Fret not though, because here we have our top 3 Xmas delicacies that have been made in a healthier manner so as to make sure that the post-indulgence guilt does not weigh you down.

1. Gingerbread Cookies:

Image source: pillsbury

Ingredients:

• 1 cup atta/whole wheat flour
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• 1 heaped teaspoon of allspice powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp (28g) unsalted butter or coconut oil (kept in room temperature)
• 1 large egg, room temperature or 1/2 tsp baking soda + milk, to make the consistency better
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ cup (60mL) molasses or brown sugar or you can add your choice of sweetener
• For the icing (optional)
• 10 tsp stevia
• 2 tbsp nonfat milk

Method:

• Whisk the dry and wet ingredients together, in separate bowls.
• Now stir in the dry ingredients into the wet ones.
• Keep stirring/mixing until the mixture forms a dough.
• Now wrap this dough in a plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for an hour.
• Preheat oven to 180 degree
• Take out the cookie dough and roll it out while it is between the plastic sheet. Make sure that you roll it till it is atleast 1/6^thof an inch thick
• Cut out shapes using your gingerbread man cookie mould. When there is dough remaining, roll it out again and cut out more cookies.
• Bake for not more than 15 minutes and take them out to cool.
• Once cool, mix the ingredients for the icing in a bowl and then pipe it over the cookies

2. Lemon Garlic herb roast potato:

Image source: onegreenplanet

Ingredients:

• Baby Potatoes 500 grams
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 tablespoon mixed herb seasoning
• 1 teaspoon chopped Garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt, or to taste
• Black Pepper, to taste

For the lemon herb mix:

• 3 tablespoons Olive Oil
• Zest of 1/2 a Lemon
• 1 teaspoon minced mixed herbs
• Salt/Pepper, to taste

Method:

• Preheat oven to 180 degree celsius
• Make slits in the potatoes but be careful to not cut all the way through
• Now mix the potatoes and all the other ingredients together in a large bowl (except for the ingredients for the lemon herb mix)
• Line your baking tray with a sheet and place the potatoes with the cut side up onto the tray.
• Roast the potatoes for 20 – 30 minutes
• Take them out of the oven and brush them with the combined lemon herb mix and pop them back in the oven.
• Take them out once they are cooked all the way through and drizzle them with the remaining lemon herb mix and serve hot!

3. Pumpkin and lentil stew

Image source: tastespace

Ingredients:

• 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
• 1.5 tbsp. finely chopped and peeled fresh ginger
• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 tsp. Coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp. Ground  cardamom
• 1 small pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 1/2″ chunks
• 1 cup lentils of your choice, picked over
• 6 cups of vegetable broth
• 3 cups of spinach
• 1 tbsp. cider vinegar

Method:

• Cook the onions and ginger on medium heat in a cooker till they turn golden.
• Add in the rest of the ingredients except for the vinegar and pressure cook for 12 minutes on medium heat.
• Once done, stir in the vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Blend if you want a smooth consistency

Comfort food is the name of the game during the holidays, and when comfort food is made healthy, well, nothing is better is there?

The post Top 3 Xmas Delicacies made Healthier first appeared on Fit Foodies Mantra.

But once you have had your fill of the cake and nog, then how do you expect to wake up the next morn without that throbbing headache and all that comes with a hangover?

Well, we just might have a few tips to help you get through the day!

Check these hangover cures to help you get through the festive season, be it Christmas or the New Year!

Sleep:

Since your body needs time to recover from your previous night’s adventures, sleep is your best friend right now! Even as little as an extra hour of sleep will go a long way in helping you get through your hangover.

Take plenty of rest, and if need be, call your work or wherever you need to be that day and let them know that you will not be able to make it! Your health needs to come first, remember that!

Stay Hydrated!

Remember to drink plenty of water the next morning! You need to keep in mind that the alcohol you had last night, ended up dehydrating your body and to reverse that, you need to have plenty of fluids.

Drinking water every few hours the next day will make sure that all the dehydration that you faced during the previous night, goes away quicker! Try not to overdo the water drinking though, just take it slow and steady and you will be fine.

Juice it!

If you are bored of having only water, then you can also have fruit and vegetable juices. Alternate a glass of water with a glass of juice throughout the day, and that will be the best favour you would be doing to your body.

The water rehydrates while the juice gives you necessary vitamins.

Bonus Tip: Adding a little lemon juice to a cup of warm water will help you even more or even adding ginger to the water will help with any nausea that you might be having.

Say no to Caffeine:

Do not have a strong cuppa of your favorite caffeinated drink, though a weaker version of the same might be ok.

Too much coffee will also end up dehydrating your body further thus worsening your already bad hangover! Even here, you can think of alternating between a cup of light coffee and a cup of sweet tea! Since the sugar combined with the caffeine will help you give a boost of energy without dehydrating you more, this is a better idea than having a whole pot of coffee by itself!

Feed Yourself!

We know that right now you would not be feeling like having anything to munch on, but trust us when we tell you that it WILL help in the long run. Start off slow, like with a few crackers or even a banana maybe!

If you think you are able to keep those things down and do not feel like you are about to throw up, then you can have something more substantial, like some more fruits! Minerals and proteins are of the utmost importance at the moment and your food will help you get precisely these nutrients!

Here’s hoping that you have a blessed festive season and stay far away from any hangovers that might think of befalling you!! Merry X’mas y’all!

The post Hangover Cures to help you get through the festive season! first appeared on Fit Foodies Mantra.