Cultivate Healthy Habits During the Holidays With These Tasty Recipes

The roots of green onions

Recipes brought to you by Healthy Crumbz, a simple yet healthy meal prep brand.

When it comes to the holiday season, healthy habits usually become less of a priority. Whether it’s potlucks or family gatherings, holiday parties start popping up. Not to mention all the holiday pastries at the grocery stores! I love pumpkin bread and all the holiday food, but finding a way to maintain healthy eating (most of the time—an indulgence every now and then is great!) during these winter months helps me feel better in the long run.

It’s easy to completely let go of healthy habits and your fitness goals during the last quarter of the year. It’s important to stick to your healthy routine (as best and as often as possible) and stock up on healthy meals. This way you can indulge in holiday food when the time comes without guilt. Starting your day with a morning workout, going on a daily walk or increasing your water intake will help reduce stress and benefit your health.

Don’t wait until New Year’s to start working toward your goals. Staying on track is easier than derailing from your goals and trying to get back on track in January. After all, maintaining your health should be a lifestyle—a long term marathon—not a sprint come New Year’s Day. Start implementing healthy habits where you can now. Cooking three to four healthy meals a week is a great place to start.

Maintaining your health should be a lifestyle—a long term marathon—not a sprint come New Year’s Day.

Here are some meal prep friendly recipes from Healthy Crumbz to help you get started:

Vegetable Soup

(Makes 5 servings)

Ingredients

  • ½ onion (diced)
  • 3 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 2 cups baby carrots
  • 3 stalks celery (diced)
  • 2 medium potatoes (diced)
  • 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 4 cups broth of your choice
  • Two 15 ounce cans diced tomatoes
  • 15 ounce can corn (drained and rinsed)
  • 15 ounce can kidney or black beans (drained and rinsed)
  • Salt and pepper (to taste)

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Once hot, add onion and garlic, and cook until onion becomes translucent (about five minutes).
  2. Add carrots, celery, potatoes and Italian seasoning and cook for six more minutes, stirring often.
  3. Add broth, tomatoes, corn, beans and salt and black pepper to taste. 
  4. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered until the vegetables are tender (about 35 minutes).
  5. Remove from heat and add more salt and pepper if needed.
  6. To store leftovers, place in an airtight container and refrigerate up to five days.

Turkey Chili

(Makes 4 servings)

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 1 lb lean ground turkey
  • 2 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 4 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1.5 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 28 ounces can fire roasted crushed tomatoes
  • 15 ounce can kidney beans (rinsed and drained)
  • 15 ounce can black beans (rinsed and drained)
  • 15 ounce can corn
  • Optional toppings: shredded cheese, chips and fresh jalapenos 

Instructions

  1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic powder. Cook until onion starts to soften and becomes translucent. Add the ground turkey and cook, breaking apart until turkey is cooked all the way.
  2. Add all the seasonings (chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper) and stir for 30 seconds so ground turkey absorbs all the flavors.
  3. Add the rest of the ingredients (tomato paste, chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, beans and corn). Bring to a boil. Next, reduce heat to low and simmer for 30-45 minutes. Once done, taste and add more seasonings to taste if necessary.
  4. Store in airtight containers for up to five days in the fridge.

Cobb Salad

(Makes 4 servings)

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. chicken breast
  • 1 lemon
  • Lemon pepper seasoning
  • 4 eggs
  • 4 slices of bacon
  • 4 ounces fresh spinach or greens of your choice
  • ½ pint cherry tomatoes
  • ½ red onion (sliced)
  • Dairy-free ranch dressing (I use Walden Farms Dressing!)
  • 1 avocado

Instructions

CHICKEN – Cook and let the chicken cool completely before adding to salads.

  1. Season chicken with lemon juice and lemon pepper seasoning, add 1 tablespoon olive oil or olive oil spray to a small saucepan and set to medium heat.
  2. Add halved chicken breast to the pan and cook for about 7-10 minutes. Lower heat to low/medium, flip and cook another 7-10 mins. Cut the thickest part and make sure it’s no longer pink before removing. Set aside to cool. Then, dice into small pieces.

HARD BOILED EGGS – Let the hard boiled eggs cool completely before adding to salads.

  1. Place eggs in a small saucepan and cover with water by 1 inch. Cover with lid and boil on high setting for 9-12 mins. 
  2. Once done, remove with a slotted spoon and run under cold water or put them in a bowl with cold water to completely cool before peeling them and slicing in half.

BACON

  1. Using the same skillet as the chicken, place the five slices of bacon on the skillet and cook over medium heat until brown and crispy. Cut into 1-inch pieces and set aside.
  2. Assemble salads: Add greens then toppings to a bowl. Right before serving, top with avocado and ranch dressing.

If you want a step-by-step meal prep guide with new weekly recipes that get emailed directly to your inbox, check out my website www.healthycrumbz.com or follow me on Instagram @HealthyCrumbz for some behind-the-scenes cooking.

What are some delicious and healthy go-to recipes you make during the holidays? What is the secret to maintaining balance throughout the end of the year?

Image via Christina Holmes, Darling Issue No. 13

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Erica is a recipe creator, meal prep master and food blogger at Healthy Crumbz. She has a passion for cooking and getting creative in the kitchen while putting a healthy twist to her recipes. She's a big believer in cooking healthy without sacrificing flavor and is always inspired by her father's Mexican cooking.

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