MICHELE RUSS SHARES EVEN MORE OF HER TIPS FOR CELEBRATING A HEALTHY HOLIDAY SEASON

As I look around this holiday season, I’m noticing that my social media pages are packed with images of gorgeous decorations and holiday baked goods, full blown light displays have gone up all over my neighborhood and the local tree lots are selling out way earlier than usual. After this long, difficult year, it seems that everyone feels the need to celebrate the 2020 holidays sooner and more extravagantly. With so much out of our control this year, I love seeing people putting energy into the things within their control. We can all try to make things a little extra sparkly and magical this year. We may have time to make grandma’s famous recipes for the first time or spend more time decorating our cookies. Focusing on the things we can control is a healthy response and I’m all for it! 

Though family gatherings will likely be smaller this year, I’m hoping that we may still find creative ways to feel connected. We were able to celebrate our Thanksgiving dinner on our patio, spread out around our fire pit, and we’re hoping to do something similar for Christmas. Whatever your holiday celebrations might look like, there are sure to be the hearty traditional meals and plentiful sweets that are hallmarks of the season. It is harder to be in control of our healthy habits when we’re surrounded by these foods. In normal times, I’ve always made it a point to have one or two nutrient-dense dishes on our table when I’m hosting, or to offer to bring a healthy dish when invited out. This way, we can guarantee that our meal will be nourishing, plus friends and family always appreciate the help! Healthy foods don’t have to be boring or tasteless, and having these options on the table help us have more control over what we’re feeding our bodies.

Here is one of my favorite healthy offerings that I love to bring to gatherings or serve at my home this time of year.

Kale Salad (Yes, kale!)

This is one of my favorite salads. Don’t let the kale scare you away. The lemon, Parmesan and sweet bursts of golden raisins will win you over.

Ingredients:

1 large bunch fresh kale, de-stemmed and finely chopped 

1/3 cup golden raisins 

1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Dressing:

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup good Parmesan Cheese 

1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Fresh squeezed lemon juice from 1/2 lemon

Salt, Pepper to taste (Parmesan is salty, so you may need less than you think.)

Place the chopped kale in a large salad bowl. I like to cut mine into thin ribbons so it feels delicate. Add raisins and nuts. Place the olive oil, garlic, Parmesan, lemon juice and salt/pepper in a glass or small bowl. Whisk until combined.

Pour the dressing over the kale and mix well. Let the salad sit in the refrigerator for up to two hours. The salt in the dressing will soften the kale a bit. Toss again just before serving. 

With some healthier options included in our holiday celebrations, we can enjoy ourselves and nourish our bodies at the same time. 

Wishing you healthy, happy holidays and all the best in 2021! Eat well and be well.

MICHELE IS AVAILABLE FOR PRIVATE AND SEMI PRIVATE (2-4 PEOPLE) WELLNESS COACHING AND CONSULTATION