Christmas is the time of year we all indulge – and that’s okay, there’s nothing better than experiencing a plate full of warm and festive food but it doesn’t mean completely forgetting about the healthy choices you have been making all year. 

 

In this blog I’ve put together some simple swaps you could make for your Christmas Day feast. And don’t worry, I’m not going to be telling you to eat less or control your portions because let’s be honest no one will be doing that. 

 

Here’s my top 5 festive health hacks…

 

Put down that shop bought gravy

Shop bought gravy typically contain emulsifiers, artificial flavorings, preservatives and sugar, not only that, gravy granules generally offer little to no nutritional benefits. Homemade gravies made with real meat juices, vegetables, and herbs can provide more flavour and nutrients. You’re roasting a turkey anyway so why not use the trimmings to make the perfect turkey and onion gravy? My go-to recipe is below. 

 

Steam not boil

Boiling our vegetables, especially over boiling to mush, in litres of water reduces the nutritional content of our vegetables. So steaming them, in a pot not a microwave, is the way to go this Christmas.

 

Swap shop bought stuffing

Stuffing mixes and pre-made shop bought stuffing contain added ingredients like seed oils, artificial flavorings, preservatives, and other additives to enhance taste and shelf life. Not only that, pre-packaged stuffing is typically made with refined white bread or breadcrumbs, which lack fiber and nutrients compared to sourdough alternatives. My top tip is to swap out shop bought stuffing for a homemade version to avoid those nasty added ingredients like seed oils, with the extra bonus that it also tastes so much nicer. Try making my sage, onion and sausage stuffing with my recipe below. 

 

Add fresh herbs

Herbs are high in antioxidants, phytonutrients and a great way to add plants to your meal. Don’t forget they are extremely flavourful too so will make your food taste extra good too. Some great pairings are salmon and dill, potatoes and rosemary, thyme and roast vegetables and mint and peas.

 

Make your own Yorkshire Puddings

Fresh pre-made Yorkshire puddings contain stabilizers, emulsifiers and seed oils to enhance shelf life, frozen Yorkshire puddings are typically a healthier option but they still contain seed oils - so in this case, homemade is best. You can find my perfect Yorkshire pudding recipe is below for simple, quick and freezable homemade Yorkshire puddings so you can make them a couple days before and just cook them on the day! 

 

Whatever you end up doing this festive season, I hope you have the best day and if you try them, I’d love to know what you think of my recipes. 

 

Recipes

Sunna’s Turkey and Onion Gravy Recipe

Ingredients: 

• One bay leaf
• A sprig of fresh thyme 
• Peppercorns
• One Onion 
• One Garlic clove 
• 25g of plain flour
• 1.2 litres of water 
• Turkey juices and Turkey giblets from one cooked Turkey

 

Recipe:

1. Place your turkey giblets in a medium saucepan and add 1.2 litres of water.

2. Add one bay leaf, a sprig of fresh thyme, 4 black peppercorns and ½ a finely chopped onion – this will make your turkey stock. Optional: for extra depth you could also add 1 crushed garlic clove.

3. On a high heat, bring to the boil and skim off any scum before then reducing heat to low and letting the stock simmer for 45-60 minutes.

4. Strain the stock to get rid of the solids and measure out 750ml of the liquid that is left.

5. After roasting your turkey, spoon off most of the fat from the roasting tin to leave behind the turkey juices. Then in a pan over a medium heat, combine 25g of plain flour with the turkey juices and whisk until the mixture is smooth.

6. Gradually add the strained stock to the pan, whisking as you go to prevent any lumps.

7. Simmer the gravy for 3-4 minutes, stirring continuously until it thickens

8. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired, and then serve!

Sunna’s Sage Onion and Sausage Stuffing Recipe

Ingredients: 

• 40g of butter
• 1 onion 
• 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped sage
• 700g of pork sausage meat (aim for 90%+ pork my recommendation would be Naked)
• 150g of sourdough breadcrumbs
• 3 tablespoons of parsley 
• 1 lemon
• Salt and pepper

Recipe:

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C/Gas 6.

2. In a pan over a medium heat, melt 40g of butter and then add in 1 finely chopped onion. Cook gently for 8-10 minutes until softened.

3. Stir in your other stuffing ingredients – 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped sage, 700g of pork sausage meat, 150g of sourdough breadcrumbs, 3 tablespoons of parsley and finally, the zest and juice of 1 lemon.

4. Season generously with salt and black pepper. 

5. Using wet hands, shape the mixture into 16 equally sized balls (about the size of a golf ball) and place them on a lightly greased tray.

6. Cover with cling film and place them in the fridge for 30 minutes so they can firm up.

7. In a large frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on a high heat. Add the stuffing balls and fry for 4-5 minutes, turning as you go till they are golden all over.

8. Transfer the fried stuffing balls back to the baking tray and bake for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through – we don’t want any pink meat. Top tip: if they brown too quickly cover them in foil to stop the tops burning.

9. Once fully cooked, serve!

Sunna’s Perfect Yorkshire Pudding Recipe 

Ingredients: 

• 200g of plain flour
• 2 large eggs 
• 300ml of milk
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil 
• Cupcake or muffin tray  

Recipe:

1. Preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan/Gas 7.

2. Sift 200g of plain flour in a bowl, stir in 2 large beaten eggs and then gradually add 300ml of milk – making sure you whisk as you go.

3. Whisk the mixture until it is lump-free.

4. Cover the batter and pop it in the fridge for 10 minutes – or until you are ready to cook. 

5. In a cake or muffin tin (depending on how big you want your Yorkshires) divide 2 tablespoons of olive oil evenly and then place the tin in the oven for 5 minutes until the oil is sizzling hot.

6. Pour the chilled batter evenly into the hot tin, aiming to fill each hole halfway.

7. Bake for 25-30 minutes until they have risen and are golden. 

8. If you are making these a couple of days before Christmas wait for them to cool and then place in the freezer – on the day all you need to do is cook them at 200C for around 5 mins until they are not frozen in the middle.