A Healthy Holiday: Conclusion ~ Soup & Leftover ideas
Happy the day before the day before New Year’s Day! 
I LOVE holiday meals because to me leftovers always mean SOUP and tons of fun new things to try I LOVE Turkey Noodle Soup after turkey day and a warm, hearty bean soup after Christmas. I decided to put a spin on the White Bean with Bacon and Pesto Soup by using ham and a ton veggies.
Next Day Ham and White Bean Soup
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb dried navy beans
1 c chopped ham
2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 red bell pepper (I used 1/2 green & 1/2 red), chopped
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup chopped celery
4 garlic cloves, minced
32 oz Chicken Broth
15 oz can diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 leftover ham bone or smoked ham hock (optional)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce
bacon pieces and chopped fresh parsley for garnish, optional
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Sort and wash beans; place in a large Dutch oven. Soak overnight or use the following quick soak method. Cover with water to 2 inches above beans; bring to a boil, and cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 1 hour. Drain beans.
2. Heat oil in a large stock pan over medium heat and add ham. Brown for about 4-5 minutes. Add bell pepper and the next 5 ingredients (bell pepper through minced garlic); sauté 10 minutes or until browned. Stir in the broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add tomatoes, beans and spices. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour or until beans are tender.
3. Remove ham bone and allow to cool. Remove ham from bone and chop into pieces. Add to soup if desired or save for another time.
4. Place 2 cups of the bean mixture in a blender, and process until smooth. Return the pureéd mixture to pan. If using, top with the bacon and parsley.
Makes 8, heaping 1 1/2 cup servings.
Nutritional information per serving (excluding toppings) (3 WWP’s):
Calories 159.0, Total Fat 3.2 g, Saturated Fat 0.8 g, Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5 g, Monounsaturated Fat 1.7 g, Cholesterol 15.9 mg, Sodium 867.6 mg, Potassium 459.5 mg, Total Carbohydrate 20.7 g, Dietary Fiber 6.2 g, Sugars 4.1 g, Protein 11.5 g
Enjoy!
Note: This soup will freeze well for up to two months. Pour into an airtight container, leaving enough room for expansion (usually an inch or two at the top). To reheat, thaw completely in the refrigerator; then place contents in a saucepan over low heat, adding some liquid if necessary.
LEFTOVER IDEAS:
I froze some of our ham so I can make this New Years Day Soup next ~ doesn’t it sound amazing and I LOVE the stats.
Here are some other ideas for how you can use up all the leftovers you have from your healthy holiday celebration:
Mini Frittatas with Ham and Cheese Quiches (I make these every year – they are so easy and awesome!)
Green eggs and ham
Ham, Spinach & Sun Dried Tomato Calzones
Ham & Pineapple Sandwiches
Leftover Veggies tossed on salad
Is there such a thing as leftover Au Gratin Potatoes?
Oh and last, but, not least, do NOT forget to FREEZE your leftovers. Make your own healthy little mini frozen dinners for the nights you don’t want to cook or save some ham for soup another day.
I hope you all have a FANTASTIC time brining in the New Year whatever you end up doing.
See you all tomorrow when I resume blogging my daily eats or possibly for some Coconut Pound Cake (a not-so-healthy recipe) but totally worth EVERY calorie! It really just depends on how much time I have before we head out to celebrate the New Year!
Nite all!
A Healthy Holiday Part 4: Key Lime Pie
I LOVE citrus desserts because they seem so refreshing and light after a heavy meal. Key Lime pie is one of my favorites because you get the smooth creamy filling with an awesome cinnamon graham pie crust. I have reduced the fat and sugar by using fat free milk and egg substitute without giving up the creamy texture or flavor. If you want your pie to look green vs yellow, use liquid egg whites instead of substitute.
EASY & HEALTHY KEY LIME PIE
INGREDIENTS:
1 prepared low-fat graham cracker pie crust or make your own healthy version
14 oz fat-free sweetened condensed milk
8 oz fat-free egg substitute or liquid egg whites**
1/4-1/2 cup fresh lime juice, from “key” or regular limes (about 2-3 limes), depending on desired tartness
1-2 tsp freshly grated lime zest
Whipped Cream for topping, optional
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 325ºF. Place graham cracker crust on a baking sheet; set aside.
2. Whisk together condensed milk, egg substitute and lime juice. Add lime zest and pour mixture into crust.
3. Bake until center looks set but still slightly quivery, like gelatin, about 15 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
4. Transfer to refrigerator and chill completely, about 1 to 2 hours.
Cut into 10 slices and serve with whipped cream if desired.
4 Points Per Serving (using a prepared crust and excluding whipped topping)
Nutritional Information Per Serving (using a prepared crust and excluding whipped topping):
Calories 197.1, Total Fat 2.8 g, Saturated Fat 0.4 g, Polyunsaturated Fat 1.2 g, Monounsaturated Fat 0.0 g, Cholesterol 83.2 mg, Sodium 106.2 mg, Potassium 102.2 mg, Total Carbohydrate 37.2 g, Dietary Fiber 0.4 g, Sugars 29.2 g, Protein 6.3 g
STEP-BY-STEP:
1. Did you all know it only takes 4 things to make an AMAZING and HEALTHY Key Lime Pie?
2. Combine your condensed milk with your lime juice.
3. Add in the egg substitute and whisk everything together
**NOTE ~ Use Egg whites if you want your pie to look green and add green food coloring if needed.
4. Zest your lime using the super cute mini grater that Santa gave you for Christmas
5. Add the lime zest to your lime pie filling.
6. Pour pie filling into your prepared graham cracker crust.
7. Bake at 325 for about 15-20 minutes until center is slightly firm and jiggles like gelatin.
8. Cool and resist digging in until AFTER dinner 
You can find the rest of the Healthy Holiday Series below.
Part 1: Simple Glazed Ham with Pineapple
Part 2: Au Gratin Potatoes
Part 3: Green Beans with Caramelized Onions & Bacon plus Honey Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cashews.
Do you all like the idea of the healthy holiday series? I thought it would be fun to mix things up a bit and share the fun healthy recipes I tried out over Christmas I love knowing that the holidays can be made healthy with a few things to be enjoyed (in moderation of course). I would love to hear your feedback so I know if I should bombard you all on future holidays .
No worries though, I will begin posting my eats again soon and tomorrow I will be back with some great uses for all those leftovers.
Nite all!
A Healthy Holiday Part 3:Green Beans with Caramelized Onions and Bacon
Green Beans with Caramelized Onions & Bacon is one of my FAVORITE childhood classic dishes. However, the version I grew up with was not so healthy ~ picture loads of butter with the onions and mushrooms “fried” in the bacon green. I cleaned up this recipe by using a healthy cut of bacon and just a kiss of real butter. It’s pretty easy to make and can be whipped up fairly quickly while everything else cooks for your holiday meal.
I doubled up the vegetable sides to go with the Simple Glazed Ham with Pineapple and Au Gratin Potatoes. The other veggie was Honey Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cashews. I find it helps me stay on track easier when I have two delicious vegetables that I can pile on half my plate leaving 1/4 of my plate for protein and 1/4 for carby goodness.
GREEN BEANS WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS & BACON
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound green beans
1 medium red onion, sliced
1 cup sliced white mushroom, optional
6 slice Cooked Center-Cut Bacon or Turkey Bacon
1 Tbsp Butter
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Prepare all veggies – snap ends off beans and break in half, slice onion and mushrooms.
2. Cook bacon and break into pieces. Set aside.
3. Spray a skillet with nonstick cooking spray and add onions and mushrooms (if using). Saute onion and mushrooms until tender and slightly browned/carmelized, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
4. Boil green beans in enough water to cover them for 6-8 minutes or until crisp tender and drain.
5. Add butter, garlic salt, pepper, onion/mushrooms, and bacon. Stir just until combined.
Enjoy – makes 6 servings – 1/2 cup each and only 1 Weight Watcher Point
NUTRITIONAL INFORMAITON PER SERVING:
Calories 60.9, Total Fat 3.3 g, Saturated Fat 1.7 g. Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1 g, Monounsaturated Fat 0.5 g, Cholesterol 10.1 mg, Sodium 219.6 mg, Potassium 113.8 mg, Total Carbohydrate 5.7 g, Dietary Fiber 1.9 g, Sugars 0.2 g, Protein 3.2 g
STEP-BY-STEP:
1. Spray a nonstick skillet with cooking spray and add onions (plus mushrooms if using). I omitted them this time since The Husband’s mom does not like mushrooms.
2. Cook and crumble your bacon ~ set aside.
3. Steam your green beans. I saved time by buying Trader Joe’s steam in a bag Green and Yellow Beans. I LOVE green beans, but, do NOT love preparing them ~ Thanks TJ’s!
4. Add garlic salt, pepper and butter to your green beans. TIP ~ You can always let your butter melt a little and remove any extra if you feel you have enough to cover your veggies.
5. Add caramelized onions (plus mushrooms) and bacon.
6. Stir to combine and enjoy!
MMMMM….I am hungry again now! I hope you all are enjoying the series ~ it is definitely giving me a break while we are at home this week cleaning and organizing away
Tomorrow I will be sharing a Easy Healthy Key Lime Pie recipe to complete my Healthy Holiday series. See you all then!
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY DISH TO ENJOY EACH YEAR ~ HEALTHY OR NOT?
A Healthy Holiday Part 2: Au Gratin Potatoes
Hi everyone! I have another recipe for you from my Healthy Holiday series. Part 1 was all about my super Simple Glazed Ham, but, we all know you NEED to have cheesy potatoes to go with the ham. I honestly think CHEESE makes everything taste better, in fact, my mom used to put cheese on everything growing up just to get me to eat it. That’s probably why I am such a fan of broccoli covered in cheesy sauce!
Au Gratin potatoes, aka, Scalloped Potatoes (I am not sure of the difference) are probably one of my FAVORITE side dishes in the world, aside from mac and cheese! This version comes from a Weight Watcher Recipe that I modified a bit and it seriously rocks! I used sharp low-fat cheeses to bring out the cheesy flavor along with sweet Yukon potatoes with their skin to boost the flavor and fiber. You still get a little buttery richness, but, the fat free milk helps to lighten it up. Your family will not even be able to tell that you “healthified” this recipe because it is packed with cheesy, rich, flavor.
HEALTHY AU GRATIN POTATOES
INGREDIENTS
1 Tbsp butter
1 medium RED onion(s), thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cup(s) fat-free skim milk
2 pound(s) Yukon Gold potato(es), thinly sliced
1 cup(s) low-fat shredded SHARP cheddar cheese (grate your own as it melts better)
1/4 c shredded parmesan cheese
1 tsp garlic salt or sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Stir in flour; then add milk slowly, stirring.
3. Add potatoes and stir to mix. Bring to a boil. Stir in 3/4 cup of the sharp cheddar cheese and 2 tbsp of the shredded parmesan cheese, garlic salt and pepper.
4. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish and level out surface. Bake for 1 hour, uncovered. Cover and bake until potatoes are fork-tender, about 20 minutes more.
5. Change oven temperature to broil. Sprinkle remaining cheese over potatoes. Broil 6 inches from the heating element until the cheese is golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes.
6. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before slicing into 8 pieces.
Makes 8 servings, 3 points each!
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING
Calories 183.6, Total Fat 5.3 g, Saturated Fat 3.2 g, Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1 g, Monounsaturated Fat 0.6 g, Cholesterol 16.8 mg, Sodium 315.1 mg, Potassium 708.7 mg, Total Carbohydrate 27.4 g, Dietary Fiber 2.7 g, Sugars 2.4 g, Protein 10.7 g
STEP-BY-STEP
Rinse/scrub your potatoes and thinly slice.
Melt 1 Tbsp of REAL butter over medium heat while you thinly slice your red onion.
Add your red onion and cook for about 5 minutes until onions start to brown/caramelize.
Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
Stir in 2 Tbsp all purpose flour.
Slowly add your milk making sure you scrap the bottom of the pan for any browned bits.
Add your potatoes and bring mixture to a boil and remove from heat.
Add 3/4 c of your lowfat SHARP cheddar cheese and parmesan (I used shaved since it is what I had, but, shredded works just as good).
Add your spices and stir to combine.
Pour mixture into your prepared 9x 13 dish and bake according to directions above.
Tadah!!! Super easy, cheesy, right?! Allow to cool 5 minutes and cut into 8 slices.
Enjoy!
A Healthy Holiday ~ Part 1: Simple Glazed Ham
Happy Holidays all! I hope you all are enjoying the holiday season ~ we definitely are! Santa was AWESOME to me this year and the best part is that we are not done We celebrated with The Husband’s family and we have my family coming up this weekend – yeah!
I was in charge of our mini Christmas dinner yesterday so the day involved a bit of cleaning and a bit of cooking. I was really glad I prepared TWO Texas Style Christmas Breakfast Casseroles the other day so there wasn’t much work involved for breakfast.
I decided to spice mine up a bit by adding Sweet Jalapeño Salsa to it! YUM! I LOVE this stuff.
Sweet Plus HOT ~ two of the best flavor combos!
Plus 2 cuties.
I didn’t really have lunch since we were running around most of the day getting ready everything ready. I did manage to snag a few handfuls of the Bunny Chex Mix I made the other day.
Plus a slice of the BEST bread ever made. The Husband’s sis always gives up a HUGE platter of homemade baked goodies each year. I always tell him he can have all the cookies, just give me the COCONUT POUND CAKE! Seriously ~ it’s unreal!
I really do not do anything fancy when I make ham. There isn’t a need to add tons of butter to get that amazing caramel like flavor. You simply need TWO things and some spices.
Make sure that when you buy the pineapple slices you buy the ones in pineapple juice, not syrup.
Spices ~ Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Cloves.
Pin all your pineapple slices on your ham with tooth picks and place in the oven at 250 to cook for an hour. Be sure to reserve your canned pineapple juice.
Take 1 cup of un packed brown sugar
Add your pineapple juice reserve.
Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Stir until dissolved and remove from heat.
Add your spices (1/4 tsp cloves and cinnamon, 1/8 tsp nutmeg) and your glaze is done! After the initial hour is up you will pour this glaze over your ham and baste/brush it every 5 minutes for another 15-20 minutes depending on the size of your ham. Your goal is to “warm” your ham 10 minutes for every pound.
COOLEST SPICE CONCEPT EVER!! We bought these “Cinnamon Chips” when we were in the Caribbean. You grind the cinnamon just like you would freshly ground pepper. It’s has such incredible flavor and is more intense than the already ground.
I used Trader Joe’s pre-sliced ham so slice was a cinch
SIMPLE GLAZED HAM
INGREDIENTS
1/4 or 1/2 Spiral Pre-Cooked Lean Ham
15 oz can sliced pineapples in pineapple juice
1 c unpacked brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
toothpicks
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Spray a 9x 13 baking dish with nonstick spray. Place ham in dish.
2. Drain pineapple slices, reserving juice. Place pineapple slices on ham using toothpicks to secure in place.
3. Place ham in oven and bake according to packaged instructions. Typically you will cook your ham for about 10 minutes per pound. NOTE ~ you will be glazing the ham the last 15 minutes of cooking time.
4. While the ham cooks, prepare the glaze. Combine brown sugar with reserved pineapple juice in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Continue stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in spices. Set aside.
5. During the last 15 minutes of cooking time., pour the glaze over the ham. Then, baste/brush ham for 5 minutes with the sauce until the ham is cooked.
Serve with pineapple slices and reserved juice on the side. Enjoy!
While the ham cooked, I prepped the sides. Healthy Au Gratin Potatoes (Recipe coming up this week).
My FAVORITE healthy yet a little indulgent veggie ~ Green Beans with caramelized onions and bacon (recipe coming up this week)
Honey Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts
The Husband’s Mom made these super cute placemats for us so I wanted to make sure I used them for Christmas dinner.
Front
Back
Dinner was served up on the fancy new Royal Doulton dish set that The Husband got us for Christmas. He new I had been eyeing this for ALONG time. I LOVE how the bowls curve up and it comes with BIG salad bowls plus little ones too. I could go on for days, but, I think it’s safe to say I LOVE it!
Here is a snap shot of our BIG feast. The bread is this homemade sweet bread we picked up at The Joy of Eating ~ It’s AWESOME!
For dessert, I made a Simple and Healthy Key Lime Pie. It’s super easy to make and it was another first for me too You can pretend it’s GREEN,. I covered everybody’s with whipped cream so they didn’t know lol…The recipe will be coming up this week too. I was too full to have a slice but I did steal two bites of The Husband’s – YUM!
It was great chatting it up with The Family and then watching two AWESOME MOVIES. Four Christmases and The Hangover. Four Christmases is hilarious and The Hangover we have seen before but some movies just get funnier each time you watch them.
Off to catch some after Christmas sales! Have a fantastic day all!
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