Healthy Holiday Cookie Recipes: Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Sugar-Free, and Low-Glycemic
It’s unfortunate that many of the holiday foods out there contain processed and damaging ingredients like gluten and sugar. Many holiday recipes contain foods that also contribute to hidden food allergies.
When you choose to make healthy alternatives for your favorite holiday recipes like these delicious holiday cookies and the recipes in my e-book, Healthy Holiday Traditions: Nourishing Recipes for Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year’s Celebrations, you’ll feel more energetic, lighter, enjoy a smaller waistline, and think more clearer!
Those are *my* kind of cookies! Enjoy these gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free, and low-glycemic cookie recipes and give yourself a healthy treat for the holidays!
Dr. Ritamarie’s Healthy Holiday Cookies
Ingredients:
- 1 cup pecans
- 1/2 cup almonds, soaked overnight, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil
- 3/4 cup dates, pitted
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- pinch sea salt
Directions:
- Process nuts and dates with salt and spices in food processor until they are completely chopped. Mixture should be a little coarse and should hold together. If needed, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water.
- Roll or press dough onto non-stick sheets and use cookie cutters to make into desired festive shapes.
- Place in freezer until they are firm.
Dr. Ritamarie’s Low-Glycemic Healthy Holiday Cookies
Ingredients:
- 1 cup pecans
- 1/2 cup almonds, soaked overnight, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup unsweetened dried coconut
- 1 tablespoon Chia Gel
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- pinch sea salt
- 10 – 15 drops stevia concentrate, to taste (Sweet Leaf)
Directions:
- Process pecans, almonds, coconut, and chia gel with salt and spices in food processor until they are completely chopped. Mixture should be a little coarse and should hold together. If needed, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water.
- Roll or press dough onto non stick sheets and use cookie cutters to make into desired shapes.
- Place in freezer until they are firm.
Chia Gel
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup chia seed
- 2 1/2 cups water
Directions:
- Put chia and water into a quart sized Mason jar or a glass bowl that can be covered.
- Shake or mix well.
- Allow to stand at room temperature for 8 hours or overnight or for 12 or more hours in the refrigerator. Store up to a week at room temperature.
The healthy holiday cookie recipe above can be found inHealthy Holiday Traditions: Nourishing Recipes for Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year’s Celebrations containing:
- Gingerbread Men
- Latkes
- Christmas Cookies and Pudding
- Eggless Egg Nog
- Hors D’oeuvres
- Apple Pie and Ice Cream
- Candies and more!
Tags: chia, chia seeds, cookie recipe, dairy free recipes, Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo, food allergies, gluten free christmas, gluten free cookies recipes, Healthy Holiday, healthy holiday recipes, low-glycemic recipes, sugar free desserts
Posted in Gluten Free Diet, Healthy Holiday, Holiday Recipes, Raw Food Recipes, Raw Foods
Hanukkah in the Raw: Living Foods Version of Traditional Latkes
When I first met my husband I had no idea what a latke was, nor did I know very much about Hanukkah. Having grown up Catholic the only thing I’d learned was that Hanukkah was like Christmas, only they got presents for 8 days instead of 1!
I’ve come a long way since then. Now I know quite a bit more about the holiday, and the meaning behind it. I’ve also taught myself to make healthier versions of the traditional foods. My favorite is latkes. Latles are potato pancakes and are traditionally served on the first and last nights of Hanukkah, at least in my husband’s family. Traditional latkes are made from potatoes, onions, flour and egg, and are deep fried in vegetable oil. They come out crispy and very greasy. Quite frankly, all that grease just never appealed to me.
So my first experiments were created by simply using non-gluten flour in place of the unbleached white, flax or psyllium seed in place of the egg and a bit of olive oil, brushed on before baking instead of frying. They were a bit hit with my family and friends.
Next I experimented with substituting some or all of the potatoes with shredded broccoli stems, daikon radish or zucchini. I got to the point where I could make them without any potatoes, and my kids still loved them. I was happy because they were eating lots of veggies!
Finally I took it to the next level and created a recipe that I could “low temperature bake” in the dehydrator. These are uncooked and maintain the full spectrum of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and enzymes of the raw ingredients. I served them side by side with the cooked potato version and most of my friends preferred the raw ones.
I put all of the variations of the recipe in my new e-book Healthy Holiday Traditions: Nourishing Recipes for Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year’s Celebrations.
I’m sharing the Living Latkes recipe here. The book has recipes for raw dairy free versions of applesauce and sour cream too.
Living Latkes
by Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo
Equipment Needed: Dehydrator and Blender
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pounds of a combination of shredded daikon radish and broccoli stems
- 1 medium onion
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) tahini
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon olive oil (optional)
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup water
Directions
- Shred daikon and broccoli stems and place in a large bowl.
- Shred or thinly slice the onion and add to bowl with the daikon and broccoli.
- Blend the tahini, pepper and salt and add to bowl with vegetables. Mix well with your hands.
- Brush with a thin film of olive oil, if desired.
- Form into patties and place on the mesh tray of your dehydrator. Dehydrate overnight, up to 12 hours.
Serve with apple sauce or nut sour “cream”
Shared with love from Dr. Ritamarie’s Healthy Holiday Traditions: Nourishing Recipes for Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year’s Celebrations.
Enjoy, and have a happy healthy holiday.
Love, Health and Joy
Dr. Ritamarie
P.S. Even if you’re not Jewish, the latkes are worth making. Everyone loves them.
http://www.DrRitamarie.com/WinterHolidays
Tags: Christmas, Christmas recipes, Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo, DrRitamarie, gluten free christmas, Gluten Free Diet, gluten free holiday, gluten free latkes, gluten-free vegan latkes, hanukkah, Hanukkah recipes, Healthy Holiday, heathy hanukkah recipes, holiday diet, Holiday Recipes, holiday survival, latkes, Living Foods, livingfoods, raw and living foods holiday recipes, Raw Foods, raw foods diet, raw foods recipes, raw latkes
Posted in Gluten Free recipes, Healthy Holiday, Raw and Living Foods
