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3 Essential Holiday Tips, Plus Gluten-Free Stuffing Recipe

Baking pan filled with roasted vegetables, including cauliflower, carrots and onions, with herbs. Text overlay reads “Quick & Delish Thanksgiving Stuffing”.

Beauty Buzz/Blog Biz | 3 Essential Holiday Tips, Plus Gluten-Free Stuffing Recipe

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Fall is here, and I’m here to guide you with some holiday wellness tips & strategies for feeling your best, as well as one of my favorite recipes!

#1 Let your favorite holiday dishes inspire you

As a registered dietitian nutritionist, I don’t believe in restrictive eating or restrictive diets. 

Instead, I want to encourage you to identify the holidays that are most important to you and the food items that are most important to you, whether those recipes bring back comforting memories or whether they’re simply tasty!

#2 You’re the boss of you!

I also want to remind you that you’re in control! 

As you’re socializing and spending quality time with friends and family, you can absolutely still focus on what’s meaningful for your health and your own meal planning strategies. If you’re going to potlucks, remember to bring a dish that is a balanced meal. This will give you comfort knowing that you have a balanced “foundation” at that meal. 

Tip: A balanced meal consists of plant-based or animal protein, carbohydrates with fiber and energy, and non-starchy vegetables. Regularly eating balanced meals is nourishing and helps you sustain energy, keeping your blood sugar even. Win-win!

#3 Focus on your purpose, and giving back

It’s an awesome time to remember how you want to enjoy the holidays, whether it’s spending time with loved ones, whether family or chosen family, or volunteering in our communities. Our gifts don’t need to be material items. We can focus on gratitude, and find ways to pay it forward!

And now, here’s one of my all-time favorite recipes, to grace your holiday table this year!

Gluten-Free Stuffing with Roasted Veggies & Cauliflower (without Bread)

3 Essential Holiday Tips, Plus Gluten-Free Stuffing Recipe: Baking pan filled with roasted vegetables, including cauliflower, carrots and onions, with herbs. Text overlay reads “Quick & Delish Thanksgiving Stuffing”.

​​This delicious stuffing is all veggies, without bread, and it’s also featured on my YouTube channel. It’s a super tasty dish, great with any meal, and an excellent gluten-free option to share with friends and family who avoid gluten.

Over the holidays, the average American gains 4-7 pounds. Healthy dishes like this veggie-filled stuffing can help you get through the day feeling energized! 

Ingredients:

  • 1 large head of Cauliflower, cut into florets
  • 2 cups diced Celery (about 6 stalks)
  • 2 cups diced Carrots (about 1 lb)
  • 2 cups diced Onions (about 2 medium onions)
  • 6-8 cloves Garlic, minced 
  • 1-2 teaspoon fresh or dried Thyme 
  • 2 teaspoons of oil, such as Olive Oil, plus more to spray on your roasting vegetables.
  • Salt & Pepper, to taste

Instructions:

  1. Prepare all your diced/minced veggies.
  2. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  3. Spray a large sheet pan with oil. (Alternatively, place parchment paper on the sheet pan, then spray the parchment with oil.)
  4. Spread cauliflower on the pan.
  5. Add freshly ground black pepper, sea salt & some thyme over the cauliflower. Spray or drizzle a bit more oil on top of the cauliflower.
  6. Roast cauliflower in the oven at 375°F for 25-45 minutes, or until it is caramelized (browned).
  7. At this point you have an option to either roast your remaining vegetables on a second sheet pan, or sauté them. (If you’re roasting these veggies, cut them into larger chunks). If you’re roasting them, follow the same instructions as the cauliflower, and roast for 25-45 minutes, until caramelized and soft.
  8. If sautéing your remaining vegetables… 
    1. In a large saucepan or soup pot, add 2 teaspoons of oil.
    2. Add 2 cups each of onions, carrots, and celery. Add freshly ground black pepper & sea salt, and 1 teaspoon dried thyme, and stir.
    3. Cook on low/medium, covered, until soft, stirring occasionally. 
    4. Add 6-8 cloves of minced garlic, and stir, continuing to cook for a few minutes.
  1. Finally, add roasted cauliflower and carrot/celery mixture together in the soup pot or in a large bowl. Toss to combine, and serve!

To learn about creating your individualized meal planning strategy, schedule a free one-on-one Nutrition for Wellness Strategy Session. Or, check out my upcoming meal planning workshops for meal planning guidance.

Cheers to your health,

By Alicia Connor, MA RDN & Chef

Author Bio:

Alicia Connor a pretty brunette with short-cropped hair wearing a denim jacket with a white tee.
Alicia Connor

Alicia Connor is a registered dietitian nutritionist and chef who lives in San Francisco. She is passionate about healthy cooking, with a focus on simplifying meal planning and making healthy eating easier. Alicia built a successful career as a chef, working at one of the top restaurants in San Francisco. But as her vision declined due to a hereditary condition, she decided to focus on a career with longevity and returned to school to become a dietitian.

In her current role as a registered dietitian nutritionist and chef, she is always passionately working towards peoples’ health. In February 2019, she founded Quick & Delish, a video cooking series on YouTube, where she presents easy recipes with minimal steps, for flavorful, balanced meals. She’s writing an e-cookbook and gives virtual meal planning workshops year-round. And she works with clients one-on-one to build good habits, simplify meal planning, and create an actionable plan to meet their health goals. You can read more about her passion for health in Today’s Dietitian. 

Image Descriptions:

  • The header and image within the article are identical. Baking pan filled with roasted vegetables, including cauliflower, carrots and onions, with herbs. Text overlay reads “Quick & Delish Thanksgiving Stuffing”.
  • The author’s bio photo is an upper-body shot of Alicia Connor a pretty brunette with short-cropped hair wearing a denim jacket with a white tee.
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