23 Christmas foods swaps and the HACKS that will save you 4,815 calories

Just because it's Christmas time doesn't mean you have to throw your healthy eating plan out the window. Here are 23 hacks to save you calories and money.
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Rhian Allen is a busy mum of two boys, she is also the founder of The Healthy Mummy.

Here, she will show you how The Healthy Mummy Christmas food tastes amazing and doesn’t lose on taste!

Using these small hacks you can save calories while not missing out! (All the food is from our 28 Day Weight Loss Challenges)

Check out the 23 Christmas recipes that can save you calories using these hacks…

23 Christmas foods swaps and the HACKS

At The Healthy Mummy we 100% focus on education around health and weight loss and I really wanted to show how by following our healthy recipes and meal plans can significantly reduce your calorie intake – WITHOUT compromising on taste.

Healthy, nutritionally planned and portioned meals from the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge ensure you’re on track with your energy requirements, vitamins and minerals to reach your goals.

“Below, I have laid out 23 comparisons of Healthy Mummy 28 Day Challenge meals versus the same meal made with different ingredients and quantities – so you can see how SMALL changes can make a HUGE difference in calories and COST too!”

Rhian Allen Christmas dessert comparions

These 23 recipes are from the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge.

Starters/sweet treats:

1. The Healthy Mummy recipe: Asparagus and Chicken Mini Muffin Quiches (203 cals, $0.99 per serve)

Saves 257 calories

new chicken mini

How did we increase the calories on the 460 calorie version?

  • Swap mountain bread for 1/3 sheet full-fat puff pastry (55g)
  • Add 30g full-fat feta, add 2g pine nuts.

The Healthy Mummy recipe is available here Five Ingredient Asparagus and Chicken Mini Muffin Quiches

2. The Healthy Mummy recipe: Cucumber S’mores with Turkey, Parmesan and Cranberry Sauce (133 cals, $2.04 per serve)

Saves 232 calories

new smores

How did the calories increase on the 365 calorie version?

  • Add 200g Jatz crackers to the recipe as the base for the cucumber and toppings

The Healthy Mummy recipe is from the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge.

3. The Healthy Mummy recipe: Cucumber S’mores with Cream Cheese, Smoked Salmon and Dill (136 cals, $4.76 per serve)

Saves 315 calories

cucumber snores cream cheese

How did the calories increase on the 451 calorie serve?

  • Add 200g Jatz crackers to the recipe as the base for the cucumber and toppings
  • Swap reduced-fat cream cheese to full fat (160g for 4 serves)

The Healthy Mummy recipe is available here Cucumber Smores Christmas Recipe

4. The Healthy Mummy recipe: Flourless Parmesan and Seed Crackers (69 cals, $0.24 per serve)

Saves 116 calories

crackers

How did the calories increase on the 185 calorie serve?

  • Add 1 tbsp almond meal
  • Add 1/8 cup cheddar cheese
  • Add 1 tsp linseed meal
  • Just stir these extra ingredients through with the rest and make them the same way.

The Healthy Mummy recipe is from the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge.

5. The Healthy Mummy recipe: Healthy Sausage Rolls (178 cals, $0.67 per serve)

Saves 107 calories

new sausage rolls

How did the calories increase on the 285 calorie serve?

  • Swap low-fat feta for full fat
  • Swap no sugar sauce for standard tomato sauce
  • Increase pork mince to 500g
  • Add 1 egg
  • Add 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Add 1 onion, finely diced
  • Add 6g crushed garlic
  • Add 60g (1/4cup) grated full fat cheese
  • Add 1 rasher bacon, diced
  • Add 30g breadcrumbs (white premade)
  • New Method: sweat onion and garlic in oil. Add to mince along with veggies, egg and breadcrumbs. Make as per original recipe. Before cooking sprinkle each one with cheese and bacon.

Get The Healthy Mummy Sausage Rolls Recipe here

6. The Healthy Mummy recipe: Sun-dried Tomato Gnocchi Stacks (89 cals, $0.29 per serve)

Saves 214 calories

gnocchi stacks

How did the calories increase on the 303 calorie serve?

  • Add 10 slices salami (230g) – 2 pieces per stick
  • Add 10 x 1cm cubes full-fat feta (60g) – 2 pieces per stick

The Healthy Mummy Tomato Gnocchi recipe is from the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge.

7. The Healthy Mummy recipe: Spicy Ginger Cookies (166 cals, $0.31 per serve)

Saves 57 calories

ginger cookies

How did the calories increase on the 223 calorie serve?

  • Change portion size to 6 serves not 7 serves
  • Change flour to white flour
  • Change sugar to white sugar
  • Change rice malt to golden syrup
  • Add 60g (2 pieces) crystallised ginger, finely diced

The Healthy Mummy recipe is from the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge.

8. The Healthy Mummy recipe: Plum Pudding Balls (136 cals, $0.27 per serve)

Saves 168 calories

plum pudding balls

How did the calories increase on the 304 calorie serve?

  • Added 750g mixed dried fruit, 60ml brandy, 60ml orange juice, 250g butter, 1&1/2 cups brown sugar (330g), 1 tsp vanilla, 4 eggs, 1 cup self-raising flour, 1&1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs (100g), 100g dark choc chips, 1/4 cup slivered almonds. 

The Healthy Mummy recipe is avaible here Plum Pudding Recipe

9. The Healthy Mummy recipe: Reindeer Logs (213 cals, $0.45 per serve)

Saves 434 calories

reindeer logs

How did the calories increase on the 647 calorie serve?

  • 1x 400g jam roll sponge
  • 200g butter
  • 325g icing sugar
  • 380g tinned caramel
  • 50g dark chocolate- grated

The Healthy Mummy recipe is from the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge.

Desserts:

10. The Healthy Mummy recipe: Baked Pear Custard Tart (253 cals, $1.02 per serve)

Saves 151 calories

pear tart

How did the calories increase on the 404 calorie serve?

  • Add 1 sheet puff pastry- cook as a base first.
  • Change cream to full fat thickened cream
  • Add 1 tbsp melted butter into the cream mix

Get The Healthy Mummy recipe for the Baked Tart recipe here 

11. The Healthy Mummy recipe: Brandy Snap Baskets with Fruit (168 cals, $0.91 per serve)

Saves 116 calories

brandy baskets

How did the calories increase on the 284 calorie serve?

  • Add 1/3 cup ricotta cheese
  • Add 1/2 cup pure cream
  • Add 1 tbsp icing sugar
  • Add 1 tbsp orange juice
  • Add 1/4 cup white choc chips
  • Add 1 tsp brandy

The Healthy Mummy recipe is from the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge.

12. The Healthy Mummy recipe: Date and Coconut Banoffee Pies (151 cals, $0.43 per serve)

Saves 90 calories

banoffee pies

How did the calories increase on the 241 calorie serve?

  • Increase banana to 2 (180g)
  • Increase dates to 1 cup (170g)
  • Change coconut cream to full fat and increase to 120g
  • Change ricotta to full fat
  • Increase almond butter to 2 tbsp (30g)
  • Increase almond meal to 2 tbsp (75g)
  • Add 3 tbsp maple syrup to the recipe 

Get The Healthy Mummy Banoffee Pie Recipes

13. The Healthy Mummy recipe: Four Ingredient Fruit Cake (273 cals, $0.56 per serve)

Saves 142 calories

new fruit cake

How did the calories increase on the 415 calorie serve?

  • Serve with 720g custard (60g per serve)
  • Change the serves to 12 to increase the portions
  • Change cranberry juice to added sugar

The Healthy Mummy recipe is from the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge.

14. The Healthy Mummy recipe: No Bake Raspberry Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cheesecake (150 cals, $0.78 per serve)

Saves 154 calories

no bake cheesecake

How did the calories increase on the 304 calorie serve?

  • Change portion to 16 serves instead of 20
  • Swap ricotta to full fat
  • Swap cream cheese to full fat
  • Swap natvia for white sugar
  • To the base add 4 scotch finger biscuits (72g) and 2 tbsp butter
  • Garnish with 160g of canned whipped cream (16 x 10g dollops)
  • And 100g dark choc that is shaved into strips or melted and drizzled on top

The Healthy Mummy version of the Recipe- No-Bake Raspberry Chocolate & Peanut Butter Cheesecake

cheesecake rhian

Serves 20, prep time 45mins (plus chilling time)

Energy 630 kJ / 150 cals Protein 5.9g Fibre 2g Total Fat 10.1g Sat Fat 6.7g Carbs 7.8g Total Sugar 3.5g Free Sugar 1.2g

Ingredients

Base:

  • 7 wheat cereal biscuits e.g. Weet-Bix, roughly crushed (105g)
  • 1/3 cup cacao/cocoa powder (35g)
  • 1/3 cup desiccated coconut (35g)
  • ¼ cup coconut oil, melted (60ml)
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup (40ml)

Filling:

  • ¼ cup boiling water (62.5ml)
  • 3 tsp powdered gelatine (12g)
  • 250g light cream cheese
  • 375g light ricotta
  • 1/3 cup Natvia (60g)
  • 1 cup frozen raspberries, defrosted and crushed to make a sauce (240g)
  • ¼ cup peanut butter (64g)
  • ¼ cup cacao/cocoa powder (25g)

Method

  •      Grease and line the base and sides of a round 20cm springform cake tin. Set aside.
  •      In the bowl of a food processor add the crushed Weet-Bix, cacao/cocoa and desiccated coconut, and pulse until a fine crumb is formed. Next, add the melted coconut oil and maple syrup and pulse again to form the base of the cheesecake.
  •      Spread two-thirds of the mix into the base of the tin and press out to evenly cover. With the remaining base carefully press around the sides of the tin to create an edge.
  •      Place in the fridge to firm up while you make the filling.
  •      Add the boiling water to a cup and sprinkle in the powdered gelatine. Let this sit for 5-10 minutes or until dissolved.
  •      In the bowl of an electric mixer add the cream cheese, ricotta and Natvia and beat until smooth and the Natvia dissolves. Pour in the gelatine liquid and beat on low until combined.
  •      Divide the cream cheese mixture evenly between three bowls and add the raspberry sauce to one (making sure to leave 1 tablespoon aside), the peanut butter to another and the cacao/cocoa powder to the last one. Mix each one separately until the ingredients are combined.
  •      Pour the peanut butter layer over the chocolate base and spread to cover evenly. Evenly spread the chocolate layer over the peanut butter layer followed by the raspberry layer. Add dollops of the leftover raspberry sauce to the top of the cheesecake and marble through the top layer.
  •      Place the cheesecake in the fridge and chill for 6 hours or until firm.
  •      When serving garnish with fresh raspberries and grated chocolate, Another delicious biscuit recipe!

15. The Healthy Mummy recipe: Healthy Fruit Trifle (173 cals, $2.05 per serve)

Saves 206 calories

fruit trifle

How did the calories increase on the 379 calorie serve?

  • 1 x 85g packet jelly original port wine flavour made up as directed.
  • 600ml vanilla custard, 400g jam sponge roll, sliced into 1.5cm pieces, then soaked in 100ml peach schnapps.
  • 300g pure cream, whipped with 2 tbsp icing sugar and 5ml vanilla extract.
  • Same fruit and nuts as before. Layer the ingredients in a bowl.

The Healthy Mummy recipe is from the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge.

16. The Healthy Mummy recipe: Cheesy Cauliflower Bake (177 cals, $0.93 per serve)

Saves 157 calories

new cauliflowers

How did the calories increase on the 334 calorie serve?

  • Swap milk to full fat
  • Swap cheese to full fat and increase to 2 cups
  • Increase butter to 3 tbsp
  • Add 500g potatoes as well as keeping the cauliflower at 500g

The Healthy Mummy recipe is from the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge.

17. The Healthy Mummy recipe: Potato and Rocket Salad (118 cals, $1.25 per serve)

Saves 174 calories

new potato and walnut

How did the calories increase on the 292 calorie serve?

  • Increase potato to 4 (480g)
  • Swap yoghurt to full fat and increase to 130g
  • Increase walnuts to 1/2 cup (45g)
  • Increase honey to 1 tbsp
  • Increase olive oil to 1 tbsp

The Healthy Mummy recipe is from the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge.

18. The Healthy Mummy recipe: Apple Coleslaw (108 cals, $1.55 per serve)

Saves 150 calories

apple coleslaw-2

How did the calories increase on the 258 calorie serve?

  • Increase apple to 200g
  • Swap reduced-fat mayo for full fat
  • Add 1 tbsp full-fat sour cream
  • Add 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • Add 1 tsp poppy seeds

The Healthy Mummy recipe is from the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge.

Mains:

19. The Healthy Mummy recipe: Roast Turkey with Citrus and Date Stuffing (615 cals, $10.75 per serve)

Saves 404 calories

roast turkey

How did the calories increase on the 1019 calorie serve?

  • Increase turkey to 4kg
  • Change feta to full fat and increase to 1 cup
  • Add 3 cups fresh white sourdough breadcrumbs (210g)
  • Add 120g butter (50g to rub all over turkey before cooking and the rest to rub into breadcrumbs and mix with the rest of stuffing ingredients)
  • Increase pistachios to 1/2 cup
  • Increase green beans to 4 cups

The Healthy Mummy recipe is from the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge.

Try this yummy version Turkey Stuffing Recipe | Roast Turkey with Pistachio

20. The Healthy Mummy recipe: Sticky Ginger and Pineapple Baked Ham (417 cals, $9.48 per serve)

Saves 180 calories

baked ham

How did the calories increase on the 2505 calorie serve?

  • Increase ham to 200g per serve without bone- keep at 3kg ham…
  • Swap coconut sugar for 1 cup honey

The Healthy Mummy recipe is from the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge. Sticky Ginger and Pineapple Baked Ham Recipe

21. The Healthy Mummy recipe: Roast Lamb with Mint Pesto (366 cals, $3.50 per serve)

Saves 252 calories

new lamb salad

How did the calories increase on the 618 calorie serve?

  • Increase lamb to 2.5kg
  • Increase onions to 300g
  • Increase mint to 60g
  • Increase almonds to 30g, parmesan to 24g, lemon juice to 40ml and olive oil to 100ml
  • Double the size of potato salad
  • Include full fat mayonnaise in potato salad

The Healthy Mummy recipe is from the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge. Find the full recipe here Lamb Roast Recipe

Drinks:

22. The Healthy Mummy recipe: Cranberry Crush Cocktail (75 cals, $2.67 per serve)

Saves 301 calories

How did the calories increase on the 376 calorie serve?

  • Change light cranberry juice to sweetened cranberry juice and increase to 250ml
  • Omit water
  • Add 1 cup (255g) crushed pineapple in juice
  • Add 15ml Cointreau

23. The Healthy Mummy recipe: Gingerbread Martini (119 cals, $3.14 per serve)

Saves 438 calories

How did the calories increase on the 557 calorie serve?

  • 60g thick cream full fat
  • 30ml vodka
  • 30ml Baileys Irish cream
  • 30ml ginger cordial
  • 30g mini gingerbread men
  • 1/2 tsp muscovado sugar
One-Pan-Creamy-Sundried-Tomato-Chicken

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