Winter holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas are wonderful times of the year for us to celebrate with our loved ones and reflect on everything we’re thankful for. One of the ways we do this is by gathering around the table and sharing a large and beautiful meal.
I’ve selected 50 amazing holiday recipes that will wow the dinner table, and leave you feeling warm and at peace inside and out. Whether you’re new to a plant-based lifestyle or not, you’ll love these amazing, healthy versions of your holiday dinner favorites.
For many people it’s easy to overindulge during the holiday season, potentially leading to holiday weight gain. Many common holiday favorites feel good to eat at first but can lead to bloating and discomfort once the initial joy passes.
But don’t worry Beauties, you can still enjoy your favorite Thanksgiving and Christmas recipes the Beauty Detox way! Try some of my favorite recipes this year and you’ll hopefully feel lighter, less sleepy, and free from gas, bloating and digestive discomforts too by including recipes without the dairy, meat, sugar, and processed foods commonly eaten during holiday meals.
Beautiful and Hearty Entrees
Meat dishes like prime rib roast, pork chops, ham, chicken, and especially turkey are major staples of both Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner— but these amazing plant-based entrees might change that at your table! Enjoy the taste of the season with these beautiful plant-based recipes that even meat lovers in the family will enjoy.
Let’s start out with a special recipe from my book Recipes For a Perfectly Imperfect Life, the Lentil Love Loaf!
Lentil Love Loaf
Kimberly Snyder
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Ingredients
- 1 cup green or brown lentils
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 sprig fresh marjoram
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- ½ cup finely diced yellow onion
- ½ cup finely diced carrots
- ½ cup finely diced celery
- ½ cup finely diced cremini mushrooms
- ½ cup finely diced broccoli florets
- ¼ cup thawed frozen peas
- 1 cup tomato red sauce
- 2 tablespoons tamari
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- ½ cup coconut milk
- Your gravy of choice
Instructions
In a small saucepan, combine the lentils, vegetable broth, bay leaf, thyme, marjoram, sea salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, until the lentils are very soft, about 40 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow the lentils to cool. Discard the bay leaf, thyme, and marjoram.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom and sides of a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large pot, melt the coconut oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute until it is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots, celery, mushrooms and broccoli, and saute for 5 more minutes.
Add the peas, lentils, red sauce and tamari to the pot, and continue to saute until the mixture is heated through, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and use a potato masher to coarsely mash the mixture. Keep the majority of lentils and veggies whole; mashing a small amount will simply help bind the loaf.
Add the oats and coconut milk to the pot and stir to combine. Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan. Use a wooden spoon to spread the lentils evenly and press them down firmly into the edges.
Bake for 40 minutes, or until the edges of the loaf are dark brown and begin to pull away from the sides of the pan.
Remove from the oven. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing the loaf from the pan and slicing it.
Serve warm, with your favorite gravy and a salad
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was on Instagram!
Here is another beautiful entree from my book The Beauty Detox Power: baked broccoli and yam terrine.
Baked Broccoli and Yam Terrine
Kimberly Snyder
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Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds small yams or sweet potatoes or red-skinned potatoes
- Coconut oil for greasing the casserole dish
- 1 cup plain unsweetened coconut yogurt
- 2 tablespoons Ener-G Egg Replacer mixed with ½ cup very hot filtered water
- ½ cup unsweetened coconut milk
- 6 cups small broccoli florets
- Sea salt to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
Instructions
Arrange the yams in a medium saucepan and cover with 2 inches of cold water. Bring the yams to a boil over medium-high heat, and then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the yams, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until tender. (If you use red-skinned potatoes, the cooking time may be shorter)
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish with the coconut oil.
When the yams are done, drain them in a colander, allow them to cool enough to be handled, and then peel off their skins (the skins should come off easily). Transfer the peeled yams to a large bowl and then mash them with a potato masher or a fork.
Next, stir in the coconut yogurt, egg replacer and water mixture, and the coconut milk. Add the broccoli, salt and pepper and stir, mixing well so that all the ingredients are incorporated. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
Spoon the yam mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil, being careful not to touch the casserole, and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 15 minutes. Allow the terrine to set for about 15 minutes before slicing into squares. Serve hot.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was on Instagram!
Another recipe you might enjoy is also from Recipes For A Perfectly Imperfect Life, my twice-baked rosemary, broccoli, and kale-stuffed sweet potatoes.
Twice-Baked Rosemary, Broccoli and Kale-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Kimberly Snyder
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Ingredients
- 2 large sweet potatoes about 1 ¼ pounds total
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil
- 1 cup very small broccoli florets no stems
- 6 large Tuscan kale leaves destemmed and finely chopped
- 1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
- ½ cup coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Scrub the sweet potatoes, then poke each several times with a fork, making sure to press well into the flesh.
Place the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until tender. Remove from the oven and let cool. Keep the oven on.
Meanwhile, melt the coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the broccoli and kale and cook for about 3 minutes, until they start to soften.
Once the sweet potatoes are cool, slice them lengthwise. Scoop the potato flesh from the inside into a bowl, leaving at least ½ inch of potato flesh inside to keep the potato skin intact.
Mash the potato flesh with the kale, broccoli, rosemary, coconut milk, nutritional yeast, sea salt, and pepper. Stuff the mixture into the potato skins, return them to the baking sheet and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the tops are brown.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was on Instagram!
More Amazing Entrees
- Spicy Beauty Stuffed Eggplant
- Lentil Stuffed Squash with Mushroom Gravy
- Vegan Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie
- Raw Zucchini Lasagna
- Stuffed Acorn Squash
- Green Bean and Quinoa Casserole
Bright and Refreshing Salads
These beautiful salads will brighten up your holiday meals with a combination of refreshing fruits and bright, fresh greens. These salads include hearty seasonal foods like squash and immune-boosting antioxidant fruits like pomegranates. If you’ve never included this polyphenol powerhouse into your holiday menus before you’re in for a real treat! Pomegranates are great for the kiddos to just snack on as well.
- Feel Pleased Pomegranate Kale Salad
- Harvest Salad with a Tahini Citrus Vinaigrette
- Winter Salad with Fennel Radicchio and Pomegranate Dressing
- Brussels Sprouts Squash and Lentil Salad
Warming Soups and Stews
There’s nothing like a warm bowl of soup on a winter’s day. Whether you’re enjoying them as an appetizer or a main course, these beautiful soups will leave you feeling warm, peaceful, and oh-so-satisfied. My pumpkin Beauty Soup is a great choice if you tend to get a little bloated when eating a larger holiday meal because pumpkin is potassium-rich and can help rid the body of sodium that contributes to bloating.
- Feel Comfort Coconut Squash Curry Stew
- Thanksgiving Love Stew
- Carrot Apple Spice Soup
- Purple Potato Cabbage Soup
- Pumpkin Beauty Soup
- Easy Dairy-Free Broccoli Soup
Spectacular Side Dishes
A holiday dinner isn’t complete without a variety of wonderful sides like green beans, roasted cauliflower, potatoes, and casseroles. These beautiful dishes deliver all the flavor and comfort of your end-of-year favorites, but without the sluggishness that comes afterward.
Here are some special recipes from my book Beauty Detox Foods: the East-West Baked Vegetables and some basic yams. Both are perfect for any holiday meal, and are sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
East-West Baked Vegetables
Kimberly Snyder
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Ingredients
- 3-4 carrots peeled and cut into chunks
- 2 large sweet potatoes cut into chunks
- 1 small cauliflower cut into florets
- 2 large zucchini cut into 1-inch cubes
- 5 cups bok choy chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
- ¼ cup Bragg’s Liquid Aminos or nama shoyu
- ¼ cup raw coconut oil
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place all the vegetables and the rosemary, mixed up, in a glass oven proof casserole dish with a lid. Add the coconut oil and the liquid aminos and coat the vegetables.
Cover and bake in the oven for about 55 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Add a bit more liquid aminos to taste, if desired, and serve with a salad.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was on Instagram!
Basic Yams
Kimberly Snyder
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Ingredients
- 2 pounds organic yams
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil or to taste
- ½ teaspoon Celtic or Himalayan sea salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Wash the yams and cut them into 1 ½ inch pieces— this is small enough to ensure the yams cook well. Bake for 1 ½ hours, or until the outer part of each piece of yam is golden brown.
Top with coconut oil as desired, as well as the salt. Enjoy following or along with a large green salad.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was on Instagram!
More Incredible Sides
- Simple Beauty Detox Stuffing
- All-Plant Stewed Collards
- Rosemary Mashed Vegan Sweet Potatoes
- Crispy Rosemary Turnip Fries
- Spiced Butternut Squash
- Delish Yam Souffle
- Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
- Green Bean Casserole
- Green Bean and Quinoa Casserole
- Cinnamon Butternut Squash
Delightful Desserts
No holiday dinner is complete without dessert— I recommend waiting to enjoy dessert until a few hours after the big meal to give your body time to fully digest, otherwise you might experience some sluggish digestion.
Many holiday desserts like chocolate cake, sugar cookies, ice cream, and pumpkin pie are often full of extra butter, sugar, and other ingredients that can just leave you feeling icky after you eat them. Enjoy these festive desserts with zero guilt and zero discomfort.
- Raw Chocolate Covered Almond Donut Holes
- Raw Pumpkin Spice Truffles
- Raw Pecan Love Pie
- Pumpkin Pie Parfait
- Gingerbread Pumpkin Cookies
- Feel Joyful Cacao Fudge
- Gingerbread Banana Nicecream
- Vegan Creamsicle Coconut Cookies
- Better Beauty Cranberry Sauce
- Dreamy Cacao Avocado Mousse
- Vegan Crunch Gluten-Free Oatmeal Cookies
- Namaste Brown Rice Pudding
Beautiful Beverages and Smoothies
Warm drinks like eggnog and hot chocolate are holiday favorites, but they’re not very kind to your body. I think you’ll love these festive flavors, even without added sugar and dairy.
- Cinnamon Clementine Elixir
- Vegan Vanilla Latte
- Hot Apple Cider
- Chai Tea Warming Smoothie
- Winter Spice Warming Elixir Mocktail
- Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
If you make any of these recipes for your holiday meals, make sure to tag me on Instagram so I can see! If you’re on Pinterest, be sure to share it with your friends and family there too. :)
Wishing you a healthy, joyful holiday season and lots of love,
