12 Days of Christmas
A healthy Christmas menu that also caters for those gluten free, dairy free and plant loving
family members and friends.
Here’s some suggestions to take the headache out of planning a healthy Christmas menu.
Breakfast Options:
1. Tomato and Feta Bruschetta. 2. Asparagus and Avocado Sourdough. 3. Peach and Berry French Toast. 4. Chocolate and Cherry Smoothie
Christmas Dinner:
5. Festive Salad. 6. Vegan Nut Loaf. 7. Honey and Orange glazed Roast Vegetables. 8. Chocolate Truffles. 9. Christmas Cake. 10. Fruit Punch.
11. Silky Chocolate Mousse with berries and cherry compote. 12. Plum and Tropical Sorbet.
Check out the reels on my Facebook and Insta pages for some Christmas cheer - haha :)
On the FIRST day of Christmas…. Tomato and Feta Bruschetta
A quick, easy and scrumptious breakfast to start your day.
Ingredients: sourdough bread or GF sourdough buns, tomatoes, goat feta, pickled onion, sweet basil or basil pesto, extra virgin olive oil, celtic salt
Drizzle extra virgin olive oil on sliced sourdough or gluten free sourdough and toast in the sandwich press.
Top with chopped ripe tomato, goat feta, pickled onion, sweet basil (or blobs of basil pesto).
Season with celtic salt and pepper.
Drizzle a little extra olive oil over the top.
Quick pickled onion recipe: 1 red onion, sliced finely and placed in a jar, 1/2 c water and 1/2 c apple cider vinegar heated to a simmer in a saucepan with 1.5 T honey and 1.5 tsp salt. Pour over the onions and leave jar to cool. Ready to use. Cover and refrigerate. They keep for 2-3 weeks in the refrigerator.
On the SECOND day of Christmas…. Asparagus and Avocado Sourdough
A winner if you are hosting breakfast.
Ingredients: sourdough bread or GF sourdough buns, basil pesto, baby spinach, asparagus, microgreens, avocado (egg / salmon)
Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over gluten free sourdough buns and toast in the sandwich press.
Grill asparagus in a little oil in a pan til soft.
Spread dairy free basil pesto over the base, then layer baby spinach, grilled asparagus, microgreens and avocado.
Season with salt and pepper.
Optional: a poached egg or cooked on the sandwich press, or salmon.
On the THIRD day of Christmas…. Peach and Berry French Toast
A decadent, delicious and sweet way to spoil the family.
Ingredients: sourdough bread or GF white bread, vanilla soy milk, cinnamon, peaches, raw sugar, blueberries, strawberries, pure maple syrup, coconut yoghurt, mint leaves
Slice sourdough bread or use gluten free bread (the white one is soft and has a neutral flavour so the fruit is the star).
Dip the bread in a mix of egg and cinnamon, or to make it vegan dip in vanilla soy milk and cinnamon.
Toast both sides on the sandwich press.
Cut the nectarines or peaches in half and remove stones. Dip cut side in raw sugar and grill both sides on the sandwich press.
Arrange French toast on a plate and top with peaches, blueberries, strawberries and mint.
Drizzle pure maple syrup over the top and add a dollop of Raglan Vanilla Bean Coconut Yoghurt.
On the FOURTH day of Christmas…. Chocolate and Cherry Smoothie
Chocolate for breakfast - yes please!! Don’t skip breakfast if you are hosting - fuel up with this smoothie or have it as something light in the evening if you’ve over-indulged
Ingredients: 1 c unsweetened almond milk, 1 c frozen pitted cherries, 1/2 banana, 2 T raw cacao powder, 2 T chia seeds, 2 T Raglan Vanilla Bean Coconut Yoghurt.
Blend together into this delicious chocolatey smoothie.
On the FIFTH day of Christmas…. Festive Salad
Colourful, nutritious and a salad you will make all year round.
Ingredients: grated carrot, grated raw beetroot, diced cucumber, microgreens, dried cranberries, toasted flaked almond, pumpkin and sunflower seeds.
Quantities will depend on guest numbers. Arrange on a platter in the order listed and top with dressing.
Dressing: Orange or mandarin juice and extra virgin olive oil. Ratio: 2:1, e.g. 2 T juice to 1 T EVOO.
On the SIXTH day of Christmas…. Vegan Nut Loaf
This special dish is for those special gluten free, dairy free, egg free and plant based people :)
Ingredients: 2 T flaxseeds, 6 T water, 1 c raw cashews, 1/2 c raw almonds, 1/2 c raw Brazil nuts, 1 medium onion, 1 T miso paste, 1 & 1/2 T Massels Chicken stock, 1/8 tsp smoked paprika, 4 T fresh herbs (rosemary, oregano, chives, mint), 3/4 c minted peas
Soak flaxseeds in warm water for 30 minutes.
Blitz nuts in a food processor until fine.
Chop and saute onion. Add to food processor along with miso paste, Massels Chicken stock, paprika, and fresh herbs. Pulse til blended.
Add 3/4 c minted peas and press firmly into a lined loaf tin.
Bake at 200’C for 30 minutes until firm and golden.
Serve hot or cold with Cranberry Orange Relish.
Cranberry Orange Relish Ingredients: 1/4 red onion, 1 c frozen cranberries thawed, 1/4 beetroot grated, 1 tsp fresh raw ginger, 1/2 c orange (or mandarin) juice, 2 T pure maple syrup.
Saute onion in a little oil. Add other ingredients and simmer for 10 minutes. Squish cranberries. Serve with vegan nut loaf.
Store relish in an airtight jar in the fridge.
On the SEVENTH day of Christmas…. Roast vegetables with orange and honey glaze.
Choose which vegetables you love roasted.
Place on a baking sheet: potato, red kumara, gold kumura, carrot, parsnip, beetroot, fennel bulb, garlic cloves, green beans. Rub with orange and honey glaze and roast in a hot oven until cooked through.
Orange and Honey Glaze
Ingredients: 3 T extra virgin olive oil, 1 T honey, 1 T miso paste, 1 T grated fresh ginger, zest of an orange (or mandarin)
Blend ingredients in a blender then rub half of the mixture over the vegetables and roast in a hot oven.
Add 1/4 c orange juice to the remaining mixture and drizzle over roasted vegetables just before serving. Decorate with fresh herbs.
On the EIGHTH day of Christmas…. Chocolate Truffles
Great to have in the freezer. You’ll want to double this recipe.
Ingredients: 1 & 1/2 c sunflower seeds, 2 c water, 1/2 c cocoa powder, 2 T maple syrup, 2 T Manuka honey, 1 T almond butter, 1 T coconut oil, pure peppermint essential oil, pure orange essential oil
Soak sunflower seeds overnight, drain and add to food processor.
Add cocoa powder, maple syrup, honey, almond butter and coconut oil and blitz until smooth.
Divide mixture in half and put one half in another bowl. To one add 4-6 drops of pure peppermint essential oil and to the other add 4-6 drops of pure orange essential oil. Stir well. Taste test and add more if a stronger flavour is desired.
Place in refrigerator for 30 minutes. They are easier to roll when firm.
Roll in dessicated coconut and store in the freezer.
These are a silky soft truffle, so are best taken from the freezer just before serving.
NOTE: Only use pure therapeutic food grade essential oils. Young Living, Doterra and Absolute Essential are reputable brands.
On the NINTH day of Christmas…. Christmas Cake
I don’t usually have Christmas cake for Christmas lunch because there’s so many yummy choices; but it is lovely to have with a cuppa when friends pop over in the lead up to Christmas or to end the day with.
This recipe is gluten free, dairy free, egg free, nut free, refined sugar free; but definitely not taste free!
You can use Fruit Mix; however for less additives you can make your own fruit mix.
Ingredients: 400 g raisins, 400 g sultanas, 100 g dried cranberries, 100 g dried apricot diced, 2 c orange juice, 1 tsp vanilla essence, 1 tsp lemon essence, 1 tsp almond essence, 2 c GF baking mix, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp mixed spice, 2 level tsp baking powder
Soak dried fruit and essences overnight in 2 c orange juice (either freshly squeezed or a pulpy store bought quality orange juice).
The smell is amazing!The next day sift 2 c GF baking mix, spices and baking powder into the fruit and stir well.
Place in a lined baking tin and bake at 180’C for one hour or until cooked.
Cool and store in an airtight container.
On the TENTH day of Christmas…. Fruit Punch
This delicious non-alcoholic fruit punch will make any day feel like Christmas.
Ingredients: McCoy Pomegranate Juice, Just Juice Peach and Passionfruit Pulped, Sparkling Water
Pour into a glass jug 1/3 pomegranate juice, 1/3 peach and passionfruit juice, 1/3 sparkling water
Decorate with frozen cranberries, sliced orange, mint leaves and pomegranate seeds
On the ELEVENTH day of Christmas…. Decadent Chocolate Mousse with Berries and Cherry Compote
A silky smooth chocolate mousse with no cream - What? How is that possible?
The secret ingredient is avocado; but I promise you, that you cannot taste the avocado!
Ingredients: 2 ripe avocado, peeled and stone removed, 1 T vanilla essence, 1/3 c cocoa powder, 1/2 c pure maple syrup
Blend all ingredients in a food processor until creamy and smooth. Taste test and add more cocoa if a more chocolatey flavour is desired, or more maple syrup if a sweeter taste is desired.
Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.
Spoon into a dessert dish or martini glass.
Decorate with raspberries and strawberries and mint.
Pour over a little cherry compote.
(Heat frozen cherries in a saucepan with a little water until softened. Squish cherries. Allow to cool)
On the TWELFTH day of Christmas…. Plum Sorbet and Tropical Sorbet
This super easy sweet treat is a lovely dessert that won’t weigh you down.
Ingredients: 1 tin Black Doris Plums, 1 tin Pineapple Chunks in juice, 1 banana
Drain the tin of black Doris plums and remove stones. Place in flat freezer safe container and freeze.
Pour pineapple chunks into a flat freezer safe container and freeze.
Cut banana into chunks. Put into a container and freeze.
Remove frozen fruit from freezer and allow to sit on the bench for a few minutes.
Cut the pineapple into large chunks with a knife. Add frozen banana chunks and process in a food processor until smooth and creamy. This may take a few minutes as the heat of the blades softens the frozen fruit.
Scoop into dessert dishes and pop back into the freezer while you make the plum sorbet.
Add plums to the food processor and blitz until smooth and creamy. You could add a little vanilla soy milk to make it more creamy if desired.
Add a scoop to the dessert dish with pineapple sorbet.
Decorate with mint and serve immediately or pop back in the freezer until ready to serve.