When it comes to holiday cooking, canned and jarred, bottled and boxed are the easiest… but with a little bit of time, homemade is so much better and simpler.
Time to dress the salad, plate that side and enjoy a refreshing mocktail at the same time. Are you ready? Let’s do it!
Honey Mustard Salad Dresssing
Salad dressing can add a lot of sugars and calories without much health benefit… but using raw, organic apple cider vinegar as a base gives a huge health boost right from the start. One of my weaknesses is honey mustard salad dressing, so I found a way to make it less offensive to my health- check it out!
There are 3 ways to make dressing, and are best stored in glass containers in the refrigerator, and used within 10 days:
- Jar → Using a 3:1 ratio, some herbs, little garlic, citrus (if desired), throw it in a glass jar and shake.
- Whisk → This is the same idea as above, only you throw it all in a bowl and whisk it, save the oil for last and drizzle it in slowly as you whisk.
- Blend → Same ratio as the first, but throw it all in a blender or food processor, saving the oil for last, and as you blend, slowly pour in the oil.
- 1/3c Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1.5T grain mustard
- 3/4 T raw honey
- 2/3c cold pressed olive oil
- Sea salt
- Ground pepper
- Combine the vinegar, mustard and honey in your preferred manner, as mentioned above. Once well mixed, slowly pour in the olive oil and until it emulsifies. Season with salt and pepper.
Cranberry Jelly
This high-sugar Thanksgiving staple is a favorite of mine. I love the tang and zest it adds to my plate, and the pop of color is just beautiful. It is also a killer, adding 24g of sugar and 110 calories per ¼ cup from the jellied can variety!
I take my own twist on this delicious treat, using fresh, whole cranberries, apple sauce and raw honey for sweetness AND my serving size is larger at ¾ to 1 whole cup. …which still packs in less than 24 grams of sugar and less than 110 calories (in fact, less than 100!).
- 1lb. Fresh Cranberries
- 1/2c Apple sauce
- 1/2c Orange juice
- 1 Medium Apple, cored & chopped
- 1/2t Cinnamon
- 1/4t AllSpice
- Combine all ingredients in a 2 quart class casserole dish.
- Microwave on high for 9-11 minutes.
- Gently mash your ingredients together to make a mushy consistency.
- You can store your jelly for 5-7 days after making- perfect for leftovers!
- In every heaping 3/4 cup serving there are 16g of sugar and 89 calories.
The Perfect Mocktail Cocktail
When it comes to all the eating and sipping, it’s nice to have a refreshing fancy beverage at hand, made simply right at home. Want to add to it? Go ahead and pop some cranberry juice in for color, or a splash of your favorite chilled white wine, vodka, or even rum into this drink! Garnish with some fresh berries for the festive holiday and enjoy!
Sipping on a nice, fizzy lime-basil drink makes me feel merry and bright, if not a bit reminiscent of summer, and ready to stay hydrated while enjoying all the festivities ahead! Topped with frozen cranberries (or filled with ice cubes filled with cranberries), this is a mocktail for the ages.
- SodaStream Sparkling Gourmet Lime Basil
- Cold Water
- Using your SodaStream, mix yourself a Lime-Basil sparkling gourmet beverage.
- Boom. Serve.
- Garnish with fresh chopped basil, canberries and ice to jazz it up.
These are great recipes to have on hand for easy entertaining. If you plan ahead making a holiday meal is easy.
So true!
That lime basil mocktail is right up this pregnant girls alley! I love me a good holiday mocktail!
oooh! I LOVE fancy drinks- especially ones that one dehydrate me! Enjoy, mama!!!
I am going to have to make the honey mustard salad dressing for my Grandpa. He will love it!
Such a great option!
I love making homemade cranberry sauce, it’s so quick and easy and tastes so much better than store-bought!
I totally agree!
I love fast and tasty recipes! Especially for this holiday season when we’re preparing bunch of meals!
Exactly! I think it is nice to take your time when you can, but how nice to have a few easy things to fall back on?
Honey mustard salad dressing sounds yummy. I am a ranch-on-everything kinda girl but I’m up for a different taste.
I hope you like it!
Looking good in the neighborhood! I love the colors first of all and the fact that these do not take a lot of time to create
Love easy recipes- leaves time for the ones that need a bit more TLC to create!
All great recipes that add the classic to a traditional Thanksgiving meal. I’m loving that lime basil drink.