Healthy Holiday Treats!
As we head into the holiday season, many of us tend to overindulge. With so many treats at work parties, family gatherings and cocktail parties - it's hard not to! A great tip is to make something (somewhat) healthy and bring it to the gatherings you attend. This way you know there are no artificial ingredients in it and you can reach for your treat instead of the triple fake candy cane fudge cheesecake that someone else brings!
Vegan/Dairy-free Mexican Hot Chocolate (Makes 2 large servings or 4 smaller servings)
Ingredients:
2 cups vanilla almond milk 1/2 cup pure chocolate chips
1 tsp. ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp. ground cayenne, or to taste 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1/4 tsp sea salt
Optional: 1/4 tsp stevia
Directions:
1. Heat almond milk in a saucepan over medium-low heat until it just barely begins to steam and simmer. Stir it occasionally to keep a skin from forming. 2. Add chocolate and whisk constantly until chocolate is melted. 3. Add remaining ingredients, whisking to combine. 4. Let simmer for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is hot. 5. Shut off the heat and serve immediately.
Gluten-Free Chocolate Gingerbread Loaf
Ingredients:
1 cup brown rice flour or sorghum flour 3/4 cup almond meal (or other nut meal/flour) 1/2 cup cornstarch or potato starch- not potato flour 1 cup light brown sugar 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 2 teaspoons baking powder 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon xanthan gum 2 teaspoons ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 2 large organic free-range eggs, beaten 1/2 cup unsulphured molasses 1/4 cup organic coconut oil 4 tablespoons non-dairy milk 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a 9-inch ceramic loaf pan with parchment paper. 2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. 3. Add in the eggs, molasses, coconut oil, non-dairy milk and vanilla extract and beat well. 4. Scoop into the prepared loaf pan and bake in the center of the oven for roughly an hour. The top will crack a bit. A cake tester inserted into the center should emerge clean. 5. Allow the loaf to cool in the pan until it is cooled enough to handle. Gently remove it from the pan (this is where the parchment paper lining comes in handy) and continue to cool on a wire rack. 6. Slice with a sharp bread knife.Wrap the loaf well for storing overnight. For longer storage, slice and wrap pieces in foil, bag, and freeze.
