A Holiday Meal, Three Ways: Clean, Kid-Friendly, and Dinner for Two
One menu never fits all—especially when you’re cooking for the holidays. You might be baking for thirty or sautéing for four, be turkey-d out by Thanksgiving, or think it’s not Christmas without that beautiful roasted bird at the head of the table. With so many directions to go in, we’re sharing nine recipes for three totally different types of menus: A manageable yet festive meal for a smaller crowd (or simply you and your SO); a family-friendly, scalable feast; and three clean side dishes everyone will love. They’re all easy to mix-and-match—with one another or with many of our all-time favorite holiday recipes from goop’s past.
Turkey & Fixings for a (Very) Small Crowd
If you’re cooking for a smaller crowd (or even just for two) and don’t want to eat leftover turkey for weeks on end, this pared-down menu was designed by food editor Thea Baumann especially for you.
Kale & Arugula Salad with Crispy Brussels Sprouts
We’re more than a little bit obsessed with this Caesar-inspired salad, which gets its crunch from crispy Brussels sprouts instead of croutons.
Roasted Turkey Breast with Molasses
This roulade covers all your turkey bases: juicy meat, crispy skin, and classic stuffing.
Roasted Squash with Brown Butter & Hazelnut Gremolata
Brown butter makes everything better, and this roasted squash dish is no exception.
Crowd-Pleasers for a Big Family
Since goop pal Virginie Degryse is something of an entertaining genius (her cookbook, Crave and Cook: Home Cooking During the Holidays, came out last month), we asked her to share a go-to healthy, family-friendly menu that’s easy to scale for a crowd.
Parsnip Purée
“I like this purée because it’s lighter than a traditional potato purée but still has the same smooth, silky consistency.”
Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Apples
“This pork tenderloin is easy to assemble and prepare—plus, it makes for a nice alternative to turkey or roast beef, which are so often served during the holidays. And who doesn’t love a one-pot dish?!”
Chocolate Pots de Crème
“These incredibly rich pots de crème are so creamy and chocolatey; they also happen to be free of both dairy and refined sugar. You can make these with regular milk, almond, or soy milk, and I just love it with coconut—these flavors go so well together!”
gp's Clean Holiday Side Dishes
Almost everyone we know has an allergy or dietary restriction of some sort—and that can make cooking any meal (much less a classic holiday spread) more of a challenge. These festive sides are gluten-, nut-, dairy-, and soy-free; they’re also so delicious that they’ll be the first to go at any potluck.
Caramelized Carrots & Shallots with Carrot Top Pesto
Roasting carrots and shallots at a super high temperature makes them sticky, sweet, and caramelized—in other words, delicious. Topping them with a pesto of cilantro, pumpkin seeds, and carrot tops (why waste all those beautiful greens?) makes them even better.
Grilled Radicchio & Pear Salad
While this isn’t the first recipe to pair bitter radicchio with sweet pears and balsamic vinegar, this one is a bit different in that it doesn’t rely on cheese to balance the flavors. We find that a good char on everything helps mellow the radicchio and bring out the sweetness in the pears. Add a little thyme and a drizzle of good, aged balsamic vinegar and you’ve got a beautiful and light addition to your holiday table.
Latke Pie
Everyone loves latkes, but since we’ve yet to meet someone who loves standing over the stove frying them all day, this is an easier option.
