Healthier Holiday Treats

For Christmas, I thought it would be appropriate to give you some suggestions for healthier sweet treats.  Let’s face it, we all look forward to all that holiday baking and treats that are so prevalent this time of year.  And believe it or not, you are not the only one trying to keep things in moderation and trying to get through the end of the year on a more “healthy” note.    By making and bringing a healthier alternative to a Christmas party, you could be surprised at how many people ask you for your recipe!

That happened to me a few years ago.  My husband and I went to one of his work Christmas parties and I brought a protein bar and a brownie.  People were surprised that I brought both as 1.  I am a health coach that always talks about eating less sugar and 2. I am gluten and dairy free.  When I told them the main ingredient in the brownies was beans and there was no flour and less sugar they were amazed and wanted the recipe!  There were no leftovers to bring home with either dish.  What did I bring?  The brownie recipe is called Flourless Chocolate Chip Chickpea Brownies with Sea Salt.  Yes, it’s amazing!  The other recipe I brought was one that I make my husband for his lunches, a homemade protein bar called Johns Protein Bars, as I got the recipe from my friend John.  I know it sounds odd bringing a protein bar to a Christmas party, but you will just have to make them and taste them for yourself to see why I chose to bring them.  They have never let me down!

Other favorites I love is Cranberry Pistachio Energy Bars.  Soo good!  A little higher in the sugar content but its sweetened with dates and honey, no added processed sugar in these guys.  They are also good for lunches, after school snacks and hiking snacks.

Flourless Thumbprint Breakfast Cookies make any plate look good.  No sugar added except for the tsp of jam (but can use unsweetened preserves).  These remind me of peanut butter and jelly (which I still find is a great combination flavor).   They make great afterschool snacks as well as making it look like you spent some time on your holiday baking!  They are quite pretty!

Raw Cookie Dough Bites are ridiculously good!  Made in your food processor or really good blender, they whip up in just a few minutes and really taste like raw cookie dough!  No eggs so no worries, these are a great treat to bring to any family function or potluck party.

And if you are having an elegant dinner and looking for a divine dessert, try Fruit Tarts with Chai Cream Filling.  This dessert has to set overnight so plan ahead but it has such a great flavor and will be a hit.  It’s simply a beautiful dish.

So don’t be afraid to try out new recipes that have less sugar or are sweetened with dates and cinnamon and such.  More and more people are really trying to make a difference in their health and actually appreciate a healthier alternative to the regular sugar rich offerings of the holiday season.  And remember, just because they are lower in sugar doesn’t mean you can eat the whole pan!  Do try to fill up on the healthy foods first and have these as a nice treat after.

And if you find yourself wanting to get healthy, lose weight or just feel better come the New Year, please contact me at devi@simplywholebydevi.com so I can help you reach that goal.  I will be introducing a 12 Day Detox after the first of the year to purge the sugars and reset that body or I have a 3 month program that can get you back on track!