Keto, Diabetes & Healthy Holiday Dessert Recipes

Your mouth is already watering for your favorite pumpkin pie, turkey, dressing, and Christmas ham. But then, you remember that you’re on the keto diet this year. And suddenly, your holiday cheer takes a nosedive. Not so fast, though. Just because Turkey Day and a Kris Kringle feast are around the corner doesn’t mean you have to eat high-calorie meals and treats that will go to your waistline. If you’re on the keto diet, you’re health conscious, or you’re trying to keep your diabetes under control, a wide variety of yummy yet healthy holiday meals and low-sugar dessert recipes are ripe for the taking.

Additionally, if any of these recipes end up being too sour or tart, you can fix that with the berries. When dissolved on your tongue, these taste-modifying berries will trick your mind to perceive any tart or sour drink, food, or fruit taste as sweet for the next 30 to 45 minutes without added sugar.

Let’s take a look at the top berry food pairings worth trying this holiday season.

Healthy Holiday Dessert Recipes Include Cranberries for People with Diabetes

No fruits scream the holidays like cranberries do. Thanks to their uniquely tart flavor and festive red color, these fruits are an ideal addition to any holiday meal. Plus, if you’re trying to eat mindfully this holiday season, you’ll appreciate the fact that these keto-friendly berries are loaded with copper, fiber, and vitamin C—nutrients that improve your immune system and digestion.

If you’re looking for healthy holiday dessert recipes, consider mixing cranberries with another keto-friendly fruit, like apples, to bake a tasty pie. Simply mix a pound of fresh cranberries with unsweetened applesauce and add in one tablespoon of lemon zest. You can also mix in a tablespoon of cornstarch for the perfect dessert.

If the tartness of cranberries, applesauce, and lemon zest scares you, simply use berries to turn the tart taste to a sweet one.

Baked Pear

If you’re looking for another one of the top healthy holiday dessert recipes, consider baking pears and pairing them with some Greek yogurt. All it takes is 30-35 minutes in the oven for these fruits to cook when baked at around 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Pears are filled with vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants, which help to reduce the inflammation commonly responsible for cardiovascular system issues. And because this fruit is usually harvested in the autumn season, pears are an excellent addition to every holiday plate.

Pomegranate

Berries and pomegranates are another one of the top berry food pairings that you and your guests will love this holiday season. The sour taste of pomegranate can easily be made sweet with the berry. As a result, you can easily enjoy the many health benefits of this keto-friendly fruit, which is known to lower blood pressure and decrease the formation of plaque on the arteries.

For the best healthy holiday dessert recipes, consider adding some juice from a pomegranate to some sparkling water to create a refreshing and light mocktail. To further satisfy your sweet tooth in a healthy way, mix pomegranate seeds with yogurt for you and your guests.

For a keto holiday meal, you can also add the seeds from a pomegranate to a casserole. For instance, you can add four chicken breasts to a casserole dish with 1.5 ounces of butter, three garlic cloves (chopped), 16 ounces of chicken stock, two bay leaves, and 10 ounces of pomegranate juice. Then, let the mix simmer for 45 minutes in the oven. Afterward, garnish it with herbs, like chopped parsley and coriander, and top the casserole with 3.5 ounces of pomegranate seeds.

Christmas Salad Featuring a Citrus Vinaigrette

Finally, round out your Thanksgiving and Christmas meal with crispy, health-conscious salad. The salad is one of the best healthy holiday meals because it’s easy to make. Simply mix lettuce with pomegranate arils, juicy oranges, and crunchy pistachios. Then, top off the mix with goat cheese and some champagne vinaigrette (the light version). Check out Fitness Trainer’s holiday eating lecture for more great tips!

Enjoy Healthy Holiday Dessert Recipes Like Never Before and give the above-listed food pairings a try this holiday season.