Elvis may have dreaded having a “Blue Christmas” — but who says it has to be a bad thing?
A typical holiday dinner can pack more than 3,000 calories in a single sitting, with Americans piling their plates high with seasonal favorites loaded with sugar, fat and salt.
But by taking a cue from the world’s Blue Zones, known for the extraordinary longevity of their residents, experts say you can serve a Christmas dinner that’s both festive and feel-good.
“There’s a false belief that holiday celebrations require heavy cream, butter and processed ingredients to feel special and festive,” longevity researcher and cookbook author Dan Buettner told The Post. “In reality, the best holiday dishes in the Blue Zones are naturally plant-forward and celebratory.”
Buettner and his colleagues, who coined the term “Blue Zones,” spent decades studying the world’s longest-living and healthiest populations and found they all follow remarkably similar diets.
“Beans, whole grains, vegetables, tubers and nuts form the backbone of meals in these regions,” he said. “The key is that folks in the Blue Zones have discovered ways to make the most nourishing foods taste delicious.”
To prove it’s possible, Buettner shared five Blue Zone-inspired recipes from his cookbooks that he says will make your Christmas dinner shine — and give you a head start on your New Year’s health and wellness goals.
Mulled cider tonic
Makes four 1-cup servings. Cook time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 orange, halved and juice, rind reserved
- 2 cups apple cider
- 2 cups water
- 2 apples, cored and chopped into roughly ½-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 10 cardamom seeds (or two pods)
- 6 allspice berries
- 4 cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
- Orange slices and cinnamon sticks, for garnish
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients except the garnishes in a saucepan — including the orange rind — and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the apple chunks are soft, about 15 minutes.
- Strain the mixture, pressing on the apple pieces with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible.
- Serve with an orange slice and a cinnamon stick. Store any leftover cider in the fridge for up to a week.
“This is a wonderful alternative to sugar-laden holiday drinks,” Buettner said.
The apple cider vinegar and fresh ginger, he explained, help support digestion, while the warming spices are “anti-inflammatory powerhouses.” The orange adds a dose of vitamin C, crucial for immune function, collagen production, wound healing and iron absorption.
Not-your-mom’s whipped potatoes
Serves four to six. Cook time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives, minced
Instructions
- Trim any dark spots from the potatoes, keeping the skins on, then halve or quarter them so the pieces are roughly 2 inches across.
- Place the potatoes in a deep pot with plenty of room, then cover with water by about 2 inches.
- Bring to a boil and cook until a knife pierces the potatoes with minimal resistance, about 20 minutes.
- Drain in a colander, then return the potatoes to the pot.
- Add the olive oil, salt, and chives, and use an immersion blender to whip everything into a smooth, velvety purée.
- Taste and adjust seasoning before serving.
“Traditional mashed potatoes strip away the skin, the most nutritious part of the potato, which is loaded with nutrients like fiber and vitamin C,” Buettner said.
“By leaving skins on and using extra virgin olive oil instead of butter or cream, we’ve created a dish that’s creamy and packed with heart-healthy fats,” he explained.
Honey roasted carrots
Serves four. Cook time: 35 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 12 ounces carrots, peeled (about five medium carrots)
- ½ teaspoon salt,
- ¼ teaspoon each: cumin seed, caraway seed, coriander seed, fennel seed, smoked paprika
- ¼ cup carrot greens or fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon of olive oil, lemon juice, and honey until the honey dissolves; set aside.
- Cut the carrots lengthwise into halves or quarters so the widest ends are about ¼ inch thick.
- Toss the carrots with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to coat evenly, then add the salt and spices and toss again.
- Spread the carrots in a single layer on a 13×9-inch sheet pan, with the curved sides facing up.
- Roast for 30 minutes, then remove the pan from the oven. Drizzle the honey-lemon glaze over the carrots and return to the oven for 5 more minutes.
- Garnish with chopped carrot greens or parsley before serving.
“Unlike traditional roasted carrots that often rely on butter for richness, this recipe uses extra-virgin olive oil, a staple in Mediterranean blue zones regions like Ikaria, Greece and Sardinia, Italy,” Buettner said.
“Carrots are rich in beta-carotene and antioxidants and roasting them helps your body absorb these nutrients better,” he added. “The warming spice blend of cumin, caraway, coriander, and fennel seeds reflects the flavor-building techniques found across Blue Zone regions, where spices and herbs do the heavy lifting instead of heavy cream or excessive salt.”
Walnut “meatloaf” and cremini gravy
Ingredients (gravy)
Serves two. Cook time: 25 minutes.
- ½ yellow onion
- ½ cup cremini mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons unbleached, all-purpose flour
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
Instructions (gravy)
- Peel and dice the onions. Wash the mushrooms and slice them thinly.
- Heat a saucepan over medium heat with 1 tablespoon of vegetable broth. Add the mushrooms and onions and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more broth as needed to prevent sticking.
- In a small bowl, whisk the flour with half of the remaining vegetable broth until smooth.
- Add the remaining broth, nutritional yeast, soy sauce, mustard, and the flour-broth mixture to the pan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring or whisking constantly for a few minutes, until the gravy thickens.
- Once thickened, remove the pan from the heat. Let it cool slightly, then taste and season with salt and pepper.
Ingredients (loaf)
Serves six to eight. Cook time: 95 minutes
- 1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
- 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
- 2 cups walnuts, finely ground
- ½ cup instant oats, coarsely ground in food processor
- 2 large onions, minced
- 2 celery heart stalks, minced
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1⁄4 cup almond or soy milk
Instructions (loaf)
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and generously oil a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
- In a large bowl, combine both types of bread crumbs, ground walnuts, and oats.
- In a food processor, pulse the onions, celery, ketchup, and 2 tablespoons of oil until broken down but not completely liquefied.
- Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients along with the poultry seasoning, garlic powder and milk. Mix until well combined, adding more milk if needed to achieve a moist consistency.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and cover with foil.
- Bake for 70 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until a knife or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cool 10–15 minutes before slicing. Serve with gravy or ketchup.
“What I love about this walnut ‘meat’ loaf is that it gives you all the comfort of traditional meatloaf without any of the baggage,” Buettner said.
“Instead of ground beef, you are getting walnuts, oats and real vegetables, all of them whole ingredients that deliver plant-based protein, fiber and the kind of healthy fats your body knows what to do with,” he explained.
Chewy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies
Makes eight cookies. Cook time: 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 cup oats
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds, soaked in ¼ cup water for 20 minutes, then drained
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- ¼ cup smooth, unsalted peanut butter
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Coarse salt for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon mat
- Combine all the ingredients except the salt in a bowl and mix well.
- Form golf-ball sized balls of dough and place them on the baking sheet. Press each ball gently to flatten it into a disc about ½ inch thick.
- Sprinkle coarse salt on top of each and bake for 30 minutes, turning the pan halfway through.
“These cookies prove that dessert can be both delicious and nutrient-rich,” Buettner said.
“Instead of butter, we use coconut oil and smooth peanut butter, providing healthy fats and protein. Maple syrup replaces refined white sugar, lowering the glycemic load,” he explained.
“The oats add fiber and promote sustained energy, while chia seeds add omega-3 fatty acids and additional protein, and dark chocolate provides antioxidants.”
Want to keep following the Blue Zone way of life after the holidays? Buettner has published three cookbooks full of plant-based recipes designed to help you live longer.
If cooking isn’t your thing, his company Blue Zones Kitchen also offers ready-to-heat meals made entirely with real, whole-food, plant-based ingredients.
“Taste is the most important ingredient for longevity,” Buettner said. “When food tastes amazing, eating well becomes effortless.”
