Healthy Low-Carb Holiday Recipes

If you have adopted a low carb lifestyle for healthy aging, you may find that the holidays give you a special challenge. You may crave the flavors and textures that are so familiar, but you still want to feel great in the weeks after the holidays. Also, for some people, taking a break from their diets may trigger bingeing, which can sideline their plans for good health for weeks. 

Take heart! With our low carb recipes, you can enjoy some classic holiday flavors that you crave while still sticking to your plans for healthy living. Of course, things like turkey and green beans are acceptable on a low carb diet, but we’re sharing recipes for a few traditional sides and desserts made in the low carb way to give you a healthy holiday season.

Almond Flour Bread

Don’t mourn the absence of bread on your holiday dinner table! Make this recipe and enjoy it in the low carb way. Make a double batch, and you can use one loaf to whip up the stuffing recipe below too!

Ingredients:

6 eggs

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

5 tablespoons melted butter

1 ½ cups almond flour

3 teaspoons baking soda

Dash of salt

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease an 8 by 4 loaf pan.

Separate your egg yolks from the whites. In a medium-sized bowl, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until they form soft peaks. 

In a separate bowl, stir together ⅓ of the egg whites, the egg yolks, the butter, the almond flour, the baking soda, and the salt. Stir well to form a thick lumpy dough. 

Gently stir in the remainder of the egg whites. Do not beat the dough. The egg whites provide much of the lightness of this bread. Spread the dough in the pan and bake for 30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Low Carb Stuffing

Stuffing is so good, but it is often loaded with carbs and salt. This recipe is low carb, since it is made with our recipe for Almond Flour Bread, and it has all the familiar flavors that you know and love.

Ingredients:

10 slices of low-carb almond flour bread, cubed (use the above recipe)

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped

1 tablespoon dried thyme

¼ cup diced onion

4 green onion stalks chopped

2 stalks celery, diced

2 ½ tablespoons minced garlic

8 ounces of cooked, crumbled sausage

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup heavy cream

2 eggs

Sprinkle the bread cubes with parsley, rosemary, and thyme. Toast the bread in the oven at 200 degrees for about an hour until the cubes are browned and crispy. Turn the oven to 350 degrees.

Stir together the diced onion, green onion, celery, garlic and sausage along with the olive oil.

In a separate bowl, stir together the eggs, broth, and cream, beating well. Add the bread cubes, mixing well. Add the veggies and combine. 

Spread the mixture into a greased casserole dish and bake for 60 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned. Serve.

Low Carb Pumpkin Crisp

Pumpkin is a traditional favorite holiday flavor that you do not have to give up when you are following a low carb lifestyle for healthy aging with this recipe. Our pumpkin crisp is tasty and delicious and will hit the pumpkin spot on your palate.

Ingredients:

Filling:

10 ounces of canned pumpkin purée

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla 

½ teaspoon of liquid stevia

½ cup powdered stevia

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup heavy cream

Topping:

¾ cup chopped pecans

1 cup almond flour

¼ cup powdered stevia

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

20 drops liquid stevia

½ cup cold butter

Grease a 9-inch square baking pan. Turn your oven on to 350 degrees. 

Put all the filling ingredients in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake it for about 10 minutes.

You can make the topping while the filling is in the oven. Use a paper towel to wipe out the mixing bowl, and you can use it to make the topping. Stir together the pecans, almond flour, stevia, cinnamon, and liquid stevia. Cut the butter into cubes and use a pastry blender to cut it into the dry ingredients. Keep mixing it until the butter is in tiny pieces and evenly distributed in the dry ingredients. The mixture will be a loose crumbly dough. 

When the time is up, remove the baked filling from the oven and sprinkle the topping in an even layer on the top of the filling. Return the dessert to the oven and bake it for 27 to 30 minutes. Let it cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. 

Keto Cranberry Sauce

Cranberries are a traditional part of holiday dinners, but most recipes are loaded with sugar to offset the tartness of the cranberries. This recipe makes a delicious version of the traditional dish in a sugar-free version.

Ingredients: 

12 ounces of fresh cranberries

1 cup stevia or other plant based sweetener

1 cup water

1 cinnamon stick

The zest of an orange

In a small saucepan, simmer the cranberries, stevia, water, orange zest, and cinnamon stick together for about 20 minutes or until the berries have popped. Remove the cinnamon stick, discarding it, and mash the berries with a potato masher. Put the sauce in a dish and cover with an airtight lid. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving. 

Low Carb Blackberry Cobbler

It does get old bringing the “unusual” food to each family gathering. This recipe for Low Carb Blackberry Cobbler is so delicious nobody will realize that it is a low carbohydrate version. 

Ingredients: 

Filling:

1 pound blackberries, fresh or frozen (if frozen, no need to thaw)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

⅓ cup monk fruit sweetener

2 tablespoons gelatin

Cobbler Topping:

1 cup almond flour

¼ cup monk fruit sweetener

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ cup butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease a nine-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl stir together the blackberries, lemon juice, and monk fruit sweetener. Gently sprinkle one tablespoon of the gelatin over the mixture, toss the berries, and then sprinkle the other tablespoon. Don’t just dump the gelatin in the mixture, or it will clump up into unappetizing blobs.

Spread the berries in the bottom of the baking pan.

Wipe out the mixing bowl with a paper towel. Microwave the butter until it is melted. Add the butter and stir. Add the almond flour, sweetener, baking powder and salt. Stir until the mixture is thoroughly combined. It should be rather crumbly and loose. 

Sprinkle the dough topping over the top of the filling in the pan in an even layer. 

Bake the cobbler for about 20 to 30 minutes until the topping is a golden brown color and a bit crispy and the filling is bubbly. Let the cobbler rest for about half an hour before serving. 

Colorful Sheet Pan Roasted Vegetables

Who says that a low carb diet for healthy aging has to be dreary and dull? This recipe for Colorful Sheet Pan Roasted Vegetables will brighten up the table and give you so much flavor to go along with your turkey.

Ingredients: 

1 cup Brussels sprouts

1 cup radishes

1 red pepper

1 yellow pepper

1 yellow squash

1 zucchini

1 teaspoon basil

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Line your sheet pan with parchment paper to make clean up easier. 

Prepare the veggies by washing them well and cutting them into similar bite sized pieces. If you like, you can peel the zucchini and squash. Cut the Brussels sprouts and radishes in halves. 

In a medium-sized bowl, toss all the veggies with the oil, followed by the seasonings. Toss everything well, so it is all evenly coated with seasoning. 

Spread the veggies on the parchment lined baking sheet, drizzling more oil on them if needed. 

Roast veggies for 20 to 30 minutes until they are lightly browned and are just starting to develop some crunchy edges. 

Remove from the oven and serve immediately.