How's your holiday shopping going? You might be breezing through with ease, crossing off all friend and family gift recipients on your list, finding them seemingly perfect gifts. Then there's that one person's name still glaring you in the face amongst all the crossed off names. It's the same story every year — you're feeling pretty accomplished and efficient, tackling your shopping list like a pro ... until you get to that one person. They either have everything they could ever possibly need or they're super particular, making shopping for them feel like a full-time job between online searches, stopping at stores, and asking everyone around you if they have any brilliant ideas on what to get.
First, it's going to be okay. Every year you pull through for them and this year will be no different. But here's an idea! Remember the days of creating a heartfelt card made with love when you were a kid? I bet your recipient had a smile on their face from ear to ear when you gave it to them. It probably had a colorful drawing and sincere message that came straight from your heart. In fact, perhaps it's still hanging on their fridge or tucked away safely in a memory box. Now that's a special gift!
Consider this — instead of putting in countless hours trying to figure out how to spend money on a gift that they may or may not like, why not put that energy into creating something you know they'll actually love and appreciate?
Enter the adult version of the childhood homemade cards — recipes wrapped with love.♥️ This type of gift doesn't have to be limited to your hard-to-get-for friend or family member either. It can be for the foodie, wellness enthusiast, or dinner host in your life. It can be for neighbors, teachers, or your mail person. In fact (true story), since we moved into our Atlanta home five years ago, I have been making the Sweet and Savory Pecans in this article for our mail person, David. Every year he expresses how much he loves the gift. It's a tasty snack for him while he's driving, and he saves some for later to snack on while sipping on his favorite beverage at home. In fact, he loves them so much, there's been no mention of sharing with his wife. (This year I'll have to double the batch so she gets her own box of pecans!). He also makes sure to drop the subtle hint throughout the year that he'd happily accept them any time of year.
Below are three recipes from Real Superfoods Cookbook, the book I co-authored with Ocean Robbins from Food Revolution Network, that can easily be made into holiday gifts. They're simple to make in bulk if you'd like to give them to several friends and family members (and keep some for yourself!). Bonus that the pecans and granola will fill your home with natural culinary aromatherapy that will have your mouth salivating and tummy rumbling. The Fire Cider needs to sit for a while (recommended up to one year!) to allow all the flavors and nutrients to infuse, however you can easily gift it now and include a note card with instructions for your recipient.
As for wrapping these recipes up with love, I like to use mason jars with a ribbon or raffia tied around the neck of the jar or you can add tissue paper to a box, add your pecans or granola and wrap it in a festive ribbon. For the cider, the mason jar would obviously be the best option or perhaps you can purchase a nice bottle or jar at your favorite home goods store that they can reuse later.
Click below for Festive Delights: 3 Homemade Holiday Recipes to Gift and Share. You can download them to your device or print and add them to your recipe library.
If you haven't grabbed Real Superfoods Cookbook yet, grab it from anyplace you like to purchase books. Another idea is to gift the book along with the recipe you make from the book!
Below are the descriptions and photos of each finished recipe, excerpts courtesy of Hay House and photos courtesy of the very talented photographer, Angela McNeil.
Sweet and Savory Spiced Pecans
These snacking treats come with a warning: their sweet and savory flavor plus perfectly
crunchy texture will keep you coming back for more! Pecans fit the superfood category
with their plant-based protein, healthy fat, and abundant phytonutrient content, making
them an ideal sustainable and nourishing snack. Sweet and Savory Spiced Pecans also
add the most incredible flavor and texture to salads and grain bowls. You can also use
them as a topping on sweet potatoes and roasted vegetable dishes.
Serves: 8
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Download recipes here
Super Seedy Granola
A nut-free take on traditional granola that is just as tasty, crunchy, and nutritious! This
granola is yummy by itself as a snack, or you can enjoy it as a cereal with plant-based
milk or on top of plant-based yogurt for some crunch. The superfood seeds are packed
with zinc, magnesium, and iron.
Serves: 4
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Download recipes here
Fuel the Fire Cider
photo credit: Angela McNeil
Patience is the name of the game when making Fuel the Fire Cider, and it’s very much
worth the wait! The ingredients in this beverage all have their own unique phytonutrients that make it an invigorating and healthful tonic. Plus, it’s magnificently tasty. Enjoy an ounce a day for immune system support.
Serves: 2
Prep time: 10 minutes (+ 4 weeks)
Cooking time: none
Download recipes here
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