(Family Features) Holiday cooking and baking may be a timeless tradition, but there are plenty of ways to elevate your favorite recipes to be healthier and more indulgent in taste and texture, and it all starts with the quality of the ingredients you choose.

Nutrient-rich ingredients including 100% grass-fed organic dairy can help you enjoy festive favorites while feeling good about creating recipes for friends and family. Cows that follow a 100% grass-fed diet produce a more nutrient-dense milk as nature intended, complete with an artisanal rich and creamy taste and texture that may become a staple ingredient this season.

Holiday Recipe

Swap your conventional and traditional organic dairy for 100% grass-fed organic dairy from Maple Hill that provides super-premium ingredients for all your holiday recipes.

Yogurt
From fluffy pancakes to melt-in-your-mouth muffins, 100% grass-fed organic yogurt can turn classic breakfast dishes into an indulgent holiday brunch spread. A wholesome, nutrient dense alternative to buttermilk, sour cream or even milk, varieties of yogurt including Greek, plain and vanilla can add an artisanal richness as a breakfast side on its own or as an ingredient that balances the sweet and savory notes of many popular holiday recipes. Just thin the yogurt slightly with water, if necessary, to achieve the perfect consistency for your recipe and provide a wholesome, fresh dairy flavor.

Butter
Enjoy the rich, smooth texture of butter in all your holiday favorites – from baking cookies to whipping up creamy mashed potatoes, adding depth to soups and more. By swapping standard and traditional organic butter for Maple Hill’s high-quality, 100% grass-fed organic butter in Salted or Unsalted varieties, you can bring a layer of rich, artisanal flavor to your recipes. Crafted with just two simple ingredients, it reflects the purity of dairy as nature intended. With its creamy texture and rich flavor profile, 100% grass-fed organic butter brings a wholesome richness to your holiday table, offering a truly elevated experience your loved ones will savor.

Kefir
In response to the increasing demand for probiotic-rich, gut-friendly products, an option like kefir can be used as a healthier buttermilk to bring a light, tangy depth to cornbread, biscuits, frosting, cakes and more. While it can be enjoyed as a standalone drink with its rich flavor and potential gut-health benefits, its thick, creamy texture and indulgent, buttery notes make it an ideal substitute for traditional dairy that’s just as nutrient-dense as it is delicious in a variety of holiday recipes.

Milk
From the glass left out for Santa to holiday desserts like hot chocolate bombs and savory dinner sides, milk is the ultimate holiday staple. This season, trade your conventional and traditional organic milk for the premium taste and texture of 100% grass-fed organic milk, such as Maple Hill’s whole or 2% milk. Packed with vitamin B2, riboflavin, calcium, phosphorus and pantothenic acid, it offers a 50% higher ratio of omega-3 to omega-6, which may contribute to variety of health benefits such as lowering the risk of heart disease. Expect a naturally sweet, smooth and rich flavor – perfect for holiday treats that are as wholesome as they are indulgent.

For holiday recipe inspiration featuring 100% grass-fed organic dairy, visit maplehill.com and experience the pure, rich and creamy taste of dairy as nature intended.

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SOURCE:
Maple Hill

At our core, we at STM Daily News, strive to keep you informed and inspired with the freshest content on all things food and beverage. From mouthwatering recipes to intriguing articles, we’re here to satisfy your appetite for culinary knowledge.

Visit our Food & Drink section to get the latest on Foodie News and recipes, offering a delightful blend of culinary inspiration and gastronomic trends to elevate your dining experience.

Dark Chocolate

According to a recent article from Consumer Reports, there are some brands of Dark Chocolate that contain dangerous levels of lead, and cadmium. 

Dark Chocolate has become popular due to studies suggesting that they are rich in antioxidants,  which is beneficial to the heart, and it having low sugar properties that positively impact health. 

The article, which was posted in mid December, states that 28 popular brands were tested, and that 23 of them contained high levels of the dangerous metals. 

For more details, check out the article from Consumer Reports: https://www.consumerreports.org/health/food-safety/lead-and-cadmium-in-dark-chocolate-a8480295550/

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(Culinary.net) Prepping for Thanksgiving gatherings is plenty of work on its own, and when family and guests can’t stay out of your way in the kitchen, you’ll need the perfect appetizer as a distraction. This Loaded Spinach Dip offers a little something for everyone with ooey-gooey goodness and just the right touch of bacon.

Find more shareable holiday appetizers by visiting Culinary.net.

Loaded Spinach Dip

Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy”
Servings: 8-10

• 16 ounces softened cream cheese
• 1/2 cup mayo
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 10 ounces thawed spinach
• 14 ounces drained canned artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
• 1 package (2 1/2 ounces) real bacon pieces
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste
• pretzel bites, toasted baguette slices, crackers or veggies, for serving

1. Heat oven to 375 F.
2. In large bowl, mix cream cheese, mayo and sour cream. Add spinach, artichoke hearts, bacon, Parmesan and mozzarella. Mix in garlic powder and onion powder. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
3. Spoon into oven-safe skillet or baking dish and bake 20-25 minutes. Serve with pretzel bites, toasted baguette slices, crackers or veggies.

SOURCE:
Culinary.net

At our core, we at STM Daily News, strive to keep you informed and inspired with the freshest content on all things food and beverage. From mouthwatering recipes to intriguing articles, we’re here to satisfy your appetite for culinary knowledge.

Visit our Food & Drink section to get the latest on Foodie News and recipes, offering a delightful blend of culinary inspiration and gastronomic trends to elevate your dining experience.