Avoiding the Sugar-Monkey during the holidays is a challenge for everyone. When you sit down to a meal knowing that there might be some kind of sweet treat to look forward to at the end, it’s likely that your imagination will dart right back to that thought through the entire meal, but what if you’re trying to avoid heavy desserts? It can be very difficult to stick to a healthy eating style when you are continuously having to pass up the great tasting foods that you love, so this article will help you by showing you 3 ways to make lighter holiday desserts.
Happy Gingerbread Muffins
Preheat your oven at 375 degrees.
- Take a large bowl and whip an egg with ½ cup of sour cream,
- ½ cup of liquid coconut oil,
- ½ cup of milk,
- ½ cup of maple syrup,
- ⅓ cup of molasses
- and about a tablespoon of freshly grated ginger.
- Then add the 1 ½ cups of flour,
- 1 cup whole wheat flour,
- 1 ½ teaspoons of baking soda,
- and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon.
Pour the mix into a greased muffin pan, sprinkle the tops with about 2 pinches of sugar each, and place into the oven until the tops rise and are puffy. Let it cool and serve!
Peanut Butter Cookie Balls
This recipe is extremely easy and fun.
Take ½ cup of peanuts, ½ cup of dates or raisins, ¼ cup of peanut butter and 1 teaspoon of real vanilla, and blend until it becomes a soft, sticky, dough-like substance.
You should be able to roll the material into balls very easily, but if it’s too sticky and won’t ball up, try adding water about a tablespoon at a time until it’s workable.
While you are getting ready to prepare the balls, put 4 ounces of dark chocolate into a small metal bowl in a hot oven so that it melts slowly. Be sure that t doesn’t get heated for too long or it will break down the chocolate.
Once you have balled all of the dough into balls you can place them on a cookie sheet and chill them for a few minutes in the freezer so you can dip them in the chocolate. Once dipped, you can place them on a piece of wax paper and place them back in the refrigerator to chill and set the dark chocolate. Later you can serve them for a nice treat!
Chocolate Covered Coconut Balls
Take 2 cups desiccated coconut without added sugar, 4 tablespoons honey, 4 ½ tablespoons coconut oil, 1 ¼ teaspoon vanilla, and blend it on a high setting until it becomes pliable to the point where you can ball it with your hands.
Place each ball onto a piece of wax paper and chill for a few minutes so that they are solid.
Begin melting the 4 ¼ ounces dark chocolate in a metal bowl in a hot oven. Dip the chilled coconut balls into the melted chocolate and place them in the refrigerator to chill.
Once they are solid you can be ready to taste a high-end snack that you made with your own hands!
Joni Tip: I adore chocolate and peppermint together! Yes, Thin Mints from the Girl Scouts used to be my weakness. But now I can simply add a drop of peppermint essential oil to the mixture before I chill and roll it into balls for an amazing little bit of heaven on my tongue!!!
Knowing your triggers and placing alternatives in easy reach are two ways to help keep the Sugar-Monkey in check. I’d love to hear about any quick and easy and healthy sweet treats you enjoy. Be sure to share in the comments!