3 Fit Salads for Your Holiday Dinner

One of my favorite things about autumn and winter is the flavors of the season.

From September-December, there’s so much to look forward to: Football and tailgating, casual fall dinner parties all the way to formal holiday gatherings. There’s a lot of fun and a ton of food.

It also happens to be one of the most challenging times of year to stay on track with your diet.

A big issue for people (and many of my personal training clients) this time of year is finding the right medium where occasional indulgence doesn’t turn into a 3-4 month bender of mindless comfort eating.

I’m all about balance. Making positive nutritional choices while staying realistic and still enjoying food. One of my favorite ways to do that is finding tasty ways to enjoy healthy holiday recipes.

In my post How I Dropped 5% Body Fat Over The Holidays, one of my strategies for this time of year is fit fall and winter salads.

I bring them to tailgate parties, casual get-together’s with friends and Thanksgiving and Christmas with family.

So this week, I’m rounding up three of my fit salad recipes guaranteed to please at any of your fall and winter gatherings.

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Roasted Pumpkin & Quinoa Salad

Because who said pumpkins can only go in pies?

This savory pumpkin salad is one of my tried and true salad recipes for fall parties and gatherings. Plus, people will really think you’re creative for doing something with a pumpkin that isn’t a dessert.

Starting the meal with a bowl of salad helps me have a little more self-control so that I don’t over-stuff myself too much as I enjoy all the other great holiday dishes.

This salad is the ultimate flavor combination, tastefully weaving together sweet, sharp and salty components into each craveable bite.

I’ve brought this salad with me to tailgates and Thanksgiving in the past and it’s always been a hit. It also ensures that I will have a healthy leftover to bring home with me so I’m not just living off of fatty or sugary foods the rest of the week.

You can find the full recipe by clicking here.

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Kale & Butternut Squash Super Salad

The key to an awesome salad is knowing how to layer together a variety of textures and flavors to wow people’s taste buds.

This hearty squash salad is no exception. I’ve watched it disappear in a hurry at fall parties and family get-together’s in the past.

It’s simple. Tasteful. And simply overflowing with super-food ingredients.

This salad is jammed with plant-based protein, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, healthy fat, protein and complex carbs.

It’s a fabulous side dish but also great as a vegetarian main course lunch or dinner (vegan friendly if you nix the cheese). You can enjoy it in a bowl or stuffed into a slice of pita bread or whole wheat wrap.

You can find the full recipe by clicking here.

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Apple Pecan Salad

If you haven’t been pairing crisp, juicy apples with crunchy pecans and goat cheese, you haven’t truly been living.

It’s sweet. It’s salty. It’s nutty and cheesy and magnificent. It belongs on your fork and in your heart.

This is one of my favorite bright and fruity salads. I’ve brought it with me everywhere from fall football parties to Thanksgiving dinner.

I like either a very sweet or slightly tart apple in my salads. It packs just the right kind of zing wake up those taste buds and shake some life into that palate.

If you don’t have Honey Crisp apples on hand, a Fuji or Gala apple will kindly suffice (maybe a Granny Smith if you’re a big fan of tartness).

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 Honey Crisp apples, cored and chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 3-4 cups of kale, very finely chopped (can substitute romaine lettuce)
• 1 Cup pecans, chopped
• 1 Cup of dried cranberries
• 1 Cup Tablespoons crumbled goat cheese
• Your favorite light vinaigrette dressing

Okay, are you ready for this? I hope you are. It honestly takes years of culinary training, rigid focus and possibly the comfort of an emotional support animal to master this kind of a recipe. Here we go.

Pour the kale into a large bowl. Layer over it with the chopped apples, pecans, cranberries, and goat cheese. Drizzle over everything with the vinaigrette and enjoy. (Hug your emotional support animal between steps as needed.)

If you’re preparing the day before a dinner or get together, hold off on adding the nuts, cheese, and dressing until right before serving. You can also consider setting these components in small dishes on the side so that guests can add nuts and cheese as needed, just in case anyone has a food allergy or sensitivity.

Substations and Additions

• All three of these salads have a kale base. If you’re not a fan of kale, feel free to swap in lettuce, arugula, or even a mixture of all three!
• Going vegan? You can skip the cheese or swap it with a vegan cheese!
• All of these are great as a side dish, but you can also enjoy them as an entree! I add in a more substantial protein component (like some grilled chicken) to enjoy it as a complete meal!

Happy fall feasting!

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Related Salad Recipes:

• 3 Healthy Holiday Salads
• Kale and Squash Super Salad

Related Pumpkin Recipes:

• Savory Southwest Pumpkin Soup
• Kodiak Pumpkin Protein Muffins
• Pumpkin Smoothie Recipe
• 4 Pumpkin Recipes for Holiday Meal Prepping

• Savory Squash Soup
• Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
• Easy Spaghetti Squash
• Southernly Savory Roasted Onions

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All writing and images copyright © 2018 Rachel Elise Weems Woods

Originally published 11-20-18. Updated 10-28-2020.