Diagnosis Specific Holiday Recipes Your Whole Family Can Enjoy

Tis’ the season for temptation! For many people, maintaining a healthy diet can be difficult during the holiday season.

During the holidays, people likely are attending parties and functions, both of which that are bound to have holiday treats! Delicacies and delicious snacks may seem enjoyable, but they can actually set you back if you have a particular illness or disease and have specific dietary needs.  The holiday season should not be used as an excuse to splurge on desserts, fatty foods or anything outside of your prescribed diet.

We have compiled a list of healthy recipes for diagnosis specific needs through our Whole 24™ Volume 2 diagnosis specific cookbook!

Take a look at our delicious and nutritious recipes below!

Brown Sugar Salmon for Osteoporosis

Ready in 15 minutes
Serves 4 people

Ingredients

• 15 oz canned pink salmon, drained
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 1 tbsp ginger
• ? cup orange juice
• ½ tsp minced garlic
• ¼ cup chopped onion
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 ¾ cups whole-wheat breadcrumbs

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or rub down with vegetable oil.
• Heat 1 ½ teaspoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and ginger. When onion starts to caramelize, add orange juice.
• Place salmon in a medium bowl. Remove any bones or skin. Add egg and mix well. Add ginger mixture and bread crumbs.
• Shape salmon into 8 patties.
• Heat the rest of the oil on the skillet over medium-high heat. Place 4 patties at a time on the skillet and let cook for 2-3 minutes, or until golden.
• Place the partially cooked patties on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining patties.
• Place baking sheet in oven and cook the patties until golden on top, another 2-3 minutes.
• Serve with brown rice and bok choy.

Tips

Canned salmon is used here as the bones provide extra calcium to the fish. Make sure to remove the bones prior to eating!

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Lemon and Sage Chicken for Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Ready in 35 minutes
Serves 4 people

Ingredients

• 4 6-oz chicken breasts, with skin and bones
• 1 medium lemon, cut into 8 slices
• 5 tsp lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 4 tbsp dried sage
• ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Under the skin of each chicken breast, rub sage and garlic. Place two lemon slices under the skin of each breast.
• Place chicken on rimmed baking sheet or baking dish. Pour ½ cup of broth. Crack some pepper over the top.
• Cook for about 25 minutes, basting with chicken juices every so often.
• Remove from oven, discard skin and lemon slices. Serve with vegetable of choice. This dish pairs well with wild rice.

Tips

Once I found out about sage and lemon, my world was forever changed. It is one of the most flavorful things one can do for chicken.

Herb Pork Loin with Roasted Baby Potatoes for Gout

Ready in 10 minutes
Serves 4 people

Ingredients

Herbed Pork Loin

• 1 – 1 ½ lb pork tenderloins
• 2 stalks of fresh rosemary
• 3 sprigs of thyme
• Zest of 1 lemon
• ¼ tsp pepper
• ? tsp salt
• ¼ cup light olive oil or avocado oil

Roasted Potatoes

• 1 lb multi-color baby potatoes
• ½ tbsp dried rosemary
• ½ tsp multi-colored or black pepper
• ? cup light olive oil or avocado oil

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 475°F.
• Roast potatoes for 25-30 minutes, or until browned, turning once in between.
• Strip rosemary and thyme from their respective stems and place into a food processor. Add salt, pepper, lemon zest and garlic.
• With the lid on, start the motor to mix; slowly pour in oil.
• When well combined, rub onto pork loins to coat.
• Put the pork in the oven and cook for 10 minutes, flip the meat with tongs, then cook for another 8 minutes.
• When the internal temperature of the pork reaches 155°F, remove from oven, cover with foil, and let rest for about 10 minutes.
• Serve 6 oz of pork with ½ to ¾ cup potatoes, depending on your carbohydrate serving size needs.
• Don’t forget to add your favorite green vegetable to your plate!

Tips

Light olive oil and avocado oil have especially high smoke points (the temperature at which a substance smokes), with avocado oil at 520°F. Choosing the right oil for different temperatures is important in maintaining the benefits of plant oils and reducing the risk of creating free radicals.

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Chickpea Teriyaki with Stir-Fry Vegetables for Depression

Ready in 15-20 minutes
Serves 4 people

Ingredients

• 2 15-oz cans low sodium chickpeas
• ½ cup lowest sodium teriyaki sauce available
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium piece ginger, peeled and grated
• 4 baby bok choy
• ¾ cup carrot coins
• ¾ cup broccoli florets
• ½ medium red onion, roughly chopped
• 12 oz sliced cremini mushrooms
• 6 oz baby corn
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds

Preparation

• Drain and rinse chickpeas.
• Heat a medium-sized pan to medium-high. When hot, add chickpeas. Stir frequently to keep from burning.
• In a wok or large pan, add broccoli and carrots. Cook for about 3-4 minutes.
• Add in onion, ginger, and garlic. Mix well. Cook until onion begins to turn translucent.
• Finally, add the mushrooms and baby corn. Stir to evenly distribute vegetables.
• Remove chickpeas from heat. Allow pan to cool slightly before adding teriyaki sauce.
• Mix teriyaki sauce and chickpeas, then pour mixture into vegetable wok/pan. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Serve with favorite grain.

Tips

Chickpeas are rich in tryptophan, the precursor to serotonin. Serotonin is a “feel good” hormone that elevates mood and improves sleep.

During the holiday season, we encourage you to seek out healthy alternatives that can allow you to participate in the holiday celebrations, without giving into the temptation of the unhealthy treats. We recommend either bringing your own foods or treats or eating before going to these events to ensure that you will be able to resist temptation once you are there. Healthy alternatives include, but are not limited to:

• Swapping fruit for candy! Try eating strawberries or blackberries instead of candy – delicious, nutritious and sweet!
• Eat more vegetables during your meals, such as leafy greens or corn.
• Eat more protein! Protein will fill you up and allow you to resist temptation

The holiday season is meant to be enjoyed and celebrated. When you have very sensitive dietary needs, it is important to speak with your doctor regarding holiday treats and snacks. We recommend creating a plan with your doctor one or two months before the holidays, giving yourself plenty of time to prepare! Happy holidays!