 calories per cookie. They are crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and are studded with chopped pecans for great texture and flavor. Just be sure to buy 100% pure canned pumpkin and not “pumpkin pie filling,” which is already sweetened and seasoned.

Pumpkin Pie Cookies

 

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

35 mins

 

Author: The Perfect Portion

Recipe type: Holiday Favorites

Makes: 36 Cookies or 18 Dessert portions

Ingredients

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• ½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1 cup pure canned pumpkin
• 1 ¼ teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ cup chopped pecans

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F, and spray 3 cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a mixing bowl, stir together flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a separate mixing bowl or electric mixer, cream together the sugar and butter. Stir in pumpkin and vanilla extract.
4. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, folding until all is combined into dough. Fold the chopped pecans into the dough.
5. Drop tablespoons of the dough onto the prepared cookie sheets, at least 2 ½ inches apart, and press down to flatten. You should have enough dough to make 3 dozen cookies.
6. Bake each sheet of cookies for 15 minutes, or until edges are golden brown and firm to the touch. Let cool at least 10 minutes before serving.

HELPFUL TIP: For the most even cooking, it is best to bake these in 3 batches, rather than filling your oven racks all at once, as that limits the flow of hot air.

Serving size: 1 cookie Calories: 100

3.5.3208

Forget about those corn syrupy “glaze” packets that come with hams. We wanted the real deal for our holiday stunner. We make a thickened glaze of maple syrup, apple juice, brown sugar, coarse mustard, and cloves and coat our ham not once, but twice, for a fabulous looking and tasting ham.

Maple-Glazed Ham

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

1 hour 30 mins

Total time

1 hour 40 mins

 

Author: The Perfect Portion

Recipe type: Holiday Favorites

Makes: 12 Dinner portions

Ingredients

• 1 semi-boneless lean smoked half ham, about 6 pounds
• ¼ cup pure maple syrup
• ¼ cup apple juice
• ¼ cup light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon whole-grain deli mustard
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
2. Use a sharp knife to slice a patchwork pattern across the skin of the ham, only slicing ⅛ inch into the meat of the ham.
3. Place the scored ham in a roasting pan lined with aluminum foil, and bake for 1 hour.
4. Whisk the maple syrup, apple juice, brown sugar, mustard, cornstarch, and cloves in a small sauce pot over medium-high heat. Bring up to a boil, reduce heat to low, and let simmer for 3 minutes to create the glaze.
5. Spoon half of the glaze over the entire surface of the ham, and return the ham to the oven. Bake for 15 minutes.
6. Top the ham with the remaining glaze, and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Let the ham rest for 15 minutes before slicing.

HELPFUL TIP: Lining your roasting pan with aluminum foil or using a disposable pan is highly recommended for easy cleanup.

Serving size: 2 oz. ham Calories: 100

3.5.3208

Why not serve beef tenderloin for your next special occasion? Though this large roast might look imposing, it’s actually incredibly easy to cook. We coat our tenderloin with salt, pepper, fresh rosemary, and garlic for winning savory depth. We recommended cooking the roast to medium-rare for optimum juicy tenderness, but we’ve included instructions for other temperatures as well.

Rosemary Roasted Beef Tenderloin

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

45 mins

 

Author: The Perfect Portion

Recipe type: Holiday Favorites

Makes: 8 Dinner portions

Ingredients

• 1 (3-pound) center-cut beef tenderloin roast
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ¾ teaspoon pepper
• ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 6 sprigs fresh rosemary

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Season the tenderloin roast on all sides with the salt, pepper, and dried rosemary.
3. Place the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the seasoned roast to the skillet and brown on all sides. Transfer the browned roast to a roasting pan.
4. Spread the minced garlic over the top of the roast, and press 3 sprigs of rosemary over the top. Tuck the remaining 3 sprigs of rosemary underneath the roast.
5. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 130°F for medium-rare, 140°F for medium, or 150°F for well-done.
6. Discard rosemary sprigs, and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving drizzled with juices from the roasting pan.

HELPFUL TIP: For easy 100 calorie portions, slice the roast into 12 thick (and equal) slices before cutting each of these slices in half vertically to make 24 halved slices.

Serving size: 2oz slice beef Calories: 100

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As you load up your holiday plate with all of the delicious, traditional comfort food delights, your calorie count can easily spill right over the top. Our selection of holiday recipe classics provides a winning combo of great taste, easy portion control. and wholesome food. Here are some great tips to keep in mind as you are cooking away!

	Turkey: No need for sticks of butter! Simply watch the meat thermometer and make sure not to exceed 165° F. Baste with pan drippings frequently during cooking. As little as 2T of butter will give you a perfect bird. The perfect portion of turkey is 4 to 6 ounces, at a total of 300 calories. You can eat even more if you choose skinless white meat!
	Turkey Gravy: Skim off the turkey grease from the delicious pan juices, cook them down in order to super concentrate them, and then stir in a little creamy Greek yogurt for a smooth finish. Guilt-free gravy? Absolutely!
	Mashed Potatoes: Use Yukon Golds! This variety has a natural creamy and buttery texture, so you can add less butter of your own. Plus, keep the “skin (peel?) in the game” to add more fiber and keep you feeling fuller!
	Cranberry Sauce: Make it fresh! It is so easy to make, and allows you to know exactly what’s going in! Orange juice and zest add great flavor.

Using these recipes, you will keep your plate count in the 100s rather the 1000s. You’ll be eating healthier as well . . . and you’ll hardly notice the difference! 🙂