I don’t know about you but our budget is pretty much tapped out for the holiday season. We still have a few more presents to buy but our spending budget is at ZERO! Ugh! If I could make presents for the people who are remaining on our list I would (its not easy to make something “cool” for a 15 year old boy).
Whenever possible I do like to make gifts for people during the holidays. I like to whip up some Fireside Coffee and put it in nice jars to give to friends, family and neighbors. I’ve even given it to the mailman. After all, he’s one person that needs to be warmed up a lot during the Winter having to face the cold all day long.
Whenever possible I would recommend making gifts to give to others. Not only does it save you money but it also makes the gift have more meaning because it something that you took the time and effort to make, plus it shows that you put a lot of love and heart into what you made too. To me, homemade gifts are the best gifts of all. I tell my husband all the time that I rather have a hand written love note or poem rather then $$$ jewelry for the holidays.
Catherine McCord from Weelicious has some fun, healthy treats that parents can prepare with help from their kids. She also has gorgeous presentation ideas that are innovative and affordable which would make for great holiday gifts.
Whole Wheat Seed Crackers
1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 Tsp Onion Powder
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/4 Cup Butter, chilled and cubed
1/3 Cup Water
1 Tsp each of Fennel, Chia, Flax and Poppy Seeds
1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. In a food processor, pour in whole wheat flour, AP flour, salt, onion powder and pulse to combine.
3. Add chilled cubed butter and pulse till it resembles coarse meal.
4. Add water and pulse until the dough comes together.
5. Remove and shape the dough into a flat disk and place between two pieces of parchment paper.
6. Roll dough out until 1/4 inch thick, lift paper, sprinkle seeds on top of the dough, then place parchment paper back on top and roll with a rolling pin to press seeds into the dough. Remove paper and cut into crackers 1/2 in x 2 in sticks or use cookie cutter to make into shapes.*
7. Place crackers on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 18-20 minutes.
8. Cool and serve.
*To Freeze: After step 6, place the cut out shapes on a baking sheet and freeze for 20 minutes. Remove from freezer, place in a Ziploc bag, label and freeze for up to 4 months. When ready to bake, follow steps 7-8 adding an additional 1-2 minutes baking time.
Coconut Macaroons
2 Cups Unsweetened Coconut, shredded
1/4 Tsp Salt (I used kosher)
4 Egg Whites
1/4 Cup Agave Nectar
1 Tsp Vanilla
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl (preferably a metal bowl) beat the egg whites and salt until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes or until they have stiff peaks.
3. Fold in the remaining ingredients until incorporated (the egg whites will deflate quite a bit).
4. Place 2 tbsps of the batter on a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet (you can also place cookie cutters on the baking sheet and place the batter inside patting it down with a soon to even it out. Remove the cookie cutter before baking).
5. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden.
6. Serve.
*If you want to make 1/2 the batter chocolate macaroons, add 1 tbsp cocoa powder. If you want to make all of the macaroons chocolate, use 2 tbsps.
Gingerbread Cutouts
3 1/2 Cups Flour
1/2 Tsp Salt
3/4 Tsp Baking Soda
2 Tsp Ground Ginger
1 Tsp Cinnamon
1/4 Tsp Nutmeg & Cloves
1/2 Cup Butter, room temperature
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar, packed (light or dark will work)
1 Large Egg
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
2/3 Cup Unsulphered Molasses (to prevent molasses from sticking, first spray the cup with a non stick veggie spray)
Raisins
Chocolate Chips
Red Hots
Sanding Sugar
1. Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl.
2. With a standing mixer using the paddle attachment OR by hand, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy.
3. Add the egg, vanilla, and molasses, beating until combined.
4. Gradually add the flour to the butter, beating until combined.
5. Divide the dough in half and form into 2 disks. Refrigerate in plastic wrap or parchment paper for 2 hours or overnight.
6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or silpats.
7. On a lightly floured surface OR between 2 pieces of parchment paper, roll out one of the disks until it’s 1/4 thick all around.
8. Cut out cookies with different shapes (gingerbread men, stars, christmas tree, etc) and using a spatula transfer cookie to the baking sheet.
9. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes.
10. Remove to a cooling rack. Decorate the cookies after they have cooled.
Icing
2 Cups Confectioners Sugar
2 Tbsp Butter
1/2 Tsp Vanilla
2-3 Tbsp Milk
1. Place ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine.
2. Place in a ziplock bag and cut a tiny whole at one end to squeeze and draw with the icing.
Catherine also has some great recipes for Christmas morning breakfast that could be whipped up the night before allowing you to spend more time with your family Christmas morning and less time in the kitchen.
Christmas Morning Breakfast Casserole
(Serves 12)
1 Lb Ground Breakfast Sausage (I used chicken apple sausage)
1 Red Bell Pepper
2 Cups Mushrooms, sliced (I like to use cremini or white)
2 Tsps Salt, divided
Pepper to taste
1 Loaf Italian Bread, Ciabatta or Baguette (crusty bread), cut into 1 inch cubes (about 8 cups of bread) *Also a great way to use up day old bread
1 1/2 Dozen Large Eggs (18)
1 Cup Whole Milk
Salt
1 1/2 Cups Cheddar cheese, shredded
Butter for baking the dish
1. Cook the sausage in a saute pan over medium heat for 3 minutes, breaking it into bite size pieces. Add the mushrooms, bell peppers, 1 tsp of salt and pepper. Continue to cook for 5 minutes. Let cool.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees for
3. In a bowl, beat the eggs, 1 tsp salt and milk. Add the cheese and stir to combine.
4. Butter the 13×9 inch baking dish and add the bread cubes and cooled sausage mixture. Toss to combine.
5. Pour the egg mixture over the bread and sausage, pressing the bread mixture down gently to soak up some of the egg mixture.
6. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
7. Uncover the dish and continue to bake an additional 20 minutes.
8. Serve.
Pumpkin Waffles
(Makes 12 4 inch Waffles)
2 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1/3 Cup Light Brown Sugar
2 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
1 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Salt
2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
1 Tsp Ground Ginger
4 Eggs
1 Cup Milk (I used rice milk)
1 Cup Buttermilk (I used low fat)
1 Cup Pumpkin Puree
6 Tbsp Butter, melted
1. Preheat waffle iron.
2. Sift first 7 ingredients into a bowl.
3. In a separate bowl whisk the remaining ingredients.
4. Whisk the dry ingredients into the liquid mixture and whisk until smooth.
5. Pour about 1/2 cup of the pumpkin batter into a waffle iron that’s been buttered or greased and cook according to manufacturer’s directions.
6. Serve with maple syrup or make into sandwiches filling with cream cheese and whatever other fillings you desire.
*Allow to cool, place in a ziploc bag, label and freeze. When ready, place in toaster oven or oven at 300 and heat for 10 minutes or until heated through.
Citrus Parfait
(Serves 2)
1 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt
1 Tbsp Honey
2 Small Oranges and/or Grapefruit, sectioned
1/4 Cup Grape-Nuts Cereal
1. Place yogurt and honey in a bowl and combine.
2. In a small glass cup, place 1/4 cup of the yogurt mixture.
3. Layer some cut sections of oranges and/or grapefruit and 1 tbsp of Grape-Nuts.
4. Add another 1/4 cup of the yogurt mixture on top of the fruit and Grape-Nuts and layer again with more fruit and Grape-Nuts.
5. Repeat to make the second parfait.
6. Serve.
For more tasty recipes like these please visit the Weelicious website at www.Weelcious.com. Check out the recipes for Garlic Herb Roast Potatoes (great for a holiday dinner), Holiday Almond Bars (YUMMY!) and a very interesting Potato Turky Ball recipe.
Kimberly
*I was not compensated for this post. I posted these recipes, with permission, for the benefit and enjoyment of my site readers.
GrandmaAllen says
Looks like good healthy recipes.