I love hazelnuts in my salads, in my chocolate, and in cookies. Christmas is a cookie event for me, and these hazelnut cookies have been in my family for generations. Since they contain no flour, I make them for my gluten-free friends every year for holiday gifts. These cookies also contain no butter; all the fat comes from the nuts. The fat in hazelnuts, a.k.a. filbert nuts, is not saturated Read more

This hearty, colorful salad would be perfect for a holiday table or any time of year. Served warm or cold, the layers of flavors in this dynamic dish mean you don't get sick of eating it. The citrus parmesan vinaigrette is subtle yet delicious, and it could be made without the cheese to lighten it up. I also used less olive oil for the dressing than the recipe called for but a little more citrus Read more

In my experience, a lot of grazing happens over the course of Christmas day. You wake up early to open presents and often eat late. This is why it is important to have healthy snacks to nosh on throughout the day. This flame-grilled eggplant dip has a surprisingly festive look. The red of tomato chunks and the green bits of Italian parsley pop against the neutral eggplant background. Mild, yet Read more

The other day I had a baguette that was past its prime, and my first thought was "I'll make bread pudding." But with all the holiday sweets around, I didn't want to add to the temptation with another dessert. So I dug up this recipe for a savory Onion Bread Pudding instead. The recipe comes from Cooking Light, and despite the fact that the main ingredients are bread and cheese, this holiday side Read more

Christmas is synonymous with so many things, one of them being cookies. Can you imagine Christmas without cookies? Well, now you can imagine a cookie that is relatively guilt-free. I saw a cookie recipe while flipping through the December issue of Self that I had to try: Flourless Chocolate-Walnut Cookies. As you can see by the photo, they look tasty. So I whipped up a batch. To see how these Read more

Nothing says Autumn like butternut squash, so I had to incorporate the vegetable into one of my healthy pre-Thanksgiving experimental side dishes. This time I whipped up a vegetarian gratin that is unexpected in its lack of potatoes — layered squash and apple slices take the place of potatoes in this Parmesan cheese-topped side dish. The leeks are simmered in sherry to create a rich flavor, and Read more

What's a Thanksgiving meal without a slice of tasty pumpkin pie? Even though this dessert is technically made with a vegetable, it's traditionally high in saturated fat because of the butter used to make the crust, the whipped cream or condensed milk, and not to mention eggs. More than a few of you asked for a pumpkin pie alternative and here's a lowfat version made with silken tofu (to add Read more

Thanksgiving is exactly one week from today, and I'm getting into the spirit of this food-centered holiday by testing out a couple of healthy side dishes before serving them on the actual day. This vegetarian cranberry-pear wild rice stuffing is made with whole grain bread instead of the usual white or sourdough, and does not call for even a dab of butter. While I followed the recipe exactly on Read more

Parsnips are more than just craggy looking albino carrots. They are tasty tubers that are worth learning to love, and I don't think you will have to work hard to love them. Nutritionally speaking, parnips are like a cross between carrots and potatoes. They have a lot less vitamin A than carrots, but more vitamin C and a bit more fiber. Parsnips are high in folic acid, which is important if you Read more