Healthy, budget-conscious holiday recipes
Even if you’re on a budget, your holiday feast can still be as delicious as a non-budgeted feast. These recipes will keep your food bill low, without compromising on flavor.
Healthy Green Bean Casserole
Typical green bean casseroles bathe ingredients in a heavy cream sauce. This healthy version has fewer calories and fat, thanks to a homemade roux.
Ingredients:
2½ lbs. (about 8 cups) fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
2-3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
¾ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. white or black pepper
2½ cups low-fat milk
1½ fresh whole-wheat breadcrumbs
Directions:
Position racks in upper and lower third of oven; preheat to 425°F.
Toss green beans in a large bowl with a tablespoon of oil until well coated. Divide between 2 large-rimmed baking sheets and spread in an even layer. Roast, stirring once and rotating the baking sheets about halfway through, until tender and beginning to brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat a tablespoon of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until very soft and golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Add flour, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute more. Add milk and continue to stir, scraping up any browned bits. Cook, stirring, until the sauce bubbles and thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat. To add extra flavor to the cream sauce, stir in a tablespoon of chopped fresh herbs, such as thyme, sage or parsley.
When the green beans are done, remove from the oven. Preheat the broiler.
Transfer half the green beans to a 2-quart broiler-safe baking dish. Spread half the sauce over the green beans. Add the remaining green beans and top with the remaining sauce.
Combine breadcrumbs and a tablespoon of oil in a small bowl.
Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the gratin. Place under the broiler, watching closely, until the gratin is bubbling and beginning to brown on top, 1 to 5 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
To make your own fresh breadcrumbs: Trim crusts from whole wheat bread, and tear into pieces. Process in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. One slice of bread makes a half-cup fresh breadcrumbs.
Simple Roast Chicken
You don’t need complicated techniques or fancy ingredients for a flavorful roast chicken.
Ingredients:
1 small onion, peeled and quartered
3 cloves garlic, peeled and quartered
3 sprigs fresh tarragon
3 sprigs fresh thyme
5-pound chicken, giblets removed
2 tbsp. of extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. freshly ground pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Place onion, garlic, tarragon and thyme into the cavity of the chicken. Tie the legs together with kitchen string, mostly closing the cavity opening. Pull the wings so the tips overlap on top of the breast. Tie them in place, wrapping string around the wings and body. Rub the chicken with oil, salt and pepper. Set in a roasting pan, breast-side down.
Roast the chicken for 25 minutes. Turn breast-side up and continue roasting for about 1 ½ hours. Baste occasionally with pan juices, until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, without touching bone, registers 175°F. Transfer to a cutting board. Let rest for 10 minutes. Remove the string before carving.
Source: EatingWell
