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Holidays & Occasions

Discover your healthy holiday guide: seasonal menus, healthy holiday recipes, classic dishes, and modern takes on traditional holiday foods.
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Holidays and Occasions

Healthy Holiday Sides

From stuffing and green beans to mashed potatoes and salad, holiday sides r...
From stuffing and green beans to mashed potatoes and salad, holiday sides recipes are just as important as the main dish. Add color and texture to your holiday buffet with vibrant veggie dishes featuring caramelized winter squash or crisp green beans. For a lighter side, opt for a citrus-flecked salad or a showstopping whole cauliflower. Pair those with potato dishes both savory and sweet. You can't go wrong with spuds that are stacked, swirled, baked or gratinéed.
Holidays and Occasions

Healthy Holiday Desserts

The best way to improve on the classics of the season is to switch out plai...
The best way to improve on the classics of the season is to switch out plain, refined flours and artificial ingredients in favor of nutty, toasty, richer whole grains and natural food colorings. We've also lowered sugar, fat, and calories in these classic holiday desserts. That's right. Your holiday dessert just got a little bit healthier. Plus, these better-for-you desserts still boast the irresistible flavors of the season, so save the best for last with these incredible sweet treats.
Holidays and Occasions

Holiday Appetizers and Drinks

Whether you're entertaining in style or simply feeding the family, kick off...
Whether you're entertaining in style or simply feeding the family, kick off the festivities with these elegant and crowd-pleasing holiday appetizers. Our collection of holiday starters boasts flavors that feel indulgent but healthier ingredients so you can survive holiday gatherings without overdoing it. We skip sodium-heavy ingredients and lower the carb quotient for a boatload of recipes that are lower in fat and calories than their traditional counterparts but look and taste just as great.
Holidays and Occasions

Christmas Cookie Recipes

Wondering what's on Santa's wish list this year? All of his favorite Cookin...
Wondering what's on Santa's wish list this year? All of his favorite Cooking Light Christmas cookies, of course. In this season of giving, share the love with cookies for friends, colleagues, charities, or anyone who deserves a treat. Sugar and spice aren't the only ingredients making things nice this year. We've improved the classics with nutritious swaps to lighten family favorites, so you can feel free to bake your cookies and eat them too.

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How to Make Hibiscus and Blood Orange Punch

The deep garnet color from hibiscus and blood oranges adds plenty of drama ...
The deep garnet color from hibiscus and blood oranges adds plenty of drama to this sparkling drink. The tea base also keeps the beverage much lower in sugar than soda or other juice-based punches.  Hibiscus and Blood Orange Punch
Techniques

The Easiest Way to Make Tamales

Next time you're making tamales try this cool kitchen hack: Steam the tamal...
Next time you're making tamales try this cool kitchen hack: Steam the tamales in your slow cooker. It's the perfect technique to go with our shredded chicken tamales with ranchero sauce recipe. View Recipe: Chicken Tamales with Ranchero SauceSee More: Use Your Slow Cooker For Holiday Entertaining
Holidays and Occasions

How to Make Cherry and Pistachio Rugelach

Whole-wheat flour combines with nutty ground pistachios to create a delicio...
Whole-wheat flour combines with nutty ground pistachios to create a delicious dough that's filled with cherry goodness. Slice, roll, and bake, and you have a decadent holiday treat ready to be devoured. View Recipe: Cherry and Pistachio Rugelach
Holidays and Occasions

How to Make Iced Whole-Wheat Sugar Cookies

These incredible sugar cookies are perfectly sweet with fluffy middles and ...
These incredible sugar cookies are perfectly sweet with fluffy middles and crisp edges. Once you taste this whole-wheat version of the classic holiday cookie, you’ll never go back to the original.  View recipe: Iced Whole-Wheat Sugar Cookies

Holidays

Recipe Finder

Holiday-Worthy Chestnut Recipes

Chestnuts, an often overlooked treat, add silkiness and toasty flavor to a ...
Chestnuts, an often overlooked treat, add silkiness and toasty flavor to a medley of delicious holiday-ready recipes. Allow yourself to be seduced by the nutty-sweet aroma of freshly roasted chestnuts, a true seasonal treasure. The flavor is rich and faintly sweet, with hints of caramel. From ice cream and cakes to beautifully pureed soups, chestnuts will enrich many dishes perfect for your next holiday roast. 
Holidays and Occasions

No-Fail Holiday Dishes

You've created the guest list, sent out the invitations, and now it's time ...
You've created the guest list, sent out the invitations, and now it's time to decide the menu. Where to start? We tasked our editors and test kitchen professionals with creating ultimate no-fail holiday menus that are sure to impress all your holiday dinner guests. Whether you're cooking for an elegant occasion and need a beef tenderloin recipe or having friends over for a fun brunch-style gathering and need the ultimate French toast casserole, we've got the menu for you.
Holidays and Occasions

Classic Christmas Menu

Celebrate the feasting season with a menu guests will talk about well into ...
Celebrate the feasting season with a menu guests will talk about well into the New Year. Start with a colorful sipper, move on to a show-stopping main, and finish the night with an extra festive holiday dessert or two. If you celebrate Hanukkah, we've got holiday menus for you as well. Get ready to gather, eat well, and be merry!
Holidays and Occasions

Perfect Peppermint Desserts for the Holidays

The holiday season would not be complete without the cool, refreshing flavo...
The holiday season would not be complete without the cool, refreshing flavors of peppermint. The sweet and sometimes spicy taste perfectly compliments many holiday desserts to create a delicious treat. Keep warm with a minty mocha latte, or indulge in freshly-baked fudge peppermint cookies. You could even cool off with mint-marshmallow ice cream pie and peppermint patties. Everyone in your house is sure to enjoy these Christmas time recipes with peppermint.

Christmas

Holidays and Occasions

Classic Christmas Menu

Celebrate the feasting season with a menu guests will talk about well into ...
Celebrate the feasting season with a menu guests will talk about well into the New Year. Start with a colorful sipper, move on to a show-stopping main, and finish the night with an extra festive holiday dessert or two. If you celebrate Hanukkah, we've got holiday menus for you as well. Get ready to gather, eat well, and be merry!
Holidays and Occasions

Make-Ahead Christmas Brunch Recipes

Enjoy Christmas morning with these make-ahead holiday brunch recipes that a...
Enjoy Christmas morning with these make-ahead holiday brunch recipes that are perfect for a large group or family breakfast. From egg casseroles to sweet eggnog coffee cake, let these festive flavors fill your house with the scents of the season. Most of these recipes can be made the night before; you'll just need to bake them in the morning. A few can be made days or even weeks in advance and frozen or stored in air-tight containers until Christmas morning. With these make-ahead Christmas brunch recipes, you'll be able to relax with family and sip on your coffee stress-free while watching the paper and bows fly.
Holidays and Occasions

Christmas Cocktails

A holiday crowd needs an array of snacks to keep sated, but one well-crafte...
A holiday crowd needs an array of snacks to keep sated, but one well-crafted beverage can make the whole room happy. Dazzle your holiday guests with one of these jazzy cocktails filled with holiday flavors and aromas and guaranteed to be a hit at your party. A large batch punch, spiked hot chocolate, a fizzy pomegranate cocktail, and fruit-filled sangria—we've got festive drinks for every occasion. This gallery of holiday drinks recipes is our gift to you.