Thriving through the holidays means finding foods that nourish your body and mind. But with a whopping 80% of us describing the holiday season as stressful, we wanted to find holiday recipes that feature that rare formula that Thrive has become known for: healthy, delicious, affordable, and oh-so-simple. With that in mind, we present 5 of Thrive's delectable holiday meals that check all the boxes. Now you can embrace the joy of holiday cooking without the holiday burnout.

• Main: Herb Roasted Ginger Garlic Chicken
• Side: Fall Cauliflower Soup or Miso Honey Roasted Root Veggies
• Sweet: Cinnamon Pumpkin Seed Smoothie or Chocolate Cranberry Bon Bons

Fall Cauliflower Soup

You'll love this delicious, seasonal soup this winter.

Yield

Three Servings

Ingredients

• 1 cauliflower head, cut into florets 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups vegetable broth, chicken broth, or bone broth
• 1 can (15 oz) unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt

Optional toppings: chives, roasted chickpeas, drizzle of olive oil.

Directions

1. Add the olive oil to a large pot and cook over medium heat.
2. Add the cauliflower florets. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender (around 6-10 minutes, depending on the size of your florets).
3. Stir in the broth, coconut milk, garlic powder and salt. Cook for another few minutes until the soup is warm.
4. If using a blender, puree the soup in batches. If using an immersion blender, you can puree until smooth directly in the pot. 
5. Ladle the soup into bowls and optionally add in any toppings you’d like, e.g. chives, roasted chickpeas, or a drizzle of olive oil before serving.
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Miso Honey Roasted Root Veggies 

Try this earthy holiday roasted veggie treat that’s perfect for a holiday side-dish or a yummy clean green bowl idea.

Courtesy of Candice Kumai

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons miso paste (red or white)
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons roasted sesame oil
• 1 1⁄2 pounds parsnips, sweet potatoes, carrots, or any other root veggies you like

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a mixing bowl, combine the first 4 ingredients to make the marinade, whisking well to incorporate.

2. Peel and slice the root veggies on the bias into 1⁄2-inch pieces. Toss the parsnips in the marinade until they are well coated. Allow the parsnips to marinate for about 20 minutes.

3. Place the parsnips on a large, foil-lined baking sheet and roast for approximately 45 minutes, or until they are tender but crisp on the outside.

Herb Roasted Ginger Garlic Chicken 

A flavorful recipe, perfect for a dinner party.

Courtesy of Candice Kumai

Ingredients:

Makes 6 servings

Garlic butter

3⁄4 garlic head, peeled

2 teaspoons fresh-grated ginger

1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 fresh thyme sprigs, stems discarded

1 tablespoon butter, softened

3⁄4 teaspoon sea salt

Chicken

1 (5- to 6-pound) roasting chicken

1 teaspoon sea salt

1⁄2 lemon, thinly sliced into wheels 

3 fresh thyme sprigs

2 fresh rosemary sprigs

1 garlic head, unpeeled, halved and broken into cloves

 Directions:

To make the garlic butter:

In a food processor, combine all ingredients. Blend until a perfectly smooth paste forms.

To make the chicken:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. With clean hands, wash the chicken, remove the giblets, and pat the chicken completely dry with paper towels.

2. Lightly grease the bottom of a sturdy roasting pan. Salt the inside of the chicken with 1 teaspoon sea salt and stuff with the lemon wheels, thyme, rosemary, garlic, and ginger.

3. Using butcher’s twine, truss the chicken (breast side up), making sure to tuck in the wings and legs tightly. Place the chicken in the roasting pan and generously baste it with the garlic butter.

4. Cover the chicken loosely with aluminum foil and roast for approximately 2 hours. (Cook whole roasting chickens, fully thawed, 20 to 25 minutes per pound.) Remove the foil for the last 30 minutes of roasting time. Make sure the internal temperature reaches 165°F, the juices run clear, and the flesh is firm to the touch.

Cinnamon Pumpkin Seed Smoothie 

Enjoy this delicious and nutritious smoothie.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (unsalted)
• 2 bananas
• Large pinch of cinnamon (more or less to taste)
• Pinch of salt
• A few ice cubes 
• 1 can (15 oz) unsweetened coconut milk

Prep

1. Add the pumpkin seeds to a high-powered blender.
2. Peel the bananas and break them into the blender. 
3. Add the cinnamon, salt, ice cubes and can of coconut milk.
4. Blend on high for 1-2 minutes or until you reach a smooth texture. 
5. Pour into glasses and sprinkle with cinnamon to serve.

Chocolate Cranberry Bon Bons 

You'll love these little treats filled with creamy almond butter, nuts, chocolate chips, cranberries, and honey.

INGREDIENTS

• ½ cup almond butter
• ½ cup of butter or ghee, melted
• 3 Tablespoons honey
• 2 tbsp coconut flour
• ½ cup dried cranberries
• ⅓ cup chocolate chips
• ½ cup walnuts, chopped
• ½ cup almonds, slivered
   

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine ghee or butter with the almond butter in a large mixing bowl. Stir until well blended and smooth. 
2. Add the coconut flour and honey and stir well. 
3. Add the cranberries, chocolate chips, walnut pieces, and slivered almonds to the bowl and gently stir.
4. Scoop a large spoonful (about 1 tablespoon) and gently roll into a ball. Place onto a plate or into a small candy confection cup, like these.
5. If the batter feels too wet, refrigerate your mixture for 5-10 minutes and resume rolling. 
6. Repeat until all of the mixture is used. 
7. Store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to serve.

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