I find Christmas a fairly easy time of year to remain healthy, I eat a fairly high fat diet so I never feel deprived in the way I would have been on a low fat diet. Historically, I would have justified dieting in January and eating whatever I wanted but eating fat has had the consequence of managing cravings although I certainly indulge in a little refined sugar-free cacao! Read more about how to staying healthy over Christmas here.
I do remain gluten free and although most of a standard Christmas meal is easy to avoid gluten, I do love stuffing which traditionally is always made with breadcrumbs. I was lucky enough to find fresh cranberries in Planet Organic the other week, I knew this is what I wanted to make. Cranberries can be quite sharp when fresh so I’ve combined this recipe with fresh grated apple but you could substitute with dried cranberries if you cant find fresh.
Cranberries are full of health benefits, they are very high in antioxidants, higher than blueberries, which protect you against free radicals which help keep your cells from aging prematurely. They are low in sugar, high in Vitamin C and many other minerals and vitamins. They are also high in quercetin which is useful at lowering inflammation in the body.
Cranberries have historically been used in studies for the treatment of urinary tract infections for women. Cranberry extract was found in this study to be as effective as the drug trimethoprim without the side affects that came with the drug.
It has also been shown to have an inhibitory responses to cancer cells causing death induction via apoptosis, necrosis and autophagy. More studies are needed but this is such a simple food to add for it’s protective mechanisms.
Wishing all my readers the healthiest and happiest of Christmas celebrations!
With love Vanessa x
- 400g pork sausagemeat
- 1 cup of fresh cranberries
- 1 red onion
- 1 large handful of chopped walnuts
- A sprig of rosemary
- 1 apple grated
- 1 Egg
- ¼ of a finely grated nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon of all spice
- Pinch of sea salt and black pepper
- Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl
- Mould into balls or stuff into your turkey!
- Put balls in the fridge for a couple of hours to firm up, this mixture made 9 large stuffing balls.
- Cook in the oven in and oven proof dish for 35-40 minutes at 35 degrees until just starting to brown.
