The holidays are all about gathering around a meal and making memories — and what better way to celebrate the season than with a special feast from the heart? Christmas dinners are a time for families to go all out with flavorful dishes, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be healthy too!

As our gift to you this December, we’re bringing you Holiday Healthy recipes that will help you share the cheer with the whole family! From fresh pastas to nourishing mains that hit the spot, these dishes will help you make memories to look back on for many years to come! Let’s Eat Well and Live Well to make this season healthy, bright, and delicious!

Vegan Meatball One-Pot Pasta

Wanna make sure everyone is happy while also keeping your to-do list short? This one-pot wonder is perfect for the busy holiday cook, while providing a healthy, plant-based pair to the usual hearty mains.

Steps to Make:

Mix cauliflower, kangkong, tofu, garlic, AJI-NO-MOTO® Umami Seasoning, salt, and flour in a bowl. Scoop a tablespoon of the mixture and mold it into balls. Pan-fry the vegan meatballs in hot oil until golden brown, then drain and set aside.

In the same pot, sauté garlic and onion in additional oil until fragrant. Add tomatoes and tomato paste, then cook until soft. Pour in water and bring to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente.

Once the pasta is cooked, season with AJI-NO-MOTO® Umami Seasoning, salt, black pepper, and brown sugar. Add the fried vegan meatballs and mix well. Transfer to a serving plate, garnish with parsley and Parmesan if desired, and serve!

Malunggay Pesto Pasta

This bright and healthy dish will bring a pop of greens to your table – something to cut through all those heavy dishes!

Steps to Make:

Blend malunggay leaves, basil, garlic, peanuts, Parmesan, olive oil, AJI-NO-MOTO® Umami Seasoning, and pepper until smooth.

Toss the cooked pasta with the malunggay pesto until well coated.

Transfer to a serving plate, serve, and enjoy!

Lemongrass Chicken with Garlic Tamarind Sauce

This warm and aromatic main course combines the fresh scent of lemongrass with tender chicken; a perfect centerpiece around to build your meal, made with ingredients with good amounts of Vitamin B6 and protein!

Steps to Make:

Combine lemongrass, garlic, AJI-NO-MOTO® Umami Seasoning, calamansi, black pepper, coco sugar, and chicken in a bowl. Mix well and let it marinate in the fridge for at least 15 minutes.

In a saucepan, combine tamarind, garlic, coconut milk, water, AJI-NO-MOTO® Umami Seasoning, and coco sugar. Simmer for about 15 minutes until the sauce thickens, then set aside.

Heat oil in a griddle pan and grill the marinated chicken for 5 minutes on each side or until cooked through.

Serve the grilled chicken with the sauce on the side.

Chicken Cajun Pasta

A spicy surprise to heat up the cooler season, this balanced and bold pasta dish is the perfect way to spice up your holiday menu. It’s a guaranteed hit for any guests who love a little kick.

Steps to Make:

Heat oil and butter in a pot, then add chicken and cook until golden brown. Add onions and sauté until translucent, then stir in tomatoes and French beans. Cook for 3 minutes.

Add penne pasta, cream cheese, Cajun spice mix (smoked paprika, oregano, thyme, AJI-NO-MOTO® Umami Seasoning, and cayenne powder), and mix well. Cook for 3-5 minutes.

Transfer to a serving platter, garnish with spring onions if desired, and serve.

Creamy Salmon Garlic

Pairing fresh and tender salmon with a creamy garlic sauce, this showstopper is great for any festive gathering. Show some holiday spirit to your family and friends with this blast of flavors!

Steps to Make:

Heat oil and butter in a pot, then add chicken and cook until golden brown. Add onions and sauté until translucent, then stir in tomatoes and French beans. Cook for 3 minutes.

Add penne pasta, cream cheese, Cajun spice mix (smoked paprika, oregano, thyme, AJI-NO-MOTO® Umami Seasoning, and cayenne powder), and mix well. Cook for 3-5 minutes.

Transfer to a serving platter, garnish with spring onions, and serve.

Holidays are best celebrated with food that brings everyone together, and these recipes are great ways to make your gatherings extra special. Each nutritious dish is crafted to fill your home with warmth, flavor, and joy, creating moments and memories worth savoring.

As you prepare your holiday feast, remember that the best ingredient is always the time spent with family and friends. Let these recipes inspire meals that keep the family healthy, happy, and full.

Happy Holidays, Ka-Cookmunity!

Visit Cookmunity by Ajinomoto Philippines for more festive recipe ideas. You may also connect with us through Facebook and Tiktok for more updates.

In its latest initiative to comply with the Extended Producer Responsibility Act of 2022 (EPR Law), Ajinomoto Philippines Corporation (APC) has entered new partnerships with four leading Filipino waste management organizations. The food industry giant formalized its commitment to a more sustainable future at a Memorandum of Agreement signing ceremony with Basic Environmental Systems and Technologies (BEST), Envirotech, Plastic Credit Exchange (PCX), and Republic Cement last September 1, 2023, at APC Makati head office.

The EPR Law mandates companies to take more responsibility for the disposal and recycling of their products throughout their life cycle, which includes post-consumer waste management. Obliged enterprises like APC must ensure that they do their part in recovering, diverting, and recycling plastic waste generated from the use of their products. These policies aim to mitigate and manage the macro effects and impact of post-consumer plastic waste on the environment.

APC saw the enactment of the EPR Law as an opportunity to supplement their current environmental stewardship projects. The company immediately sought partnerships with organizations that would not only help make their sustainability efforts more feasible, but also inspire new initiatives for a more environmentally sound future for the Philippines.

To aid with the collection of post-consumer packaging, APC tapped BEST, a waste management consulting company established in 1999. BEST founded the Trash-to-Cashback program operating in different parts of the Philippines and the MyBasurero App that encourages waste collection through an incentivized system.

Since 2010, Envirotech has built multiple materials recovery and processing facilities nationwide, with facilities that turn low-quality soft/flexible plastic waste into construction and furniture grade materials.

PCX is widely known for pioneering the Plastic Pollution Reduction Standard, which allows for the management of pledges from companies and institutions to clean up their plastic footprints and be awarded Plastic Neutrality Certifications for their efforts. Their aim is to protect the ocean by collecting and processing solid waste found in our waters, while providing livelihood opportunities to women in vulnerable communities through their Aling Tindera Program.

Completing APC’s new set of collaborations is Republic Cement, who launched the Ecoloop program that encourages waste recovery and processing from collecting, segregating, and shredding of viable solid waste to be used as Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF).

During the ceremony, Mr. Ernesto Carlos, APC’s Chief Sustainability Officer further assured that APC, alongside its partners who signed the Memorandum of Agreement, will put up unwavering efforts for future generations of Filipinos.

“We encourage all companies to embrace the EPR Act and take a proactive approach to managing their plastic footprint,” Carlos said. “By working together, we can make a positive impact on the environment and create a more sustainable future for all.”

Towards the realization of its goal of reducing environment impact by 2030, APC has been actively finding solutions to reduce plastic waste. The company has launched in the market the first-ever seasoning product in paper packaging, the AJI-NO-MOTO® Umami Seasoning 45g which is made from natural and renewable paper material that can be planted, grown, harvested, and replanted. While the group has launched initiatives facilitated within their production processes, it has also introduced sustainability education under the #IlabasAngSustainAbilidad campaign which harnesses the reach of Ajinomoto Philippines’ social media pages.

With the expertise of their four new partners, the implementation of APC Group’s sustainable practices and the promotion of eco-friendly lifestyles are now on a larger scale toward building sustainable communities.