Christmas Dinner and Lightened-up Waldorf Salad Recipe

Christmas Eve dinner is an important tradition in the Ehlen-Norris family. As long as I can remember, we would head over to relatives’ house for dinner on Christmas Day, so Christmas Eve was always the time when our family would enjoy a special Christmas meal together before heading to vigil church.

Both sides of my family are a mixed English-German heritage, and this heritage influences our cuisine. Christmas Eve and New Years’ Eve feature traditional English dishes: rib roast, Yorkshire pudding, and potatoes.

This year, we made prime rib roast, Yorkshire pudding, simple and light mashed potatoes, roasted Brussel sprouts, and my mom’s lightened-up Waldorf salad.

Traditionally, the Waldorf salad consists of chopped apples, celery, and walnuts dressed in mayonnaise. It can be served over lettuce or on its own. However, the mayonnaise adds unnecessary calories and fat to the salad. Honestly, during the holidays, I’d rather spend those calories on the iced gingerbread cookies that I cannot stop eating.

Instead of using mayonnaise, which honestly I am not.a.fan. of that condiment, my mom replaces it with fat-free Greek yogurt. The Greek yogurt offers a creamy texture similar to that of the original Waldorf salad without the calories and fat. The sweet and tangy taste of the Greek yogurt compliments the tartness of the apples quite well.

Lightened-up Waldorf Salad

Laura Norris

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

• 1-8 oz. container of fat-free lemon Greek yogurt
• 2 green apples such as Granny Smith
• 2 red apples
• 1-2 stalks of celery
• 1/3 cup candied walnuts
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries

Instructions

 

• Chop the apples, discarding seeds, and slice the celery into bite-size pieces.
• Toss the apples, celery, dried cranberries, and walnuts with the Greek yogurt in a bowl.
• Chill for one hour or more before serving

This salad tastes just as delicious on the second day! You can store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

Question of the Day:
What’s your favorite holiday dish?