the whole nut

tasty holiday treats

December 8th, 2009

The fudge. The breads. The cocktails. What do all three of these holiday staples contain tons of? Yep, you guessed it: sugar.

Sugar intake during the holidays is no joke. Suddenly, temptation is all around. But I like cookies. And sweets. And stuff. So, to combat the sweet tooth, I like to make desserts that call for alternative sweeteners like honey, and agave. These treats hit the spot without giving me the icky, sugary, side effects.

Like what, you ask? Sugar is known to cause headaches, mood swings, weight gain, premature aging, low energy, and not to mention the increased risk of some cancers and diabetes. But, when you avoid refined sugar, you stop the vicious cycle of cravings before they begin (sugar is highly addictive and therefor the more you have, the more you want!).

Make way sugar-laden desserts of old! The three recipes, below, are my recent favorites (and soon-to-be Christmas classics). Each is made with natural sweeteners, quality ingredients, and are sure to please any crowd. They’re also sure to keep your sweet tooth satiated and away from those chocolate truffles!

Sticky Tahini Date Cookies
I discovered this amazing recipe on my blogging friend Ashley’s site, Sweet & Natural. She’s one mean sugar-free baker! These cookies chewy and savory and sweet and…so good. My only addition was a half cup of dried cranberries.These were such a hit and will definitely be making an appearance at my Christmas feast!

Ingredients
1/2 cup tahini (a sesame spread used in hummus)
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped Medjool dates
1 1/2 cups oats, coarsely processed
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup dried unsweetened cranberries

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease cookie sheets (or lay down a sheet of parchment paper). In a large bowl, combine tahini, honey, vanilla extract and Medjool dates until smooth. In a separate bowl, mix together oats, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and walnuts. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until well-blended. Drop spoonfuls of batter onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool on the cookie sheets for a couple minutes before removing to cool completely. Makes 15 cookies.

Hot Cocoa
What could be more appropriate for the cozy holiday season than hot cocoa? Pick up a few, simple ingredients and start a new, sugar-free tradition. This is based on a recipe from raw foods enthusiast, Natalia Rose. Once you try this one, you can be sure you’ll toss out those Swiss Miss packets!

1 cup almond milk
1 tablespoon agave
1 tablespoon pure cocoa powder (Green & Black’s is a good find)

Mix all ingredients in a saucepan. Stir well and heat over medium heat until hot and all ingredients are blended together.

Cranberry Banana Nut Bread
I posted a banana nut bread recipe earlier in the year (talking about sugar, again), but I’ve found a way to give it a little reprise for the holidays. Just a little twist. That’s right: cranberries.

These anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-filled berries bring more to the table than a little tartness. The sweet bread, savory walnuts and tart cranberries are a winning holiday trio. In fact, the slices were best left bare! I nibbled on this bread over the Thanksgiving weekend (a great breakfast treat), though it could almost pass as a dessert. Almost.

Find the recipe here. Just be sure to add in a cup of fresh cranberries to the mix!

Not a baker? Caught off-guard? Try my old stand-by: quality dark chocolate! My go-to is Green & Black’s 70% bar. But, when I’m feeling extra special (and worth the $10) I’ll pick up a Gnosis bar at my local health food store (Gnosis is raw, organic chocolate and is basically just amazing). So if you’re out and suddenly find yourself staring down a decadent chocolate torte, resist! Save yourself a few hundred calories, and satisfy your craving with some immune-boosting, antioxidant-filled dark chocolate instead. You’ll be happy you did.

When you fill up on quality ingredients and natural sweeteners, you’ll find that the usual goodies become too sugary! Not possible? Trust me, it is. You’re talking to the girl who would eat quarts of mint chocolate-chip ice cream after school at age 15. Covered in chocolate sauce and chocolate chips. Since then, I’ve made a few changes. Now, give me a naturally sweet treat, and I’m a happy camper. Naturally.

Filed under: Healthy Tips, Recipes

Tags: agave, cranberry bread, dessert recipes, healthy, healthy holiday desserts, holiday bread recipe, honey, hot cocoa recipe, natalie rose, natural, sticky tahini cookies, sugar, sugar-free, sweet & natural