Keeping it Healthy During the Holidays + Creamy Squash and Hemp Dip – Vegan

So the cycle begins again! The parties, the cocktails, the over the top food indulging! While treating yourself to the holiday favourites is normal and needed, it’s important to keep it in check so that you don’t end up doing yourself some serious damage. It’s not just about the extra couple of pounds that you may put on, it also about the emotional despair that usually follows the holidays.

So here are 3 tips to keep it in check during the holiday season:


1. Drink water, lot’s and lot’s of water!! There are so many reasons for this suggestion. Firstly, sometimes we can mistake thirst for hunger and keep eating to try to quench the thirst. Water will also help to keep your stomach full when you drink it 20-30 minutes before a meal. Water will also help to detoxify some of the extra alcohol, sugars and other toxins out of your system so that your liver doesn’t become over burdened. Water also helps to keep you energized so you don’t become sluggish during the colder winter months!

2. Add more fibre to your diet. Fibre will help to keep you full, keep those bowels moving, and help to detoxify some of the unhealthy ingredients that may have ended up in your body – from alcohol, to unhealthy fats and sugars. Fibre will also help to keep your blood sugar levels stable from the extra sugary treats you may be consuming. Good choices are fresh ground flaxseeds, chia seeds and oat bran. You can add these to baked goods, breakfast dishes, or have them on their own with water or unsweetened apple sauce. Aim for 1-2 Tbsp daily.

3. Make some healthy substitutions. There are healthier and more nutritious substitutions for practically everything on the holiday menu. You can use hemp seeds to make creamy dressings, use coconut palm sugar instead of refined granulated sugar and coconut oil in baking instead of butter or margarine. You can even substitute an egg or two by combining 1 Tbsp of chia seeds with 3 Tbsp warm water and allowing to soak for 10 minutes!

This healthy holiday recipe has a super creamy consistency from the hemp seeds and is a great substitution for overly cheesy cheesy holiday dips! If you can’t find orange hubbard squash, you can substitute a similar one like butternut squash.

Creamy Orange Hubbard Squash and Hemp Dip

This dip is bursting with heart warming flavours and a big dose of antioxidants, healthy omega 3 & 6 fatty acids and has blood sugar balancing properties. Kids love it too! Enjoy with fresh veggies or some healthy crackers.( I used Mary’s Gluten-free crackers to serve)

1 small orange hubbard squash (or 2 cups cooked squash)
1-2 tangerines, juiced (or 3 Tbsp orange juice)
1 Tbsp coconut oil
2 Tbsp hemp seeds
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp ginger
Pinch nutmeg
Pinch all spice
¼ tsp sea salt

How to make:
Preheat oven to 400F
To roast squash, cut it in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds and place cut side down into a baking dish with a couple of centimeters of filtered water. Bake for 40 minutes. Squash is ready when you can easily insert a knife through the skin.

In a food processor, combine hemp seeds and tangerine juice. Allow to soak for 10 minutes. When squash is ready, scoop into food processor, removing the skin (careful not to burn yourself!). Add the rest of the ingredients and buzz until smooth. Allow to cool in the fridge for an hour and serve with your favourite healthy crackers or raw veggies.

Makes 2 cups of dip.