Santa’s Gluten-Free this Year!
What parents do not cringe when their children pound down sugary stocking stuffers early Christmas morning? Yet none of us want to be the Grinch, substituting pencils and soap for peppermint sticks and taffy. Thanks to many wonderful new products at your local health food stores, we can have it all–fun, delicious healthy Christmas Day treats. Here are seven of my favorites below which are kid-tested:
- Emmy’s Raw Macaroons: $3.50 for 3. Delicious!
- Krave Jerky, Beef, Pork, Turkey: $7. Goodbye Slim Jim’s! With no MSG, nitrates or additives, what a great way to stoke your child with protein
- Kind Bars: $1.75. My kids’ favorite, and they come in tons of flavors
- Alter-Eco Velvet Truffles: $7.99. Only 5 grams of sugar, made with coconut-oil and agave, non-GMO (also to be shared with Mom & Dad)
- Justin’s Nut Butter Squeeze Packs: $1.20; try the maple-almond on apple or pear slices for a festive treat
- Kapali Dried Mango: $3.99; a tropical delight!
- Sun-Cups: $2.09; nut-free, light and sweet
Healthy Treats for Grown-Ups
Find these unique gifts at Amazon.com or Thrive.com. No one is too old for goodies in their stockings. Besides the traditional stash of nuts, tangerines, and apples, make the Santa in your life smile with these special gifts:
1. Lifestraw, $19.95: filters water anywhere! Each straw filters up to 254 gallons of water
2. Spiral Slicer, $29.99: vegies sliced in spirals can fill in for any pasta, anytime! My faves are zuchini and summer squash
3. Rite in the Rain Outdoor Journal, $6: all-weather paper for recording anything that comes to mind while hiking or beach-walking on a misty day
4. Road ID Supernova Light, $12.99: ultra-bright light that makes running or cycling so much safer; attaches easily to pretty much anything with a plastic clip
5. Rawxies, $2.50 each: vegan, raw, gluten-free oat-based treats that are surprisingly tasty, with just enough sweetness and lots of staying power
6.The Chia Company Chia Shots, $7.19 for pack of 10: on-the-go packs of chia seeds are perfect to throw in your backpack for trekking or toss into a salad. Great for road trips or long afternoons at the office
Last but not Least, Guilt-free Gingerbread!
What’s a stocking without a gingerbread man in it? Here is a recipe for one of the holiday season’s beloved edible:
3 1/2 cups almond flour or gluten-free flour (such as Glutino’s blend)
1 tbsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 cup butter or coconut oil
1/2 cup agave
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup coconut sugar or 6 packages stevia
1 large egg
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 tsp. vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or use non-stick trays
Combine all dry ingredients, and stir. Add wet ingredients and blend until mixture is thoroughly combined. Cover the dough and chill in the refrigerator overnight.
Roll out the dough to 1/2 inch thick between two sheets of parchment paper. Dust the dough with gluten-free flour if it is sticky when rolling. Remove the top piece of parchment and use a gingerbread cookie man cutter to cut out the cookie. Transfer the cookies onto the prepared baking sheets and leave 2 inches between each cookie. Decorate with raisins, currants, dried cranberries and slivered almonds. Bake for 8-12 minutes, until lightly browned. Let the cookies cool 30 minutes and serve warm.
Wishing you and yours a very merry, and healthy, holiday!! Join me for a Mini Makeover Cleanse the first week of January, and prep for our six-week Happy-Gut Makeover beginning January 18! Ready, set, Cleanse! Love to all!
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