Ahh, December, It’s the most wonderful time of the year, yet some people are super busy (hello, me! Don’t feel alone if that’s you too!). I cannot stop thinking about people out there who are being affected
Maybe for you planning and thinking about what recipes to make, gifts to give is a big stress, and to you I say, keep it simple. This was the theme of my Christmas Live Q&A in the Low Tox Club last week (you can join us here).
I’ve put together a little list of tried and true favourites from my cooking arsenal in the event you need a bit of inspiration for your prep ahead! Happy Cooking!
1. Christmas Spiced Semifreddo
This is perfect for any time of the year really. You can change the toppings of the semifreddo depending on the seasons. Given Christmas is so close, however, let’s call it a Christmas dessert. It’s a classic semifreddo, re-interpreted to add more nourishment, less sugar and delicious sweet spices. Super easy and I hope you enjoy it!
2.Nourishing Christmas Cake
Believe it or not, this is a GAPS friendly Christmas Cake that’s gluten, dairy, grain, starch and even nut-free, this is hopefully a cake that a lot of you guys can enjoy who are on restricted diets!
3. Homemade Vanilla Bean custard
My grandmother gave me a love for cooking and in particular, baking and desserts. The very first thing she taught me to make was a basic ‘crème à la vanille’ (I could say custard, but it just sounds so much prettier in French!) This custard works wonderfully over ice cream, poached fruit or alongside a fruit cake and will be the taste of treats in my childhood for the rest of my life.
4.Beautiful Baked Zucchini
A lot of people saw this on my Instagram a few years ago at Christmas and asked for the recipe. It eventually featured in my book, Low Tox Life. The awesome news is, it’s so, so simple to prepare. Elements can be made in advance. You can serve this as a vegetarian lunch with a rocket salad or a cool pasta salad or as a part of a lunch or dinner banquet. It can also be made to be vegan with cashew cheese instead of goat’s cheese.
5. Spiced Fig and Ginger Bread
For those who aren’t a fruit cake person, but still want a Christmassy ‘something’ at Christmas then this Spiced Fig and Gingerbread is for you. I hope you enjoy it. Warm or toasted with butter is the perfect way I suggest!
6. Cool as Cucumber Mango Salad
I just love the freshness in this cucumber mango salad. You feel well. You feel ready for anything. You feel like you’ve had a luxurious treat. Most importantly, you feel like time is on your side, as it takes minutes to throw together. Perfect for a summer Christmas banquet.
7. Mango Curry Chilli Chutney
I love condiments and lots of little tastes and bowls at the table. This might have something to do with the multicultural vibes of my upbringing with holidays visiting France and Mauritius to see my family growing up. The table always had a few main dishes and lots of little pots and bowls to adorn your plate with. This chutney is a great little gift idea too. Make up a double batch and divvy into a sterilised jar. Add a little beeswax wrap cover, string and a note… et voila!
8. Vanilla Bean Shortbread Biscuits
I created these after having some leftover flours in the pantry. They were such a delicious treat to enjoy with hubby, a movie and a cup of tea and they’re the perfect treat to have out with guests over the festive period. Don’t be discouraged by the 4 flour approach. You will get so many batches out of the four ‘bags’. Each flour does something different to make this work so beautifully with a proper shortbread texture and you can add 2 tsp of your favourite sweet, festive spices to the dough before baking for a delicious variation.
9. Cured Coconut Lime Fish
Beautiful, fresh, sustainably sourced fish in the summertime is always popular for us. This lil’ number was brought on by discovering those fabulous scallop shells for sale at the Sydney Fish Markets. Make sure to serve it fresh on the day.
10. Chocolate Pudding with Gooey Bits
Chocolate pudding with gooey bits is exactly how it sounds. It’s one of those desserts that’s a real crowd-pleaser and looks spectacular with minimal effort! It’s gluten free, grain free and can be dairy free if needed.
If you feel like you want to dfive into the topic of low tox entertaining on a wider scale, thinking about waste, planning, gifting and more, our “Celebrate” will definitely support you this the Festive season for a healthy, ethical and sustainable season! Click below to purchase your copy for $14.99AUD.
Celebrate – Your low tox entertaining guide & recipe book
Real Food. Happy Bodies.
