Healthy Holidays.

...for once

Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la. On the first day of the holiday season The Green Magazine gives you two health-conscience alternatives to pair with your traditional favorites. Forget about the in-laws and the hours you’re going to have to wait in line to get that one item your loved one must have this season. Instead, find refuge in the most unlikely of places—the kitchen. Although your family may seem like a scene from “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” these quick and easy recipes will give your holiday a special twist to remember.

Pomegranate-Glazed Turkey with Roasted Fennel
Servings: 4
Estimated Time: 30 minutes

4 medium fennel bulbs, cored and thickly sliced
5 teaspoons canola oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, plus 1 sprig
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
4 turkey cutlets, 1/4 inch thick (1 pound)
1 cup pomegranate juice
1/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth or water
1 teaspoon cornstarch

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Toss fennel, chopped thyme, 3 teaspoons oil, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast, stir, until tender and golden, approximately 25 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, sprinkle both sides of turkey with the remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the turkey and cook until browned, 1 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
4. Add pomegranate juice and thyme sprig to the pan; bring to a boil. Boil, stir regularly until reduced to 1/4 cup, 6 to 10 minutes. Throw out the thyme. Whisk broth (or water) and cornstarch; add to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 15 seconds. Reduce heat to medium, return the turkey and any accumulated juices to the pan, turning to coat with sauce, and cook for 1 minute. To serve, top roasted fennel with turkey and sauce.

Citrus Ginger Cake with Spiced Orange Compote
Servings: 10
Estimated Time: 1 hour 35 minutes

1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup mild-flavored extra-virgin olive oil
2 large eggs, at room temperature, separated (see Tip)
2 tablespoons freshly grated orange or lemon zest
1/3 cup fresh orange or Meyer lemon juice
5 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger, divided
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons confectioners’ sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Oil an 8-inch round cake pan, line with parchment paper and oil the parchment.
2. Stir together honey, oil, egg yolks, zest, juice and 3 tablespoons crystallized ginger in a medium bowl. Sift whole-wheat pastry flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Beat egg whites with an electric mixer on high in another medium bowl until soft peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Stir the honey mixture into the flour mixture with a wooden spoon. Gently fold in the egg whites with a rubber spatula until they are well combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
4. Bake the cake until a fork inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the cake and turn it out onto wire a rack. Let cool thoroughly.
5. Just before serving, sift sugar evenly over the top of the cake and garnish with the remaining 2 tablespoons ginger. Serve with Spiced Orange Compote on the side.

Spiced Orange Compote
8 small oranges, preferably seedless
2 cups water
5 tablespoons sugar
1 vanilla bean
1 cinnamon stick
2 whole cloves
1 star anise

1. Use zester to remove zest from oranges into long, thin, spindly strips (see Variation). Boil water in a small saucepan. Add the zest to the boiling water and cook for 3 minutes. Remove with a small strainer (reserve the cooking liquid). Rinse with cold water; separate and drain on a paper towel.
2. Stir sugar into the reserved cooking liquid; bring to a simmer. Cut vanilla bean in half lengthwise; scrape the seeds into the sugar water and add the pod along with cinnamon stick, cloves and star anise. Continue to simmer until the sauce reduces to 1/2 cup and thickens slightly, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from the heat.
3. Slice off an end of each orange so they stand upright. Remove all the remaining peel and white pith from the oranges with a very sharp knife. Slice the peeled oranges into 1/4-inch-thick rounds.
4. Discard the vanilla pod and whole spices. Stir the zest into the sauce. Layer the orange slices in a serving bowl, spooning the sauce between layers to distribute the zest evenly throughout.