Top 5 Healthy Christmas Recipes

As a massive foodie I love Christmas! I'm a huge believer in balance but even over the Christmas period I like to remain a bit healthier - because I absolutely love this lifestyle, love the food I eat, it makes me feel so much better than eating refined, sugary foods and the flavours of healthy plant-based foods tend to be so much more delicious and wonderful. It can be tricky to stick to a healthy diet over the festive period - with selection boxes everywhere you go, candied everything, mouth-watering desserts and an array of canapés but these top 5 healthy Christmas recipes are bound to keep your sweet-cravings at bay, your tummy satisfied and your tastebuds tantalised.
 *Remember though, there's no harm in the odd Cadburys celebration chocolate or M&S Mince Pie!*

--- I also thought this would be a great time to tell you that I've started a health blog! Dedicated to delicious plant-based recipes, tips & tricks to stay feeling happy and healthy, exercise advice and lots of other things like that! Head on over to Www.NourishingAmelia.com to check it out!----


1. Mince Pies by Madeleine Shaw
I love a good mince pie, and this is my first Christmas being dairy and gluten free so I was a little worried about how I'd cope without my warm mince pie! I found this recipe from Madeleine on a blog and it's perfect. Sweet, delicate, wonderful perfect and you won't feel sluggish or guilty after eating this Christmas treat. Note - if you don't have time to make your own filling Meridian do a brilliant pre-made vegan and refined sugar free mince pie filling.

Warm Aubergine, Spinach and Avocado Salad

One of my favourite things to do for lunch at the moment is grab lots of fresh vegetables and other wonderful ingredients and throw them in a pan, cooking them with different things every day.
Today I made my favourite one yet, an aubergine and spinach warm salad with a hint of fresh pesto. So delicious!
Along with being super yummy and filling this warm salad is so nutritious; it's high in iron, fibre, vitamins and also healthy fats.

Ingredients

• Half an aubergine
• Red cabbage
• A handful of spinach
• 2 - 3 mushrooms
• Half an avocado 
• A sprinkling of pumpkin seeds
• Pine nuts
• Fresh pesto (I got mine from the co-op)
• Nigella seeds
• Mixed herbs
• Lemon juice
• Coconut oil

(Serves 1 person)

1. First start by putting a teaspoon of coconut oil into a pan. Let that melt and heat up before adding your ingredients. 
2. Chop up half your aubergine into cubed pieces and place them into the pan.
3. While the aubergine is cooking slice your red cabbage…this is one of my favourite ingredients! After the aubergine has cooked for a few minutes add in the cabbage.
4. Sprinkle some mixed herbs and nigella seeds into the cabbage and aubergine for more flavour, you could also add chilli flakes for more of kick.
5. Slice the mushrooms, I used 3 small chestnut mushrooms. Making sure you wash them first, as with all the other vegetables! And add them to your pan when the cabbage has cooked a bit.
6. Grab a large handful of spinach and add that to the pan as well, letting it wilt.
7. When all your ingredients look almost done add in your pine nuts and pumpkin seeds. These give the salad a delicious crunch.
8. Slice an avocado in half, scoop it out of the skin and cut into cubes while the other ingredients are cooking for a further few minutes and then remove the pan from the hob to add the avocado.
9. Stir in a teaspoon of pesto.
10. Add some lemon juice.
11. Enjoy!