Christmas is such a wonderful holiday, from opening up presents in the morning to the big Christmas dinner at night.

However, if you hosted Christmas this year, then you may be currently looking at a mountain of leftovers right now. Sure, you can just eat your Christmas leftovers as is for every day until New Year’s day. However, that would get awfully boring. Instead, re-purpose all those leftovers and make some Christmas leftovers recipes that please the palate.

Our Top 10 Christmas Leftovers Ideas:

Leftover Turkey Recipes: The big roast bird remains a popular choice for Christmas dinner. After all, nothing wows a holiday dinner table quite like a beautifully roasted bird. Turkeys though can yield an awful lot of meat, usually too much for everyone to consume in one meal. Turkey sandwiches are the staple leftover turkey recipes, but why not mix things up a bit this year? For variety, here are five of our our best Christmas leftovers recipes for turkey:

1. Creamy Turkey Soup
2. Tetrazzini with Leftover Turkey 
3. Monte Cristo Baked Sandwich
4. Southwest Turkey and Cheese Omelet
5. Baked Turkey Biscuit

Leftover Ham Recipes: Ham, to me, has always been the quintessential Christmas dinner option. I will always envision the perfect Christmas supper table with a big ham in the middle. Just like with turkey though, you may end up with more ham than you bargained for in your fridge after Christmas. Here are five great leftover ham recipes to help you use up all of your Christmas ham:

1. Ham and Shrimp Fried Rice
2. Make Ahead Breakfast Casserole
3. Ham and Cheese Stromboli
4. Easy Breakfast Frittata
5. Ham and Egg Breakfast Muffin

Your turn: How do you deal with Christmas leftovers?

For the December version of This Month’s Healthy Bite, I asked, “What are your favorite Christmas cookie recipes?” We got some absolutely fantastic answers,  so be sure to check them all out:

From Lisa, Allergy Free Vintage Cookery:

My very favorite Christmas cookie is Coconut Date Balls. My mother used to make these for us at Christmastime from a recipe passed down from her aunt. They’re so simple to put together, and they taste so decadent and rich! As a bonus, they’re also gluten free, casein free, and egg free.

From Chiara, The Wandering Cook:

My favorite Christmas cookies are Brunsli, little chocolate dough balls similar to truffles. They are baked for the whole month of December in Switzerland, where I now live, and they are the perfect chocolatey treat!

From Carrie, Carrie’s Experimental Kitchen:

My favorite are Italian Sesame Cookies

From Raymund, Ang Sarap:

I would like to see a White Chocolate, Macadamia and Cranberry Chewy Cookie. I had tried this when I was in Malaysia and it tastes so divine.

From Alisa, Alisa Cooks and Go Dairy Free:

Well, I don’t really have one favorite, since cookies are my favorite dessert (too hard to choose!), but these are some cookies that I’m loving now – http://www.godairyfree.org/Recipes/Dairy-Free-Desserts/Cinn-ful-Sweet-Potato-Cookies.html

From Jennifer, Savory Simple:

These are my favorite cookies and I’m planning to make them for Christmas this year: http://savorysimple.net/2011/10/16/pistachio-cardamom-cookies/

From Lisa, Lisa’s Kitchen:

My favorite Christmas Cookie are these Rum Balls. I made these rum balls a few years back for a Christmas treat and have made them every Christmas since. They are somewhat like truffles, only stronger in taste because of the rum. Yum! I suggest you use a nice dark Jamaican rum for this recipe.

From Jackie, Jackie’s Kitchen:

For me, cookies are synonymous with the holidays and vice versa. My mother would bake tins upon tins of various types of cookies, which we’d enjoy with each gathering. One of my favorite varieties among the mix was a German spice cookie that was rich in flavor, more sophisticated than the everyday chocolate chip or oatmeal cookie, and it was certainly less sweet. Particularly inviting was the white powdered-sugar coating on each cookie, which complemented the wintery Northeast weather. These cookies were so special that they were not presented on the same plate as the other cookies, but their own “snowman” plate, which was is an adorable white ceramic plate with a snowman on the edge. My father would liken the cookies to the snowman’s little snowballs.

It’s been several years since I’ve been “allowed” to enjoy these cookies given my gluten-free dietary requirement. But this year, I’ve undertaken the task of making a gluten-free version with incredible success so these can now stay my favorite holiday cookies: http://visualcookbook.blogspot.com/2011/11/pfeffernusse-german-spice-cookies.html.

Happy Holidays!

From Kalyn, Kalyn’s Kitchen:

Five Delicious Sugar-Free and Flourless Cookies to Bake for Christmas:

Flourless Sugar-Free Pistachio Cookies

Sugar-Free and Gluten-Free Triple Almond Cookies

Sugar-Free and Flourless Chocolate and Oatmeal Cluster Cookies

Flourless, Sugar-Free Peanut Butter Cookies

Sugar-Free and Gluten-Free Cookies with Almond and Flaxseed Meal

From Lindsay, The Lean Green Bean:

I love Toffee Graham Cracker Squares, Blackberry Oatmeal Bars & Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cookies.

From Roni, GreenLiteBites:

I love trying to make holiday cookies just a little bit healthier and I’ve successfully done it 3 times (after many, many failures. I can assure you!) Most recently I mastered a Less Sugar-Sugar Cookie that my son and I had a blast decorating. Click here for the recipe. My second favorite are these fun Molasses Cookie Balls which have that awesome rolled in sugar look. Click here for the recipe. Finally a fun Chocolate Walnut cookies that are heaven right out of the over. Heaven. Click here for the recipe.

From Erin, Girl Gone Veggie:

Snowballs:

Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies:

From Sonia, The Healthy Foodie:

I recently came up with this Cranberry Orange Oatmeal Cookie recipe. This will, undoubtedly, become a new Christmas classic in this household. They are super moist, surprisingly sweet despite containing no added sugar whatsoever, and come out of the oven nice and golden brown as well as slightly crispy on the exterior. Gorgeous!

From Chloe, LightOnMyFeet:

My favorite Christmas cookies are snowballs! You can find the recipe on my blog here: http://feelinlightonmyfeet.wordpress.com/2011/12/16/snowballs/

I love them because they’re everything you’d want in a Christmas cookie! Sugary, buttery, and nutty. They’re so festive and always bring back some great Christmas memories!

From Jamie, Thrifty Veggie Mama:

One of my favorite Christmas cookies is peanut butter sandwiched between two Ritz crackers and dipped in chocolate. They are super easy to make, only use three ingredients, don’t require baking, and are delicious!

Thanks to everyone for all the fun responses!

Answer the next This Month’s Healthy Bite question: What are your favorite weeknight dinner recipes? Email us your answer or just simply comment on this blog post, and we’ll publish your answers and link to your blog at the end of the month. Got some blogger friends who would like us to link to them too? Ask them to answer This Month’s Healthy Bite too!

The holiday season might be one for tidings of good cheer, but it can also mean parties, gatherings and rich meals laden in calories, fat and carbohydrates. Regardless of which seasonal holiday you observe, all of the festive food available can make it challenging to stick to your healthy eating routine.

Some reports suggest that Americans put on half of our annual weight gain between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. Whether you like to indulge in Christmas cookies, Hanukkah gelt or decadent desserts in honor of Kwanzaa, indulge in lighter versions of your favorite holiday meals, snacks and treats to keep from piling on the pounds.

Christmas:

Menu 1

Breakfast:  Spinach, Feta and Roasted Red Pepper Fritatta, Apple Sausage Patties, Fresh Fruit

Lunch: Curried Chicken & Grape Salad over Greens

Dinner: Apricot Citrus Stuffed Ham, Vegetable Based Stuffing, Homemade Green Bean Casserole

Snacks: Cheese Ball, Cranberry Multi-Grain Bread, Holiday Orange Almonds, Nog Shake

Menu 2

Breakfast: Cinnamon Sticky Buns, Fresh Fruit

Lunch: Garden Tuna Pita, Baby Carrots

Dinner: Rib Roast of Beef, Healthier Creamed Spinach

Snacks: Almost Traditional Fruit Cake, Ginger Nut Pear Scones, Cranberry Mimosas

Hanukkah

Menu 1
Breakfast: No-Fry Donuts, Banana Flax Smoothie

Lunch: Golden Split Pea Soup, slice of whole-grain baguette or Italian bread

Dinner: Pot Roast, Honey Glazed Carrots, Cheese Blintzes

Snacks: Winter Granola with ½ cup low-fat Greek yogurt, Hot Chocolate

Menu 2:

Breakfast: “Lox of Muscle” Crisps, Crustless Quiche

Lunch: Quinoa and Turkey Lettuce Wraps, Fresh Fruit

Dinner: Lemon Roasted Chicken, Perfect Potato Pancakes, Low-Sugar Cranberry Applesauce, Apple Carrot Salad

Snacks: Apple Raisin Rice Pudding, Ginger Cookies

Kwanzaa

Menu 1

Breakfast: Tasty Almond Strata

Lunch: Toasted Quinoa, Chicken, Corn and Avocado Salad

Dinner: Grilled Moroccan Pork Tenderloin, Pumpkin Polenta, Pepper Steamed Kale

Snacks: Golden Raisin Rice Pudding, Carrot Hummus with Pita Chips, Corn Muffin

Menu 2

Breakfast: Breakfast Sticky Buns

Lunch: Black Bean & Sweet Potato Burger, Kale Chips

Dinner: Moroccan Chicken, Roasted Root Vegetable Salad, Couscous with Chickpeas Dried Fruit & Cilantro

Snacks: Banana Muffins, Greek Yogurt with Honey Roasted Figs

Editor’s Note: This blog hop ends today, so be sure to enter and vote before it’s too late!

Welcome to our latest FaveDiets Blog Hop, and as always welcome back to all those that participated in last month’s! Be sure to visit last month’s hop which featured your Favorite Vegetable Recipes. If you have a great recipe we would love to share it in this month’s blog hop!

We are so excited about this month’s blog hop theme, Favorite Holiday Recipes

This month we’d love to hear what your favorite holiday recipe is. December is the month of the year for holidays, and we want to see what you have been making to prep for all of this month’s wonderful events. Whether it’s Christmas cookies, New Year’s cocktails, Hanukkah latkes or anything else, share here your holiday recipes!

How It Works

1. Write a blog post on your own blog showcasing any Favorite Holiday Recipes or link to one that is already posted on your blog. You can talk about the cooking process, write up a tutorial, or merely show off the finished product, it’s up to you!
2. Add your link to this post by clicking on “Click Here to Enter” at the bottom of the screen and following the instructions. Make sure you link to your specific blog post, not your homepage, and give it a caption.
3. Remember to copy the FaveDiets Blog Hop button below and paste it into your blog post, linked to this FaveDiets Blog Hop post, so that everyone who reads your blog can see that you’ve been featured on FaveDiets!
4. One link per person please, due to our new Giveaway feature, which is explained below.

GIVEAWAY!
Yet again we have a special treat for all our Blog Hop participants. We are opening the hop up to voting!

Every blogger is allowed one link to their favorite holiday recipe and readers of the blog can now play along by voting for their favorite one. So be sure to tell your friends, family, followers, and fans to vote for you. Voting and submissions end December 16th at midnight CST.

The recipe with the most votes will win a Wilton Pre-Baked Gingerbread Tree Kit!

Please be sure to cast your vote and help us pick a winner!

**Don’t have a recipe for this Blog Hop but want to be notified via email about future events? Sign up for our blogger list and we will let you know when the next Blog Hop is up so you can join the fun!

*Note: Only folks in the U.S. and Canada are eligible to win this prize.

By Maris Callahan for DietsInReview.com

Food plays an important role in holidays and celebrations – especially on Thanksgiving. While Thanksgiving can be one of the most joyful holidays of the year, everyone knows it can be difficult on a diet if you’re following one like Weight Watchers or Nutrisystem. With rich, fattening foods on the menu, how can you prevent the pounds from creeping on as you kick off the holiday season?

Eat your greens first. To cut calories from your Thanksgiving dinner, start with a fresh green salad with light or no dressing. Make it seasonal by adding roasted butternut squash, chopped apples or dried cranberries for an extra burst of flavor. When you fill your plate, focus on a small portion of turkey or lean protein and extra vegetables – like Swiss chard, Brussels sprouts and green beans. Once you’ve fulfilled your “five a day” requirement, go back for small portions of the starchy side dishes.

Try eating a little of everything. Don’t deprive yourself of your favorite cornbread stuffing or your favorite aunt’s famous sweet potato casserole, but stick to a small portion and enjoy just a few bites. Most dietitians and nutrition experts recommend this approach because you won’t feel deprived but at the end of the meal, you won’t feel the need for a nap.

Only eat the “special occasion” foods. Mashed potatoes with extra butter might be delicious, but you can have them any day. Instead, save your calories for the dishes you only have on Thanksgiving, whether it’s pumpkin pie or cranberry sauce. You’ll probably find that this more satisfying.

Appetizers: (serve 2)

Potato Leek Soup

Easy Pumpkin & Cranberry Bread

Apple Cinnamon Fruit Dip

Hearts of Romaine with Raspberry Dressing

Main Dish: (serve 2 including one vegetarian option)

Faster Thanksgiving Turkey

Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey Breast

Roasted Potato Terrine

Side Dishes: (serve 3)

10 Minute Cranberry Sauce

Water Chestnut Stuffing

Gluten-Free Stuffing

Chili Spiced Orange Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Mashed Turnips and Potatoes

Green Bean Salad

Sweet Pumpkin Polenta

Desserts: (serve two)

Healthy Pumpkin Cookies

Cranberry Apple Pudding

No-Bake Pumpkin Pie

Maple Baked Pecan Pie

From everyone here at FaveDiets.com and Prime Publishing, we want to wish everyone out there a happy Halloween!

Yes, that is (almost) all of us here at HQ, in costume today for Halloween. Think you can guess what everyone went as?

Also, if you need any last minute Halloween ideas for tonight, be sure to check out and download the How to Make Fun Foods for Halloween: 22 Healthy Halloween Recipes Free eCookbook.

Your turn: Have any Halloween plans? What are you and/or your child going as for Halloween this year?

This Sunday is Mother’s Day, as we have some interesting traditions in my family to mark this day.

Rewind back to my impressionable youth many moons ago. My older brother and I wanted to do something nice for our mother, so we decided to make her breakfast in bed. The only problem is neither of us had much cooking ability, and our idea on what constituted a fancy breakfast in bed was rather skewed. How skewed? Well, our only reference on what was in a fancy breakfast came from McDonald’s, and so we embarked to make our own version of a Sausage McMuffin. However, we didn’t have sausage patties or muffins around the house then. We were able to find an English muffin and a piece of chicken, so my brother and I figured that would work just as well. I toasted the English muffin while my brother cooked the chicken in a pan on the stove top.

We rushed upstairs to greet our Mother, proud of our kind accomplishment. My mother, needless to say, was extremely startled as she was not expecting to eat a chicken sandwich in bed in the morning. I am sure the sandwich was bland (we did not think to add any seasonings) and the chicken was probably horribly undercooked (we had no idea how long it took to cook meat) but my mother still appreciated the gesture nonetheless. Now, breakfast chicken sandwiches have become a running Mother’s Day joke in my family, a sign of the right intentions but the wrong execution.

For more traditional Mother’s Day fare, be sure to Surprise Your Mom with The 19 Best Brunch Recipes for Mother’s Day. Your mother might appreciate a quiche or a frittata for breakfast more than a chicken sandwich.

Happy Cinco de Mayo everyone! I love Cinco de Mayo if for no other reason than it gives me an excuse to cook up some Mexican food (or at least some pseduo Mexican recipes). One of my all time favorite Mexican foods has to be quesadillas because, well, they are just a more fun version of grilled cheese sandwiches. I actually like quesadillas over grilled cheese sandwiches because there’s less starch getting in the way of that cheesy goodness inside!

For Cinco de Mayo 2011, I figured I would share a low fat Mexican recipe that is definitely a bit different than a traditional quesadilla. This recipe is great because it is loaded with lean healthy ingredients, and it bridges the gap nicely between traditional Mexican food and the types of healthy recipes (aka weird catch-all recipes) that I usually devour.

Interested in more quesadilla recipe options for Cinco de Mayo? Then check out these rock star dishes:

Almost Instant Quesadillas

Chicken Quesadilla

Zucchini and Corn Quesadilla

Your Turn: What will you be doing for Cinco de Mayo?

I know there’s still a few days until St. Patrick’s day, but I already have Irish recipes on the brain! See, the holiday is technically not until Thursday (also the same day the next edition of The Healthy Hop, the FaveDiets blog hop). However, my hometown of Chicago already celebrated St. Patrick’s day this past weekend by holding a big parade downtown and by dyeing of the Chicago River green. So you’ll have to forgive me if I’m all over Irish food today!

Unlike some of the folks wandering around Chicago last weekend, I’d prefer to celebrate St. Patrick’s day with this Boxty pancakes recipe. If you don’t know, Boxty is an Irish-style potato pancake that is thicker and heartier than the potato pancakes I grew up eating. It’s super simple, and can be made to be either sweet or savory. If you need some meatless Irish recipes for St. Patrick’s day, then give this Boxty pancakes recipe a try!

Boxty – Irish-Style Potato Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1 pound raw potatoes
• 1 pound homemade mashed potatoes (Keep the skins on your potatoes before mashing them for maximum healthy benefit!)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Buttermilk (For a lighter option, use skim milk or milk alternative mixed with a little lemon juice or vinegar)
• Butter and sugar, optional (Feel free to use your favorite butter substitute and sugar substitute as well)

Instructions:

1. Grate the raw potatoes, and place in a tea towel and squeeze as much liquid out of them as you can, saving the liquid in a bowl. Let the liquid stand while doing the next step.
2. Mix the grated potatoes and the mashed potatoes. When the potato starch settles out from the liquid, pour off the water and add the starch to the potatoes.
3. Add the salt, flour and baking soda and mix all well. Add enough buttermilk to make a consistency like thick pancakes. Beat well and let the batter stand for 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Spray a large frying pan with cooking spray and place over medium heat. Drop the batter into the pan by spoonfuls. Cook on both sides. Serve with butter and sugar if desired.

Note: Keep in mind that while this is a Boxty pancakes recipe, the final result might be more reminiscent of a Boxty potato cake. This would be a great recipe to serve for breakfast on St. Patrick’s day, or as tasty dinner option.

More more healthy recipes for St. Patrick’s Day, be sure to check out the FaveDiets collection of 30 No-Guilt St. Patrick’s Day Recipes!

Your turn: What will you be cooking up on St. Patrick’s Day?

Happy Mardi Gras everyone! Clearly, I’m in a New Orleans-style festive mood with two Creole food recipes two days in a row. I actually first published this cake recipe at this time last year, and now it’s time to return to this oldie-but-goodie recipe. In New Orleans, the tradition holds that a small plastic doll is baked into the King Cake recipe. Then, whoever gets the piece of cake with the trinket has to host next year’s Mardi Gras party and make the King Cake.

Now, for your Mardi Gras party, you might want to omit the plastic figurine as it doesn’t add much flavor. Regardless, this easy King Cake recipe is the perfect dessert to have on hand for that extra special New Orleans, even if you’re nowhere close to the city and its festivities. Plus, this easy King Cake recipe is ideal for those of us who’d rather not take Fat Tuesday to its gluttonous extreme.

Reduced Calorie King Cake