A healthy festive feast with a difference

Are you stuck for a festive recipe for your table this Christmas? Why not try the mouth-watering Christmas Menu we’ve put together, especially for you? It’s the ultimate indulgence: recipes jam-packed with ingredients that could help lower your breast cancer risk. What better way to treat yourself this Christmas than by giving your body the nourishment you need whilst knowing it’s better for your breast health?

Our specially prepared recipes are created with top cancer-fighting ingredients, such as non-starchy vegetables and vegetables high in carotenoids, which can help lower your risk of breast cancer as well as keep you healthy. Start with our yummy beetroot and orange soup, follow it with our delicious nut roast covered in cranberry sauce or baked salmon on sweet potato puree, and end with sumptuous baked cinnamon apples. Voila – Christmas is sorted!

Starter

Beetroot soup with oranges 

Time: 30 minutes, 4 people

Ingredients

• 2 small onions – peeled and chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 medium beetroots – peeled and cubed
• 100 ml white wine
• 200 ml orange juice
• 400 ml vegetable broth
• 200 ml single cream
• 2 pinches ginger – freshly grated
• 50 g sour cream
• 1 orange
• 2 pinches chili powder

Method

1. In a large pot (where possible, avoid using non-stick cookware), sweat the onions with the olive oil. Add the cubed beetroot, with the onions. Sweat for a bit. Add a pinch of chilli.
2. De-glaze with white wine and let it boil away until liquid has reduced. Add the orange juice and let reduce until almost gone.
3. Fill the pot with the vegetable broth and cook for about 10 minutes until the beetroot is soft.
4. Add the single cream and the freshly grated ginger. Bring to the boil again and puree. Season if necessary.
5. To serve, fill the soup into bowls, add a dollop of sour cream to the centre. Grate a little orange peel over it, and for those who like it a little hot, sprinkle a little chilli on top. Enjoy!

Serve

Fill the soup into deep plates, and add a spoonful of sour cream to the centre. Rub a little orange peel over it, and for those who like it a little hot, sprinkle a little chilli on top. Enjoy your meal!

Nutritional information

Beetroot is an example of a non-starchy vegetable. Eating high quantities of non-starchy vegetables can decrease the risk of oestrogen receptor-negative (ER-) breast cancer. Beetroots also contain a rich source of compounds that have powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and vascular-protective properties and may protect against cancer.

Mains 

Baked salmon on sweet potato puree and asparagus

Time: 35 minutes, four people

Ingredients

• 800 g sweet potatoes
• Coarse sea salt
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 12 spears of asparagus
• 4 salmon fillets (à approx. 150g)
• Ground black pepper
• 5 sprigs rosemary
• 1 tsp sweet paprika

Method

1. Peel, wash and cut the sweet potatoes into pieces, place in a saucepan of boiling water, and cook until tender.
2. Drain, then season with coarse salt and add one tablespoon of olive oil. Mash until smooth and set aside.
3. Next, trim the asparagus spears if necessary, and set them to one side.
4. Rinse the salmon fillets under cold water, pat dry and season with coarse salt.
5. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large coated pan. Fry the fillets on each side for 2-3 minutes.
6. Season with pepper.
7. Wash rosemary and shake dry. Keep two sprigs and remove the needles of the left rosemary and add to the salmon.
8. Meanwhile, steam the asparagus in a bit of salted water for 2-3 minutes (it should still be bite solid) and let it drain.

Serve

Swirl a serving of the sweet potato puree on the plate, place three sprigs of asparagus on top and then place the salmon on top of this. Sprinkle with paprika and garnish with rosemary.

Nutritional information

Asparagus is an example of a non-starchy vegetable. There appears to be a correlation between eating high quantities of non-starchy vegetables and a decreased risk of oestrogen receptor-negative (ER-) breast cancer. Sweet potato is high in carotenoids which can help reduce the risk of breast cancer. *We recommend choosing organic salmon or Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) salmon to avoid pesticides.

Vegan Roast with cranberry sauce

Time: 45 minutes preparation, 60 minutes baking, 4 people

Ingredients

• 300 g brown or green lentils
• 1 litre of vegetable stock
• 125 g walnuts (or almonds)
• 1 carrot
• 100 g celery
• 1 small apple – peeled
• ½ small pear – peeled
• 150 g onions
• 100 g leek
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 slice of stale rye or spelt bread
• 1 tbsp virgin olive oil
• 50 g raisins (optional)
• 3 tbsp ground linseed or chia seed
• 60 g buckwheat flour
• 2 tbsp fresh thyme (or 1 tbsp dried)
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper
• ¼ tsp chilli flakes (optional)

For the cranberry sauce:

• 200 g fresh cranberries
• 250 ml water
• 4 tbsp fresh orange juice (optional)
• Zest of an organic orange (optional)
• 8 tbsp maple syrup, honey or agave syrup

Equipment

• A very large pan
• Big baking tin
• Food Processor (optional)

Method

1. Wash the lentils under running water and boil in a 1 litre of vegetable stock for 25 minutes.
2. Drain any remaining water from the lentils and crush lentils with a fork to a pulp but leave a few whole lentils for texture.
3. Roast the walnuts at 160°C for about 8 minutes. Take care as they can burn very quickly. Set aside.
4. Raise the oven to 180°C.
5. Use the finest grater option to grate the carrot, celery, apple and pear.
6. Peel the onions and chop coarsely.
7. Cut the leeks.
8. Put the garlic through a garlic press or cut into very small pieces.
9. Chop the walnuts into very small pieces.
10. Cut the bread into small pieces.
11. Heat the olive oil in a large pan. Brown the onions and garlic for about 5 minutes.
12. Add the grated celery, carrot, leeks, apple, pear and raisins. Sauté for another 5 minutes.
13. Add the lentils, linseed or chia seeds, walnuts, buckwheat flour, breadcrumbs, thyme, oregano, salt, pepper and chilli flakes and mix well.
14. Place the lentil and walnut mix in a baking tin lined with PFAS-free baking paper and press firmly. Smooth the surface with a spatula.
15. Bake the ‘Roast’ for about 50-60 minutes at 180°C until the edges turn brown. Allow to cool (about 20 minutes) before slicing. 

Serve with sautéed greens for a complete meal.

For the cranberry sauce:

1. Wash the cranberries and put them into a small coated saucepan.
2. Add water, orange juice, rubbed-off orange peel and sweetener and simmer for about 15 minutes over medium heat. During this time, the water is reduced, and the sauce slowly thickens.
3. When the sauce has thickened, turn off the heat and set the sauce aside to cool.

Nutritional information

Lentils are 25% protein, which makes them an excellent alternative to meat that is roasted.

In addition, lentils contain certain bioactive food components, namely polyphenols, which have antioxidant potential and may help protect against various diseases such as cancer.

Dessert

Healthy baked apples

Time: 30 minutes, 4 people

Ingredients

• 4 Boskoop apples (or other apples of your choice)
• 2 tbsp dried cranberries
• 4 tbsp red jam
• 2 tsp grated lemon zest
• 40 g chopped walnuts
• Cinnamon Sugar (Mixture of cinnamon and sugar)

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas mark 6.
2. Wash the apples and remove the insides with a knife and leave the casing. These will be used as casing for the apple filling, so do not cut a hole in it, but leave a base.
3. Fill the baked apple with the walnuts, the red jam, and the dried cranberries.
4. Place on a baking dish (where possible, avoid non-stick cookware) and bake for 25 minutes.
5. As soon as they come out of the oven, sprinkle with a bit of cinnamon sugar.

Nutritional information

Apples contain a wide variety of phytochemicals, many of which have been found to have strong antioxidant properties and may have anticancer activities. One study found that the consumption of more than 5.5 portions of fruit and vegetables per day was associated with an 11% lower risk of breast cancer compared to the risk for women consuming 2.5 portions or less.

Tips for eating healthily during Christmas

• Before Christmas dinner is served, it’s a good idea to serve a low-calorie soup or salad. This satisfies the first hunger, and the stomach is already a little full – you will eat less during the main course. A glass of water can also make the first cravings disappear before eating.
• A few calories can also be saved when you pay attention to the side dishes and the sauces. Instead of greasy fries or croquettes, use light side dishes such as rice or vegetables. It is also better to look for healthier varieties instead of high-calorie cream sauces.
• You can also avoid further calorie traps during the Christmas dinner at dessert: Avoid high-fat desserts such as chocolate mousse and instead serve a healthy fruit salad.
• It takes about 15 to 20 minutes after the beginning of a meal to start feeling full. So take your time eating, maybe even take a little break between courses. This way, you avoid eating more than your body needs.
• When snacking during Christmas, if you find yourself grabbing biscuits, also go for some fruit: Enjoy delicious lychees, kakis, kiwis, oranges, mandarins or baked apples. Dried apple rings are also good snacks with fewer calories.
• Add some nuts to the biscuit plate. Although nuts have a high-fat content and are high in energy, this is mainly unsaturated fat, e.g. polyunsaturated fats in walnuts. They are also high in protein and fibre and contain nutrients such as vitamin E, potassium and magnesium. But watch your portion sizes. One portion of nuts is roughly 30g (a small, cupped handful) which is about 175 kcal-200 kcal. Buy nuts; you have to shell yourself. Having to crack them takes more time, and seeing the pile of empty nutshells might make you eat fewer.
• Drink at least two litres of water (or unsweetened teas) a day. This will help curb your appetite.
• No need to deny yourself sweet, delicious nibbles. However, enjoy the delicacies slowly and in moderation. See them as a special treat.
• Try to keep active over the festive season to help you burn some extra energy and avoid unnecessary weight gain. Take a walk or go ice skating with family and friends.

References

Beetroot https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4425174/

Lentils https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5713359/

Apples https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC442131/

Apples https://www.breastcanceruk.org.uk/wp/news/can-eating-your-greens-reds-and-oranges-reduce-your-risk-of-breast-cancer/

Satiety https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4212566/

Nuts https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/nutrition/ask-the-expert/nuts-as-a-healthy-snack

Enjoyed this healthy festive feast recipe and are craving more like this? Breast Cancer Uk’s brand new recipe e-book is out now! Download (for free) ‘Organic Flavours’ today. What are you waiting for? Get cooking.