Recipe Round Up: Festive Holiday Eats

Happy Friday, friends!

It’s the weekend before Christmas, and it’s sure going to be a busy one with tons of holiday stuff going on:

• Tonight – Oak Square Y Healthy Living Team holiday night out
• Tomorrow – Workout, last-minute shopping, food prepping, Shannon‘s annual home friends Christmas party
• Sunday – Workout, gift wrapping, food prepping, and a couple Christmas activities TBD with Tim
• Monday – Sub Spin at 6am, half day at work, work holiday party, Tim’s cousin’s house for Christmas Eve
• Tuesday – Presents and Christmas breakfast with Tim, my parent’s house for gifts with the immediate fam and dinner with my mom’s side, then heading down to New Bedford for dessert with my father’s side

Phew!  I still need to decide on some last-minute holiday food items to make for some of these occasions.  I figured I would do a little recipe round-up post today for any of you who may be in the same boat as me.  Here are my favorite festive recipes (some healthy, some not) to make for the holidays:

Breakfast

Green Apple Cinnamon Protein Pancakes
Use green food coloring to turn protein pancakes into a festive and healthy holiday breakfast!

Cranberry Nut Bread
Works as a great foodie gift or option to bring to a holiday brunch!

Appetizers

Pita Christmas Trees
One of my favorites because they are too cute!  I’m making them on Saturday for Shannon’s party.

Tomato Basil Skewers
Definitely a go to for when I’m in a time crunch.  They are super easy to put together, plus the red and green colors stand out for Christmas time!

Cranberry Avocado Salsa
This also offers a nice fix of festive colors for the holiday table.  Plus, the flavors of cranberry and avocado together are unbelievable!

Cranberry Cinnamon Apple Brie
I think anything with cranberries is festive, but maybe that’s just me.  Plus who doesn’t like a wheel of brie cheese?

Desserts

Christmas M&M Pretzel Bites
I used this recipe from Valentine’s Day, just changed the M&M colors.  These are very easy to make, but not for the inpatient as you have to unwrap all the Hershey’s Kisses one by one.  There’s never any of these left after serving them at a party.  Sweet & salty is addictive!

Christmas Tree Brownies
Another cute way to get in the spirit!  I had a ton of fun baking these last year.  This is what I actually brought to Shannon’s last year!

Mini Red Velvet Santa Hat Cupcakes
I just am obsessed with mini cupcakes, plus any time you can incorporate fruit into dessert it’s a bonus.  Liz just sent me a picture last week when she made them herself!

Peppermint Bark
Yummy, but you need to time it perfectly so the layers don’t break.

Red Velvet Cake with Peppermint Frosting
My latest and proudest creation, which you already know about if you’ve read F&F this week.  This is for any of you who want a dessert recipe that is NOT healthified.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Cupcakes with Peppermint Frosting
I used this recipe for the cupcakes, and for the frosting just combined 1/4 cup butter, 2.5 cups confectioners sugar, 3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract, and 3 tablespoons of milk together.  Add red sprinkles, and you have Christmas cupcakes!

Cranberry Pomegranate Christmas Punch!
And finally, you can’t forget a beverage to keep you sane throughout any stress you might encounter along the way!

Anyone have a go to holiday recipe they’d like to share or add to this round up?

If you end up making any of these things, let me know!  Post a picture to my F&F Facebook page, or tweet a pic to me at @FitnessandFeta.  Would love to see how yours come out.  Have a great pre-holiday weekend!