Healthy and Delicious Holiday Sides!

Healthy and Delicious Holiday Sides!

By November 21, 2018 March 26th, 2025 Nutrition

Vegetables themselves may seem like a tricky item to make the shining star of a meal, so often times they get left out.

Keep reading for these delicious and nutritious recipes for Balsamic Roasted Vegetables, Roasted Sweet Potatoes, and Brussel Sprouts . Our licensed dietician nutritionist, Sue Smith from our River North and Loop clinics and our Functional Medicine Doctor, Barbie Allegretti, DC from our Deerfield and Park Ridge clinics share with us why these recipes are some of their favorites to bring along for the holidays! They both love dishes like these because they are simple and showcases veggies that often get the short end of the stick. Not only will these dishes look the part of being exciting and bright, but will taste just as great!

 Roasted Balsamic Veggies
Ingredients
  • 4 beets, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
  • 4-5 loose cups Brussels sprouts, ends cut off, outer peel removed, and cut in halves or quarters
  • 3 cups shredded cabbage
  • 1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic, crushed or finely chopped
  • ¼ cup coconut oil, avocado oil, or organic ghee
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
  • ¾ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped (optional)
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Place all the veggies, including the onion and garlic, in a large mixing bowl and toss with the oil and salt. Transfer to a glass roasting pan or a parchment-lined cookie sheet and roast for 30 minutes.
  3. Remove from the oven and mix in the balsamic vinegar, and stir vegetables around. Sprinkle the walnuts over top and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the veggies are tender.
  4. Serve warm or at room temperature.

This recipe was inspired by www.meghantelpner.com. 

 

Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Brussel Sprouts
Ingredients
  • 1 tbsp Kerrygold Butter
  • 2 whole sweet potatoes cut into cubes
  • 2 pints of brussel sprouts cut in halves
  • 1 tbsp evoo
  • 1 dash of garlic
  • 1 tsp of sea salt
  • 1 tbsp organic maple syrup
  • 1 dash of cinnamon
Directions
  1. Roast sweet potatoes and brussel sprouts at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Top sweet potatoes with butter, syrup, and cinnamon. Mix the brussel sprouts with garlic, evoo, and sea salt. 
  3. Combine both and enjoy!

 

About Functional Medicine

Our Functional Medicine & Clinical Nutrition team addresses the underlying cause of disease. Examining dietary, lifestyle, genetic, and environmental factors, we are able to uncover and effectively treat the root cause of health concerns. Informed by thorough clinical and diagnostic testing, we create individualized plans to help your patients achieve optimal health through focused one-on-one sessions.

 

About Sue Smith

Image of Susan Smith, LDN Sue Smith, MS LDN, is a licensed dietitian nutritionist with a passion for healing through proper diet, nutrition and lifestyle. She earned a Master’s degree in Human Nutrition from the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut. Previously, she received a B.S. from Benedictine University in Lisle, IL with a major in biology and a minor in secondary education. She has worked at several clinics doing nutritional counseling throughout the western suburbs of Chicago.

 

 

About Barbie Allegretti, DC

Barbie Allegretti Functional Medicine Chicago Dr. Barbie Allegretti, DC is the lead Functional Medicine Physician at our Park Ridgeand Deerfield clinics. Dr. Allegretti developed her holistic lifestyle through years of varied experience. While interning at a fitness facility, Barbie found out right away that she had a passion for helping her clients reach their goals, and saw that many weren’t getting there or were getting injured in the process. Seeing that many popular approaches weren’t effective or realistic, she made a personal quest of learning more about the human body’s demands and the lifestyle factors that stood in the way of optimal health. Barbie’s personal experience with nutrition transforming her health has led her to become an active member of the Community Supported Agriculture movement in Chicago, promoting local events, presenters, small businesses, and farms. Though her experience is varied, her clinical interests are bio-detoxification, female + pediatric health, and prevention and reversal of chronic disease with natural and nutritional interventions.

 

If you’re looking for more health tips or have questions about food sensitivities or gut health, schedule a free consultation with our Functional Medicine and Clinical Nutrition team today!

 

   
X