Calorie-laden holiday treats are everywhere this time of year. To stave off the extra pounds, I seek out lighter fare in between all of the dinners and parties. Some of the most delicious and satisfying flavors of the season can be found on the Squeaky Bean‘s current menu.

Begin with the warm roasted carrots and beets (pictured), both of which come straight from the hoop houses at Bean Acre Farm. The super-sweet root vegetables arrive as a composed salad with fresh dill, yogurt, pistachios, and a refreshing hit of citrus. Offset those flavors with the crispy cauliflower. Sunflower seed pesto, mint, and pickled shallots lend some brightness to the buttery and comforting dish.

But perhaps my favorite item on the current small plates menu is the supremely satisfying ricotta dumplings with an earthy duo of red cabbage ‘kraut and purée. With its topping of roasted chestnuts, the dish feels like a celebration, sans (most of) the guilt.

1500 Wynkoop St., 303-623-2885

Bonus: Sign up now to support the Squeaky Bean’s Dine Out for Earth Denver on January 24, where a lineup of Denver’s top chefs (including Chris MacGillivray, Justin Brunson, Amos Watts, Tom Coohill, Troy Guard, and Charlie Ayers) join forces in the kitchen to bring awareness to environmental issues.