Around here, ’tis always the season for wellness. If you’re looking for healthy holiday entertaining ideas, look no further than these three healthy recipes from May Zhu, founder of Nutrition Happens.
Are you a visual learner? Watch how May made these healthy recipes during our Wellness Wednesday class.
Caesar Salad Bites
Ingredients:
- 1 pack romaine or butter lettuce, rinsed and dried
- ½ lb cherry tomatoes, sliced in halves
- Mini cucumbers, sliced
- Sourdough bread, cubed + 1 tbsp olive oil, ½ tsp each salt, pepper, garlic powder (or croutons of choice)
Dressing:
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- ¼ tsp Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tsp each salt + pepper
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- In a large mixing bowl, add sourdough cubes and toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic.
- Toast at 400°F for 10 minutes until golden brown. Set aside.
- Whisk all ingredients together for dressing and set aside.
- Taking a piece of the romaine leaf, layer on tomatoes, cucumbers, and croutons. Repeat with remaining vegetables and croutons.
- Add extra parmesan cheese on top as desired.
- Before serving, pour dressing over each lettuce cup – serve immediately afterwards.
Greek Salad Skewers
Ingredients:
- Toothpicks or skewers
- Pitted olives
- Cucumbers, diced
- Cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 block feta cheese, cubed
- Fresh basil leaves
Dressing:
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp each Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper
Instructions:
- Whisk all ingredients for dressing together and set aside.
- Start by taking the toothpick and layering with a piece of cucumber. Then add tomatoes, olives, and feta cheese. Top with an extra basil leaf as desired.
- Repeat with remaining vegetables.
- Before serving, pour dressing over the skewers – serve immediately afterwards.
Cucumber Avocado Shrimp Bites
Ingredients:
- 1 English cucumber, sliced
- 2 avocados
- ½ tsp each salt + pepper
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt + pepper + garlic powder
- Fresh herbs like basil, dill
Instructions:
- In a large mixing bowl, add shrimp and combine with olive oil and seasonings.
- Heat a frying pan on medium-high heat and add shrimp. Sear for 2-3 minutes per side and set aside.
- Rinse and dry cucumber and slice into ½ inch thick slices.
- In a separate mixing bowl, add avocado, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Mash until everything is combined into a dip-like consistency.
- Top each cucumber slice with mashed avocado and a piece of seared shrimp. Repeat with remaining cucumber slices.
- Top with fresh herbs as desired.
- Serve immediately.
Did you make any of these recipes? Be sure to share your results with us by tagging @shakleehq and @nutritionhappens on social.
May Zhu is a registered dietitian nutritionist currently based in Chicago, Illinois. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Food Science, Nutrition, and Dietetics from Clemson University. Her blog Nutrition Happens serves as a nutrition + wellness platform dedicated to inspiring others to live healthfully and define their own version of health. It’s a space that integrates a love for health with a love for food as an all-inclusive lifestyle. She is a firm believer that nutrition happens when you learn to respect yourself by nourishing it in all aspects of life – mind, body, and soul. Aside from all things health, wellness, and nutrition, May loves any form of live music, a neutral palette, turtleneck sweaters, and eating cashew butter by the spoonful.
