Here it comes again. Warm weather is starting to slip away (NOOOO!!! –but, I love you hot, sunny beach!!!), soon the holidays will creep in and we'll start to go hog wild and eat every over-processed, sugar-laden thing in sight.
We're headed right smack into a holiday season free-fall that lasts until January (if we're lucky), when we wake up woozy and 5 to 10 (or more) pounds heavier than at the end of the summer. I hate free-falls (even the ride at Great Adventure).
A lot of this crap eating is steeped in tradition.
Traditions can be great. But not if they're unhealthy and make you feel like hell and even worse, feel like hell about yourself.
"I have to eat this. I have to make this stupid pie or cookies that have pounds of sugar and white flour it them. I have to fall off the wagon around this time of year. It's just what you do".
No it isn't. Make this year the one where you don’t go off the rails.
It's not always easy, I get it. Guilt is often involved. "Aunt Betty's gonna be p*ssed if she doesn't get her double-sugar cookies with triple-sugar frosting".
Well you know what? Too damn bad, Aunt Betty. You're not getting 'em this year.
I'm finishing up an ebook of healthy holiday recipes, so you'll have an arsenal of ideas to tread fearlessly through this holiday season.
Yes, they are healthy and yes, they are delicious.
And you'll be satisfied. You'll be satisfied in a way that sugar and processed foods couldn't even dream of satisfying you ;)
Here's a fun recipe to try before my holiday recipe ebook comes out in a couple of weeks.
Spiced Popcorn
Ingredients
-1/2 tsp cinnamon
-1/8 tsp chipotle powder
-1/2 tsp Lakanto monkfruit sweetener
-1/2 tsp salt
-3 tbsp unrefined and cold-pressed coconut oil, for popping
-1/2 cup organic popcorn (I use Arrowhead Mills)
-2 tbsp melted coconut oil or ghee (optional, but do it if you wanna be sassy)
Directions
1. Mix the cinnamon, chipotle powder, sweetener and salt in a small bowl.
2. Heat the 3 tbsp of coconut oil and 3 corn kernels in a large heavy bottomed pot over medium high heat.
3. When all 3 kernels pop, add the rest of the popcorn and begin shaking the pot constantly over the heat, as the kernels pop. **NOTE: once the popcorn starts popping, make sure the heat is high enough so that the corn is popping loudly--if it's not there will be many un-popped kernels.
4. When there are a couple of seconds in between pops, remove the pot from the stove and pour the popped corn into a very large bowl. Season with the spice mixture. Drizzle the coconut oil or ghee onto the popcorn, if desired.
5. Enjoy ;)
Xoxo,
Lauren
What's an unhealthy recipe that you wish you didn't have to make or a dish you wish you didn't have to eat around the holidays? Let me know in the comment section below.