Healthy Holiday Recipe: Tasty Brunch Ideas
Avocado toast, vanilla chia seed pudding, tropical smoothie
Avocado toast, vanilla chia seed pudding, tropical smoothie
Holiday brunches are usually synonymous with decadence. But lightened up options don't have to be bland.
Chef Anne-Marie Coulon of the Little Lion Café has crafted a midmorning spread that packs in the flavor without all the added sugar and saturated fat. Impress your guests with a do-it-yourself avocado toast bar, plus a maple vanilla chia seed pudding with homemade whipped topping and a tropical smoothie that will leave you dreaming of a post-holiday vacation.
Avocado toast bar
Recipe serves 1
Ingredients
Avocado toast:
- 1 slice whole grain bread
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ¼ avocado
- 1 tablespoon green herb sauce (see recipe below)
Directions: Warm olive oil in saucepan and brown toast on both sides. Add sliced avocado to toast. Drizzle 1 tablespoon green herb sauce. Top with optional toppings (see below).
Green herb sauce:
- 1 medium-sized shallot (or ¼ cup chopped)
- 3-4 cloves garlic
- 1 bunch parsley
- 1 bunch basil
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- ½ cup champagne vinegar
- 2 cups grape seed oil
Directions: Blend the first six ingredients in high-speed blender. Slowly add in two cups grape seed oil until emulsified. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Optional customizable toppings:
- Heirloom tomato sliced with salt and pepper
- Egg, poached or hard boiled and diced
- Turkey bacon, crumbled
- Wild salmon lox
- Microgreens
- Arugula
Holiday chia pudding
Recipe serves 4
Ingredients
- 4 cups unflavored, unsweetened almond milk
- 1 cup chia seeds
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
Directions: In a bowl or mason jar, mix all ingredients together. If using a mason jar, put the lid on and shake the mixture to combine everything. Once the chia pudding mixture is well combined, let it sit for 5 minutes, give it another stir/shake to break up any clumps of chia seeds, cover and put the mixture in the fridge to set for 1-2 hours or overnight.
Dairy alternative whip:
- 1 cup coconut cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Directions: Combine ingredients in a bowl. Whip on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, approximately 1-2 minutes.
Topping options:
- ¼ cup chopped apple
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon toasted almonds
Directions: Top chia pudding with optional toppings and one tablespoon dairy alternative whip.
Mele Kalikimaka smoothie “daquiri”
Recipe serves 4
Ingredients
- 1 cup frozen unsweetened pineapple
- ½ cup orange juice
- 1 cup frozen unsweetened guava (or mango if you can’t find guava)
- 1 cup frozen unsweetened strawberries
- ½ cup fresh spinach
- 1 avocado
- 1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon spirulina
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Directions: Blend in high-speed blender until silky smooth.
Nutritional facts
Avocado toast:
1 Serving, Calories: 265.2, Fat: 21.8g, Saturated Fat: 2.6g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 120.9mg, Carbohydrates: 14.6g, Fiber: 4.3g, Protein: 4.3g
Note: Nutritional analysis is for avocado toast with one tablespoon green herb sauce, no optional toppings.
Holiday chia pudding:
1 Serving, Calories: 329.7, Fat: 18.3g, Saturated Fat: 4.5g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 158.2mg, Carbohydrates: 36g, Fiber: 13.8g, Protein: 8.2g
Note: Nutritional analysis is for chia pudding and one tablespoon whip, no optional toppings.
Mele Kalikimaka daquiri:
1 Serving, Calories: 179.3, Fat: 6.1g, Saturated Fat: .9g, Cholesterol: 3.1mg, Sodium: 36.5mg, Carbohydrates: 25.5g, Fiber: 6.4g, Protein: 9.1g
This content appeared in San Diego Health, a publication in partnership between Scripps and San Diego Magazine that celebrates the healthy spirit of San Diego.