We are so blessed to have such an amazing Nutrition Factors Family that we can’t even begin to measure our gratitude! We want to express our sincerest appreciation to you for being part of our Factors Family. Thank you for being part of our recipe sharing, healthy and yummy food advocating, fantastic Factors Family! We love that our nutrition and wellness platform does what food does best, bring people together. That’s why we chose to show how much we appreciate our BIG, diverse Factors Family by sharing recipes from various holidays. We hope to bring our Factors Family together and spotlight some of the best dishes from Hanukkah to Kwanzaa.

Happy Hanukkah

Hanukkah or Chanukah means “dedication” and is a festival of lights that spans over eight days starting on the 25th of Kislev, the 9th month of the Hebrew Calender. The following video by BimBam gives a wonderful overview of the holiday and touches on some of the foods associated with the holiday:

As mentioned in the video some of the foods associated with Hanukkah may not be the best for your diet so in addition to a traditional Latkes recipe we’ve also included our Cauliflower Garlic Hashbrowns. This recipe is by no means is traditional, but has a similar flavor to Latkes with less oil and is a great way to sneak in some extra servings of vegetables this holiday season. So if you’re “dedicating” yourself to a healthier diet this Hanukkah, you may want to give the Cauliflower Garlic Hashbrowns a shot. We think they’ll become a household favorite like they are in our family!

Latkes

1 bag of shredded potatoes, defrosted (if you want to grate your own russet potatoes are best for Latkes)
1/2 large white onion
2 eggs
2 tbsp matzo meal
1/2 tbsp potato starch
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup vegetable oil for frying

Open the bag of defrosted shredded potatoes into a large bowl. Finely dice 1/2 of an onion and add to the potatoes along with eggs, matzo meal, potato starch, salt, and pepper. Stir until all ingredients are combined.

In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Once the oil is hot enough for frying, scoop a big spoonful out of the potato mixture and carefully place into the oil. Only cook 3 to 4 latkes at a time. The latkes shouldn’t be big like hash browns and they are hard to flip when you cook too many at once so keep in mind the size and the quantity you’re making your first batch. Cook for about 3 minutes or until golden brown then flip to cook the latkes on the other side. Once cooked thoroughly place on a plate covered with paper towels to absorb any excess oil. Serve with a spoonful of applesauce and a dollop of sour cream. Thankfully Mazel Tov means both congratulations and good luck; so we want to say Mazel Tov to wish your luck in making your latkes as well as congratulate you because we know they’re going to be delicious!

Cauliflower Garlic Hashbrowns

These low carb, paleo cauliflower garlic hashbrowns have a similar taste to the Hanukkah classic latkes with just as much flavor but fewer Calories. We’re sure these would taste great served with a dollop of sour cream too!

INGREDIENTS:
Serves 2
1/2 med head of cauliflower
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tbsp minced onion or 1/4 tsp. onion powder
1 dash parsley
1 large egg (beaten)
Fresh cracked pepper and salt
1 tbsp olive oil

DIRECTIONS:
1.  Wash and grate cauliflower (or place in a food processor).

2.  In a bowl, combine cauliflower, beaten egg, and seasonings.

3.  Cook cauliflower mixture on a lightly oiled skillet pan (turning once to cook both sides) until golden brown.

Three Kings Day or Dia de Los Tres Reyes

We’ll be the first to admit tamales are hard work, and even if we wrote a recipe, it still wouldn’t be as good as your Abuela’s, so thankfully there are many other ways to celebrate the three kings that visited the baby Jesus. One of the less time-consuming Tree Kings Day traditions is picking up a Rosca de Reyes at your local panadería. Rosca de Reyes is an oval shaped cake topped with candied fruits with a trinket of a little baby Jesus hidden inside. Depending on whom you celebrate with, finding the baby Jesus could mean that you’re in charge of bringing the Rosca de Reyes to next year’s celebration, get to host the next get-together, or are blessed with luck in the coming year.

Happy Kwanzaa

Every day of Kwanzaa a different value or characteristic is celebrated, from unity to faith. On the last day of Kwanzaa, a Karamu, an African feast is held. One of this feast’s staple side dishes is Okra and Greens. Okra is packed with just as many nutrients as it has soul. This pod vegetable notorious in Creole soul food contains vitamin K which is important in blood coagulation, as well as containing vitamin C, which supports a healthy immune system. Okra also has folate (vitamin B9) which plays a role in red blood cell development and thiamin (vitamin B1) which is important in metabolic reactions. It also contains dietary fiber, which is beneficial to gastrointestinal health, improves satiety, and stabilizes blood sugar. To learn more about okra, check out our Nutrition Factors Library.

There are many ways to make Okra and Greens, but here’s the way we’ve learned to make it:

Okra & Greens

 

INGREDIENTS:
Serves 4
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion diced
1 cup diced okra
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
A dash of salt and pepper
1 lbs collard greens

DIRECTIONS:
In a pot drizzle oil and sautee onions. Once onions are caramelized add okra, collard greens, a dash of cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper then stir. Add in chicken stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer until the liquid is cooked out and the okra and greens are soft.

St. Lucia Day

This Scandinavian holiday lights up the darkest time of the year with candles, sweetbreads, and family traditions. The holiday was originally dedicated to St. Lucia or Syracuse, Sicily, a young woman Christian martyr.  In contrast to Christmas, for this holiday, the children wake up and prepare gifts for their parents. The oldest daughter will wear a white robe to portray St. Lucia. She will wear a crown of candles and carry a tray of saffron bread, coffee, and cookies to her parents. One of our favorite St. Lucia Day treats is traditional St. Lucis Day cookies which definitely light up the faces of those you share them with!

 St. Lucia Swedish Cookies

INGREDIENTS:
Serves 10
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter
2 egg yolks
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup shelled pecans, halved

DIRECTIONS:
Cream the butter and the sugar. Once fluffy, add the egg yolks, vanilla, and almond extract. Mix well. Once ingredients are incorporated add flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. When all ingredients are combined chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Roll the dough into small balls and place on a baking sheet. Take a pecan half and press one into the center of the ball of dough. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Place on a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

Merry Christmas

From Nativities to presents under the tree, there are so many traditions involved with Christmas but no matter how you celebrate, you’ll love this cocoa for two recipe. This Candy Cane Cocoa Recipe for two will make you want to curl up and cuddle! Each sip of this delightful, cozy and creamy white chocolate treat with peppermint twist will warm you up. Make sure to make it on the Nice List by sharing this recipe with your friends! We’ve altered the recipe below to be a little healthier so we don’t get put on the naughty list but to view more details on the original recipe and Nutrition Factors, CLICK HERE

White Hot Chocolate with Candy Canes

INGREDIENTS:
3 candy canes
1 tsp coconut oil
2 tbsp white chocolate chips
1 cup water
2 cups almond milk
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tbsp white chocolate cocoa mix

DIRECTIONS:
Unwrap 1 of the candy canes and place in a food processor. Pulse until the candy cane is broken up into small pieces. Pour the pieces onto a plate.
Place coconut oil and white chocolate chips in a wide but shallow dish. Cook in the microwave for 15 seconds then with a fork whisk to combine ingredients. If the chocolate chips are not melted fully cook for an addition 15 minutes. Dip the tops of two mugs in the melted chocolate. While the chocolate is still warm dip the mugs into the candy cane crumbs to coat the rims of the mug. Place the mugs in the refrigerator.
In a pot over medium-low heat warm almond milk, vanilla, and water. Do not bring to a boil but just warm even to enjoy. Remove from heat and stir in the white hot chocolate mix.
Unwrap the remaining two candy canes and place one in each mug. Pour the white hot chocolate into the mugs. Stir with the candy canes.

 

Once again, thank you for being part of our Factors Family. We hope that your holidays are filled with meals that matter and memories you’ll cherish all year round. We understand that with the holidays your schedule is stuffed with service, shopping, events, cooking, and traditions of your own. Thank you for taking a moment to celebrate the season with us and don’t forget to gift yourself and your body the time, nutrients, and fun you deserve.

Until next year, Happy Eating and Happy Holidays,

Nutrition Factors