The colder season is here. It’s time to turn on the heat, bundle up and cozy up at home. We’ve picked out a few tasty and easy to make treats that you and a loved one can make at home and enjoy the “sweet” essence of winter!
You can also think of this as a complimentary piece to 4 Tasty & Healthy Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes.
Keep in mind we handpicked these treat recipes with seniors in mind—delicious, filling with some nutrition benefits, check them out!
Chocolate Banana Bread
Okay, who doesn’t love banana bread? Well, you’re in luck, because we think chocolate goes extra well with the winter season and so we picked this yummy and healthy rendition of everyone’s favorite. It is a gluten-free as well as refined sugar-free, so you can indulge with the family!
Note: if you don’t particularly enjoy coconut sugar, you can swap it with regular sugar too. If you want to add more sweetness and crunch, chocolate chips are a great option!
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups gluten free flour blend*
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- ⅓ cup organic coconut oil measure when solid, then melt it in the microwave
- 2 very ripe bananas
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ⅜ cup water
See The Pretty Bee’s site for cooking instructions!
Ricotta Plum Toast
Does the melody of “The Plum Fairy” come to mind when you think of the word plum? To us, it’s always been a very holiday-esque, mystical piece of music and that’s what landed this dish a spot on our favorite treat list in time for the holidays!
There are two main superstars of this dish: Ricotta and Plum.
Ricotta is an Italian cheese that is a great source of protein (containing about 11.3 grams per 100 g). If you’re looking for something with more protein density, a better option would be low-fat ricotta! Protein is important for building and maintaining muscle and is an important health factor for your bones, skin, nails and hair etc.
Ricotta also is a good source of selenium and calcium, so eat away!
Plums are rich in polyphenol antioxidants, which may reduce inflammation and the risk of some chronic diseases.
Note: If plums are not your thing, you can consider replacing it with pears or figs.
Ingredients:
- 2 slices gluten-free bread
- 3 tbsp ricotta cheese
- 1 plum, chopped
- 2 tbsp toasted walnuts
- 2 tbsp honey
To see the entire recipe, go to Amy Sheree’s site!
Tumeric-infused Hot Chocolate
Tumeric has got quite a buzzing glow around it in the health world with its medicinal properties. It’s a yellow-coloured spice that has been used in India for thousands of years not only as a spice but medicinal herb as well.
Research has found that inside turmeric contains an active ingredient: curcumin. It’s a strong antioxidant and has powerful anti-inflammatory effects. Some studies show that it can help treat symptoms of arthritis and could be even more effective than anti-inflammatory drugs!
Tumeric has a variety of positive health effects with the potential to prevent heart disease, cancer and Alzheimers. Check out Healthline.com’s complete breakdown of all of turmeric’s benefits!
Note: If you don’t mind a bit more sweetness, consider tossing a few marshmallows in! Let them melt a little in the hot chocolate to make it easier for swallowing.
These are the ingredients for these yummy hot beverage:
- 3 cups milk of choice, (original recipe uses unsweetened almond milk)
- 4 tbsp unsweetened raw cacao powder
- 4 tsp pure maple syrup (erythritol and stevia for keto)
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3 tsp ground turmeric
- pinch of black pepper
See the full recipe here.
Pumpkin Gingerbread
Pumpkin Gingerbread—mmm, this combination sounds festive and a little spicy!
Ginger, much like Turmeric we mentioned earlier, is also a popular and power spice that possesses strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties!
It is a popular ingredient when it comes to boosting your immune system as well.
Baking a loaf of pumpkin gingerbread could go well with a nice cup of hot tea, coffee or hot chocolate—or if you’re adventurous, the Turmeric-infused Hot Chocolate we recommended above.
The ingredients are below:
- 3 cups sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 eggs
- 2/3 cup water
- 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
See here for the full recipe.
