Want to gain weight this holiday season?

I didn’t think so. But what to do with the barrage of holiday favorites incessantly coming at you?

Do you white-knuckle your way through parties, office potlucks and family dinners, feigning a penchant for raw broccoli? Or do you give in and overdo it because “the holidays only come once a year?”

Neither choice gets you what you want. One leaves you deprived and primed to overeat. The other leaves you hungover with the regret of poor choices. Both set you back on any progress you’ve made.

There is a third way, which is to eat mindfully, choose your favorites and identify healthy options. I know, not easy when you see a plate of magic bars in the break room at 3pm. And how do you bring something healthy to a potluck that doesn’t get shoved to the side, untouched until you take it home?

I’ve curated a list of ten holiday recipes to make at home or take to parties, that are tasty and satisfying, without sabotaging your healthy habits:

1. I love this creative take on a veggie plate. Serve at home or take to a party. Beautiful!
2. A tasty gingersnap cookie recipe for vegans (or those of us who play vegan from time to time).
3. This kale stuffed butternut squash could be a side or main dish.
4. Now here’s an extravagant mashed cauliflower recipe (with room to play on how much fat you want to add).
5. When you’re hungry and it’s not mealtime, having snacks on hand can keep you from making poor food choices. These granola bars are a tasty option that will satiate and not deprive.

6. Brunch can be filled with pastries and pork (not saying I don’t eat those). Try adding this winter citrus salad.
7. Love this roasted red pepper dish, a twist on the typical salad/veggie option. Like the veggie tray (#1), a beautiful holiday presentation.
8. I’ll admit it’s not my thing, but eggnog is a holiday favorite for many. Try this slimmed down version and see what you think.
9. I’ve made a couple energy ball recipes with dates and really like them (similar to RX bars that you find at grocery stores). But these are a step above! I WILL definitely be making peppermint fudge no bake energy bites.
10. Accommodating everyone’s food restrictions and preferences is near impossible. But you can get close with this healthy sweet potato casserole. It’s a vegan, gluten-free alternative to a perennial holiday favorite. (You can have brown sugar and marshmallows on the side for those with a stronger sweet tooth.)

Try several of these or search out your favorites. The key is focusing on food options that are healthy AND that you enjoy. If you do that about ninety percent of the time, I suspect you’ll be pretty happy with the results.