December Plant-Based Recipes and Updates from Melissa
Healthy Holiday ideas, Cranberries, Cookies, and Weight loss on a Low-Fat Vegan Diet.
December can be a busy time of year, with school wrapping up and holiday time. I hope you have some time for peaceful, snowy walks and sipping some cocoa. Here are some breakfast and snack ideas you may enjoy, perfect for the season.
Recipes
Vegan Gingerbread Banana Waffles are a festive start to a holiday breakfast or brunch:
Cranberries
Bright and tart: here are some terrific ideas for fresh cranberries:
Easy Cranberry Mango Smoothie – Dairy-free - quick and easy to mix up with fresh or frozen fruit.
Healthy Cranberry Orange Oatmeal Muffins - you won’t miss butter, eggs, or milk in these tasty lighter muffins.
Healthier Vegan Cookie Recipes
Try these sweet favorites from Registered Dietitian Nutritionists:
Vegan Banana Cookies (no added sugar) - Summer Yule RD
Healthy Banana Peanut Butter Cookies - Chrissy Carroll RD
Gluten-free, Dairy-free Samoas - Colleen Wysocki Woods MS, RDN
Homemade Vegan Oatmeal Date Cookies (Gluten-free) - with chocolate chips and dates!
And here are some ideas for 15 Healthy Vegan Desserts for the Holidays!
Weight Loss with a Low-Fat Vegan Diet
Research studies have shown that choosing a low-fat vegan diet is effective for weight loss: but this study in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that eating legumes (beans, peas, and peanuts) was the best predictor of weight loss! This study was conducted with a total of 219 people and the amount of dietary fat, 10% of calories, was lower than the amount recommended by the USDA (20 - 35% of calories). Food for thought! And I will share some of my favorite legume recipes with you next month.
January is just around the corner: Subscribe to my free newsletter and get a free downloadable shopping list of vegan pantry staples: perfect for Veganuary!