Our KLN coaches love holiday food, and we don’t believe you have to sacrifice your favorite holiday flavors to support your nutrition goals. We’re sharing a few of our favorite dishes to bring to the table: Jilda’s creamy mashed potatoes, Maria’s crunchy Brussels sprout salad, and Diana’s cranberry-balsamic turkey meatballs.
With a side, a salad, and a protein option, there’s something here for your next holiday potluck or family gathering. These are dishes we look forward to eating and sharing, and we hope you’ll enjoy them as much as we do!
Jilda’s Easiest Mashed Potatoes
Mashed potatoes are one of the easiest holiday side dishes to make macro-friendly without compromising taste or texture, leaving room in your macro “budget” for what’s better left rich and decadent! They also don’t need “healthifying” as they’re already packed with micronutrients and a surprising amount of fiber!
PREP TIME: 5 minutes || COOK TIME: 25 minutes || Makes 8 servings
Ingredients
3 lb Yukon Gold potatoes
~1 cup (plus more if needed to achieve desired mashed potato consistency) unsweetened plant-based milk of choice (I used Silk brand’s unsweetened cashew milk due to its creaminess)
30 g unsalted butter (or plant-based alternative), sliced into several pieces
~10 g chives, finely chopped
Salt, pepper, and garlic powder
Instructions
Clean and cut the potatoes. Rinse and scrub potatoes thoroughly under running water. Use a knife to either halve or quarter your potatoes, depending on their size. Place in a large pot and fill with water, submerging potatoes entirely by at least 2 inches.
Boil potatoes. Place your pot on a stovetop burner set to high heat and, once boiling, cook for 15-20 minutes* or until potatoes feel soft throughout when pierced with a fork. *Time will vary depending on size of potato pieces and could be a bit shorter or longer.
Gather additional ingredients. While potatoes are boiling, chop chives, measure out milk and butter, and have seasonings handy.
Drain potatoes. Once the potatoes have finished cooking, use a large colander in your kitchen sink to strain them, then put potatoes back into the pot and return to the stovetop.
Mash potatoes. With burner set to low, begin to mash potatoes with a manual masher. Once a rough consistency, gradually add in milk, mashing strategically* between pours. Once milk has been fully incorporated, add in slices of butter, chives, and seasonings to taste, using a spoon to incorporate throughout. At this point, your potatoes will likely be mostly creamy with some lumps: this is my personal ideal mashed potato consistency, but if you like yours completely smooth, mash until you achieve that! *The goal in mashing between pours is to make sure you’re achieving the consistency you want and not overworking your potatoes if you want some texture to them. You can always mash more, but you can’t take back mashes!
Serve. Serve immediately, or follow the make-ahead guidance below if preparing in advance.
MACROS PER 200 g SERVING: 3P/28C/4F (150 cal, 4 g fiber)
Maria’s Brussels Sprout Salad
This is one of my favorite go to side salads during the holidays. It’s easy and there are so many variations to it. I enjoy the sweet, salty and crunchy from the ingredients. It is veggie forward and packs 4 g of fiber!
PREP TIME: 10 minutes || COOK TIME: About 5 minutes, if crisping cooked bacon || Makes ~10 servings
Ingredients
Salad
1 lb Brussels sprouts
90 g cooked bacon
75 g pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
200 g red apple
100 g Medjool dates (pitted)
100 g Parmesan cheese
Dressing
57 g extra-virgin olive oil
20 g pure maple syrup
15 g fresh lemon juice
5 g Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Make the dressing. Mix all the ingredients in a mason jar and shake vigorously. Put in the refrigerator to chill.
Crisp the bacon. The ingredient amount is for cooked bacon. If it needs crisping, warm it in a skillet until crispy enough to crumble. If starting with raw bacon, cook according to the package directions, then weigh out 90 g of cooked bacon.
Prep the salad ingredients. Rinse the Brussels sprouts and trim off the stems. Thinly slice them using a food processor fitted with a slicing disc, a mandoline with its hand guard, or a sharp knife to create a shredded, slaw-like texture. Chop the apple into 1/2-inch pieces. Chop the dates in half.
Assemble the salad. Mix the Brussels sprouts, dates, cooked bacon, apples and pumpkin seeds in a bowl. Toss with the dressing and finish with the Parmesan cheese.
MACROS PER SERVING: 9P/22C/15F (250 calories, 4 g fiber)
Diana’s Cranberry-Balsamic Turkey Meatballs
Heading to a holiday party and bringing your protein with you never looked (or tasted!) so good! These meatballs are easy to whip up in an hour and if you have extra time, you could even double the recipe and make some for your weekly meal prep!
PREP TIME: 20 minutes || COOK TIME: 30 minutes || Makes 24 meatballs
Ingredients
Meatballs
1½ lb 93% lean ground turkey
80 g finely chopped onion
8 g garlic, minced
30 g finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
15 g fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
Cranberry-Balsamic Glaze
75 g fresh or frozen cranberries
60 g balsamic vinegar
20 g maple syrup
120 g chicken broth
15 g Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp orange zest
Pinch of salt
Instructions
Preheat the oven. Heat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
Make the mix. Gently combine all meatball ingredients until just mixed. Avoid overworking the turkey.
Prep the meatballs. Divide the mixture into 24 meatballs, approximately 32 g each, and place on the baking sheet. Bake for 15–18 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Make the glaze. While the meatballs are cooking, add the cranberries, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, chicken broth, Dijon mustard, orange zest, and salt to a small saucepan. Simmer over medium-low heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries burst and the glaze thickens.
Final steps. Toss the cooked meatballs with the glaze or spoon the glaze over them before serving. Could also serve the glaze on the side. Garnish with additional parsley and orange zest if desired.
MACROS PER SERVING (3 meatballs + sauce): 23P/9F/6C (188 calories)
PRO-TIP: If you’re really tight for time, you could also use frozen turkey meatballs from Trader Joe’s and make the sauce!
Can you make these ahead
Yes! All three dishes have options for getting a head start before your holiday gathering.
Mashed potatoes: Make them a day ahead. Transfer to shallow, covered containers and refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking; use within 3–4 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until they reach 165°F throughout, stirring for even heating. Add a little milk and/or butter if they seem dry, taking those additions into consideration when accounting for macros.
Brussels sprout salad: Prep the Brussels sprouts and dressing a day ahead and refrigerate separately in covered containers. Keep the bacon, pumpkin seeds, and Parmesan separate, and chop the apple shortly before serving. Combine everything and toss with the dressing when you’re ready to eat for the best crunch!
Turkey meatballs: Cook the meatballs and make the glaze a day ahead. Store separately in shallow, covered containers and refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking; use within 3–4 days. Reheat the meatballs and glaze to 165°F before serving, then toss together.
Want more practical nutrition support?
For more recipes and practical nutrition support through the holidays, sign up for my weekly email where I share a little coaching in your inbox every Friday.
Kate Lyman
Leader, nutrition educator, and former chronic dieter helping clients rebuild their relationship with food, escape the cycle of yo-yo dieting for good, and cut through the overwhelm of nutrition misinformation.
Find the coach whose experience, personality, and coaching style suits you best.
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Holiday food is something our KLN coaches look forward to, too. These easy, healthy recipes bring plenty of holiday flavor to your next gathering: creamy mashed potatoes, crunchy Brussels sprout salad, and cranberry-balsamic turkey meatballs. Get the recipes and make-ahead tips, plus a shortcut for when you’re short on time.