Christmas Cheer

Following on from last weeks blog about being mindful at this time of year, staying healthy and on track with your health and fitness goals over Christmas doesn’t have to be hard.

 

For those of you who do know me, know that I LOVE to bake raw, healthy, sugar free, gluten free goodness. Everyone chases a guilty pleasure but don’t realise that healthy foods put together properly can make a decent “guilty pleasure treat” for anyone. It does not have to be laden with sugar and gluten. You can chase a sweet and delightful taste with some of the following recipes.

 

PALEO GINGERBREAD COOKIES

 

1. 300g almond meal
2. 1 tbs. ground ginger
3. 1 tsp. cinnamon
4. 1 tsp. nutmeg
5. ½ tsp. baking powder (gluten free)
6. 1/4 cup coconut oil melted
7. 2 tbs. raw honey
8. 1 tsp. 100% vanilla extract
9. 1 egg

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160°C (320°F).
2. In a large bowl mix the almond meal, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking powder. Leave this for now.
3. In a food processor, whiz the coconut oil, raw honey, vanilla extract + egg until combined.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the food processor + whiz to form a dough (the mixture will be quite moist).
5. Take out the mixture + knead a little to form a ball.
6. Place the mixture between 2 pieces of baking paper + roll out to 3mm thick.
7. Place this into the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
8. Once refrigerated, cookie-cut into desired shapes (like gingerbread men, stars + chrissy trees!) + place carefully onto a lined baking tray (you will need 2 trays).
9. Place into the preheated oven + bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
10. Allow to cool + enjoy!

 

PALEO CHRISTMAS RAW CAKE

FOR THE BASE

1. 100g pitted dates (check for hidden nasties in all dried fruits)
2. 50g dried apricots
3. 50g dried apple
4. (soak ALL dried fruits together in a bowl of boiling water for around 15 minutes)
5. 100g walnuts
6. 80g desiccated coconut
7. 30g coconut oil
8. the rind of 1 orange
9. 2 tsp. cinnamon
10. 1 tsp. 100% pure vanilla extract

FOR THE FILLING

1. 250g raw cashews, soaked in water for around 30 minutes
2. 150g coconut oil
3. 200ml canned coconut milk
4. 100g raw honey
5. 30g raw cacao powder
6. 1 tsp. 100% pure vanilla extract

NOW WHAT

 

1. Use a 12 silicon muffin tray (this works best for the mini size), or line a metal 12 muffin tray with patty cans (you can also do 1 large cake, if you do this, line the base of a 24 cm spring form cake tin with baking paper).
2. Start with the base.
3. In a food processor (we use our Vitamix), place the walnuts, desiccated coconut + cinnamon.
4. Whiz these ingredients until a fine meal forms.
5. Transfer the meal into a large mixing bowl, leave this for now.
6. Drain the soaked dates, apricots, apple + place them into the food processor, along with the coconut oil, orange rind + vanilla extract.
7. Whiz these ingredients until a smooth paste forms.
8. Transfer the paste into the mixing bowl with the meal + mix together (you may need to get your hands dirty for this job!).
9. Once it’s all combined, divide the mix into 12 + press into each muffin spot, making sure you make the bases even.
10. Place these into the freezer.
11. Now for the filling.
12. Drain the cashews + place them into the food processor.
13. Whiz these until a crumbly, buttery paste forms.
14. Now add the coconut milk, vanilla extract, honey, coconut oil + vanilla.
15. Whiz on high speed for around 4 minutes or until completely smooth.
16. Pour half of the mixture into another bowl.
17. Add the raw cacao powder to the remaining mixture in the food processor + whiz for 1 minute or until smooth.
18. Take the muffin tray out from the freezer + place a spoon of vanilla mix + a spoon of chocolate mix onto each base.
19. With a skewer, carefully swirl the two colours together + shake the tray carefully to even out the top.
20. Place the tray into the freezer for around an hour.
21. Take the tray out of the freezer + let sit.
22. Carefully turn out the mini cakes (if using a silicon tray) or serve in the patty can.

 

HEALTHY CHRISTMAS TRIFLE

FOR THE CAKE LAYER

1. 2 cups blanched almond meal
2. 1 cup coconut milk (canned)
3. 100 g (3 1/2 oz.) coconut oil or butter
4. 1/2 cup rice malt syrup or honey
5. 1/4 cup coconut flour
6. 4 eggs
7. 1 tsp. baking powder (gluten free)
8. 1 tsp. 100% vanilla extract

FOR THE JELLY LAYER

1. 2 cups brewed raspberry tea
2. 5 tbs. Petipro Gelatin (the gelatin that ‘gels’)
3. 1 tbs. rice malt syrup or honey (optional)

FOR THE CHOC CREAM LAYER

1. 1 cup coconut milk (canned)
2. 1 cup raw cashews (soaked overnight in water, then drained works best)
3. 1/4 cup coconut oil
4. 1/4 cup raw cacao powder
5. 1/4 cup rice malt syrup or honey

EXTRA TOPPINGS

1. Fresh berries
2. Coconut flakes

NOW WHAT

1. Start with the cake! Preheat oven to 180°C (355°F) and line a 20 cm (8 inch) springform cake tin with baking paper.
2. In a large bowl combine the almond meal, coconut flour and baking powder.
3. In a blender or mix master, whiz the coconut oil and rice malt syrup together.
4. Add the eggs, vanilla, coconut milk and mix well. (Don’t worry if it looks a little ‘curdled’).
5. Pour this into the large bowl with the dry ingredients and gently mix together.
6. Transfer into the lined tin and bake for 40 minutes or until lightly brown.
7. Allow to cool completely.
8. While the cake cooks, make your jelly!
9. In a small sauce pan combine the tea and rice malt syrup.
10. Sprinkle over the gelatin and mix together.
11. Allow to stand for 5 minutes.
12. Place the sauce pan onto medium heat and continuously stir for 5 minutes until smooth.
13. Pour the mix into a 20 cm (8 inch) square large silicone mold or lined slice tin.
14. Place in to the freezer for 20 minutes or until set.
15. While this is happening get onto the choccy cream and slice your berries!
16. The choccy cream is easy, whiz everything in your blender until super smooth!
17. Now it’s time to layer everything up!
18. We did: cake, choc cream, fruit, jelly, cake, cream, fruit, topped with coconut flakes!
19. But you really can get creative here!
20. Ours are really neat (we cut exact circles around the glass to do this) but you could chop up the cake and jelly into cubes and go for the Merry messy trifle look! You choose!

Now that I have made it a little easier for you to bake healthier over the holidays, why not give it a go and see what the family and friends think. I bet they wont even be able to tell the difference!

Have a very Merry Christmas everyone and a Happy New Year.

Coach Belle xx

Real Fitness Training is a boutique wellness studio located in the Hills District which includes the surrounding suburbs of Castle Hill, Baulkham Hills, Kellyville, Bella Vista, Castle Hill, Cherrybrook, Glenorie, West Pennant Hills, Glenwood and Rouse Hill. Our services include personal training, semi-private personal training, yoga, meditation and nutrition. Creating optimal lifestyles since 2013.