It’s holiday time! Gatherings, house guests, relatives, kids and lots of eating. It can be filled with joy or filled with drama and conflict! Often a mix of both! And with all the activity, you are probably short on time. Let Yumbini help you get through the holidays with time to spare.
Waiting in Your Cupboard
After hosting lots of holiday gatherings and raising three kids, I’ve discovered that everyone behaves better after something to eat (grownups included). So, to get through the holidays, it’s nice to have lots of food around in case folks gets cranky. And not just snacks, but real food.
Unlike lots of other holiday foods that take up space in your freezer or refrigerator, Yumbini is shelf stable and waiting patiently in your cupboard. And unlike salty precooked cans or pouches, it cooks up fresh and tastes like you just made it. Because you did!
Another great thing about Yumbini is everyone can eat it! No meat, no allergens, no gluten. So, if guests around the house are getting grumpy or need a quick meal, you can whip out a pouch of Yumbini and have hot beans and rice in 6 minutes! See more about the calming properties of Yumbini in Easy Comfort Food – Calm with Beans and Rice.
Appetizers for All
How can you get though the holidays without appetizers? They are a must to keep the troops happy until the big meal shows up. But with Yumbini, those appetizers can be just as nutritious as a meal. The perfect antidote to cookies and candy.
Check out our recipes for dramatic Stuffed Party Mushrooms or Colorful 7 Layer Party Dip. Yumbini can also become a flavorful dip for fresh and healthy vegetables. We have two: Creamy Black Bean Dip and Spiced Roasted Red Bell Pepper Dip. You can probably create others on your own!
Sharable Soups
When the weather is cool, and everyone is indoors, there is nothing like hot soup. Yumbini makes the perfect base for hearty soups. Follow our recipes for Creamy Rosemary Kale Bean Soup, Tortilla Black Bean Soup, Creamy Vegetable Soup or invent your own!
Also try our Coconut Curry with All the Toppings. Part soup, part main dish, this recipe is dinner and a fun group activity all in one. You provide a variety of toppings, and guests interact and get creative as they customize their own bowls.
Quick Main Dishes and Salads
To really get through the holidays you need some quick and easy main dishes. Two of my favorites are Moussaka Reinvented with Easy Cheesy Bechamel and Black Bean Mole with Roasted Squash and Lemony Walnut Cream.
The first one has the feel of a traditional Moussaka but is way easier. And it’s vegetarian (though the carnivores might not notice if you don’t tell them)!
The Mole is richer and takes a little longer but is worth the extra work. And it is completely vegan. If you have a crowd and want to get creative, double the recipe and use a large oval or rectangular platter. Pipe the lemony walnut cream in the shape of a Christmas Tree, name, date or whatever you want.
If you are looking for a refreshing, seasonal salad, try the Merry & Bright Pomegranate Curry Salad. It has only four ingredients! And for a salad that is a meal in itself, try our Super Bowl Taco Bowl.
Some Zen
With so many things happening during the holidays, it is easy to get stressed out cleaning up and planning for the next event. When this happens, I try to work on ways to embrace what is happening (before it slips away!), instead of obsessing about other things.
In her book, How to Train a Wild Elephant & Other Adventures in Mindfulness, Jan Chozen Bays presents a series of exercises to help keep us in the present. For example, one is to simply notice the color blue in the world around you. Or make a point of looking UP and seeing all the things we miss in our daily lives! The goal is to cultivate mindfulness and enjoy the richness of our lives in the moment.
I hope that with the food challenges solved, and a little mindfulness, you can get through the holidays with joy!
