Christmas is all about treating yourself and indulgence! However, not everyone wants to eat refined sugar and unhealthy ingredients. I have the perfect solution with these healthy recipes that will keep you feeling festive throughout Christmas and involved in the winter comfort food! I’ve come up with 3 recipes for you to enjoy so hopefully there are some treats for everyone here. The biscuits especially are so delicious; you wouldn’t know they didn’t contain refined sugar! Hope you enjoy! I’d be interested to hear what you thought of the recipes and if you have any other ideas for a healthy but indulgent snack or dessert?
Healthy popcorn Recipe
110g popcorn kernels
1 ½ tbsp. coconut oil
Cinnamon and sea salt to taste
Method
- Melt the coconut oil in a saucepan over a low to medium heat.
- Add the popcorn kernels and place the lid on the pan. Keep swirling the pan so the kernels don’t stick to the bottom and burn. Keep the lid on and the kernels will pop to form popcorn!
- It takes about 10 minutes for the corn to stop popping. Once this has happened, remove from the heat and sprinkle with a generous amount of cinnamon and sea salt. Add how much you like to your own taste.
This healthy popcorn makes the perfect Christmas movie snack and is so satisfying to make yourself! I love the sound of the popping – a great one for making with kids too! You can go to town with cinnamon to make it extra Christmassy if you like! Why not add some ginger and mixed spice to make it taste more of winter spices?
Chocolate Orange and Hazelnut Cookies Recipe (makes about 18 biscuits)
110g coconut oil
1 tsp. vanilla essence
1 tbsp. flaxseeds with 3 tbsp. water
200g coconut sugar
165g ground oats
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
30g cacao powder
50g hazelnuts, halved
30g cacao nibs
grated orange zest of 1 orange
sprinkle of sea salt
Method
- Preheat the oven to 170oC and line 3 baking trays with baking parchment (no need to grease the paper as the biscuits should not stick to baking parchment).
- Combine the flaxseed with water and leave in a bowl to thicken.
- Grind the oats into a flour consistency in a food processor
- Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl (everything apart from the coconut oil, flaxseed mix and vanilla essence).
- Melt the coconut oil in the microwave and then add to the dry ingredients. Next add the flaxseed mix and vanilla essence. Stir until combined.
- Form small round balls of about ½ dessert spoon size and place on the baking trays. Make sure you leave space around each one as they will expand! Use 3 baking trays to make sure – you can always bake them in batches if you don’t have 3 shelves in your oven.
- Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until firm.
- Leave them on the trays to cool and then transfer them onto a wired rack.
These are the perfect treat for a chocoholic! They are also great to bake and give as gifts for Christmas presents. I love the coconut sweetness and the texture from the hazelnuts and cocoa nibs.
Mulled Apple Juice Recipe (serves 2-3)
250ml of unsweetened apple juice
4 strips of orange peel
1 cinnamon stick
1 clove
1 star anise
splash of honey to taste
Method
- Heat all the ingredients except the honey in a small pan over a medium heat.
- Simmer for about 10 minutes and then remove from the heat.
- Take out the spices and stir in some honey to sweeten (if desired).
- Serve in glasses with a few of the spices to garnish.
Mulled wine can be so delicious but for those that do not want to indulge in the alcohol here is the perfect solution! I just love the aroma that the spices create and it is such a lovely warming drink to make. The spices are what makes mulled drinks and this is the perfect evening comfort drink to warm you up on a cold and frosty evening.
What are your healthy treats over Christmas?
