Welcome to the holidays- time for parties, sweets, and lots of calories. If you are anything like me, this means navigating through countless work, school, and family parties with holiday treats. It seems like every day my office has another tray of cookies, cupcakes, and baked goodies. So, what should you do when it comes time to take a dish to your work, school, or family gathering? Sure, I can tell you to take fruit or vegetables as your dish, but let’s all be honest- I don’t know many people who are really looking forward to eating vegetables as dessert. Instead, I’ve found ways to incorporate healthier foods into my dishes.
Meet the Red Beet, Red Velvet Cupcakes. 
Despite having the word beet in the title, this has been my go-to cupcake recipes for years, even before I had to switch to the gluten-free lifestyle. See my previous apples and beets blog post for the health benefits of beets. An added health benefit of this recipe is that beets are a natural red food coloring agent so no artificial colors are needed.
I modified this recipe two ways:
- Decreased the sugar by half to ¾ cup if using wheat based cake flour OR
- Instead of the cake flour substituted the same amount listed in the recipe for an all purpose gluten free flour and decreased the sugar to 1 cup. Make sure to add 1 tsp. of guar gum or xanthan gum if this is not listed in the gluten free mix.
Say Hello to the Pumpkin Pie substitute- Pumpkin Mousse. This recipe is delectable, and at only 200 calories per serving, it definitely hits the spot for desserts. This has proven a major hit at several functions for me.
Tips:
1. Stock up on pumpkins at the end of the Halloween season
2.Bake the fleshy parts until soft, puree, and freeze until ready to make recipes like this.
Bake those Latkes! I know you may think I’m taking away the tradition, but it is a healthier option without sacrificing flavor.
Modifications:
- Use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream
- Offer applesauce as a dip
Other ideas for healthier baking:
- Cut sugar in recipes in half
- Use mini cupcake liners when making quiches, cupcakes, and tarts
- Substitute olive oil-based spreads for regular butter
- Use dessert plates at your holiday gatherings, so people don’t overload on high calorie foods
- Add flax or chia seeds and use whole grain flours for more fiber and nutrition
By Megan Carrier
Eat Fit Health Intern
Graduate Student, Drexel University
MS in Human Nutrition