If you’re scrambling for last-minute gifts either because you just don’t know what to get that special person or (oops!) you forgot someone on your list, relax—we’ve got you covered! We are back with 4 last-minute homemade holiday food gifts for you.
The best gifts are the ones that are thoughtful and come from the heart; they are fun to get and give. Here are four homemade holiday treat recipes that still manage to incorporate a healthy twist. Don’t forget to search the Internet using pages like Pinterest to get inspiration on how to package your creations.
1- Snowball Peppermint Truffles
For a friend who’s watching her weight but also likes to indulge her sweet tooth, these peppermint holiday truffles are the perfect answer to portion control. They also pack a lot of sweet flavor in a small bite.
If you’ve never made truffles before, don’t be intimidated. It’s really quite easy and you’ll have a great time using different toppings to decorate your very own truffles that you made from scratch. (Yes, go ahead and pat yourself on the back!) While white chocolate doesn’t have the same health benefits as dark chocolate, it does pack a ton of calcium (a 1.4 ounce bar has about 85 grams) and it doesn’t have any caffeine, so it works for those who are sensitive to the stuff. Also many white chocolate fans point out that since it’s creamier and sweeter than milk or dark chocolate, you need less to get your fix.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces white chocolate, chopped
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/8 tsp peppermint oil
- 2 Tbsp confectioners’ sugar
- ¼ cup peppermint candies, finely chopped or pearlized sugar
- Assorted sprinkles (red, green, white, and blue are very festive!)
What to do:
- Place cream in heat-proof bowl and set the bowl over a double boiler. When cream is heated through and warm, use a wire whisk to slowly stir in chocolate into the cream until melted. Using a silicone spatula, stir in peppermint oil, cover and place in the refrigerator until firm (about an hour).
- Using a teaspoon or small ice cream scooper, roll spoonfuls of the white chocolate into truffle balls. In a shallow bowl, combine confectioners’ sugar and peppermint candies or any type of fine sprinkles and gently roll the formed truffles in the mixture. Place on parchment paper and refrigerate until ready to serve.
2- Spiced Chickpeas
This is a great gift for someone looking to start off the New Year on the right foot (or if they’re already super health-conscious). Garbanzo beans (AKA chickpeas) are a powerhouse of health—low-cal and full of protein. You can experiment with various spices to change flavors without adding calories and/or fat. Nuts, packed with healthy omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants, are also a good gift option. You can find hundreds of fast and easy recipes for spiced holiday nuts online.
Ingredients
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
- 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried marjoram
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- 1/8 tsp salt
What to do:
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- Blot chickpeas with paper towel, dry and toss in a bowl with oil, cumin, marjoram, allspice, and salt. Spread on rimmed baking sheet. Bake, stirring once or twice, until browned and crunchy, around 30 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes.
- Check out some adorable packaging ideas here.
3- Candied Orange Peels
You can create a beautiful gift using the remnants of fruit you may already have at home. Candied orange peels are a crowd-pleaser because they’re unique, delicate, and delicious. Although the recipe takes a little time, most of it isn’t active, so put on a Christmas movie and relax while making these fancy treats.
This recipe delivers a healthy dose of Vitamin C and the peel provides a lot of fiber. Plus, if you’re dipping them in chocolate, you’ll also get the benefits of all of the antioxidants and flavonoids in darker chocolates, such as the bittersweet type, which have been linked to lowering blood pressure.
Ingredients
- 3-4 naval oranges
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup orange flavored liqueur
- ¾ pound bittersweet chocolate (optional)
What to do:
- Cut peel on each orange into 4 vertical segments. Remove each segment (including white pith) in 1 piece. Cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips. Cook in large pot of boiling water 10 minutes; drain, rinse. Repeat this process using fresh water two more times.
- After the third boil, drain and rinse the cooked orange peel under cold water and any pulp that is attached. Put orange slices back in the pan with 1 ½ cups sugar and the liqueur and cook on low heat until the sugar is dissolved (about an hour). Transfer slices to parchment paper and let air dry about 20 minutes.
- If dipping in chocolate, melt chocolate over a double-boiler. Dip a slice of the candied orange into the chocolate, half-way or completely and gently shake off the excess chocolate. Let the chocolate dipped orange slice set at room temperature or chill in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.
4- Homemade Fluffy Pancakes (compliments of my mom, Claire DeCostole)
If you’re known for making homemade holiday food including the best cookies, muffins, pancakes, or any type of food using dry ingredients, you have the perfect gift at your disposal. Just combine all of the dry ingredients in a glass jar and attach a typed or handwritten recipe explaining the remaining recipe steps.
You can also add specialty syrup (for pancakes) or another cute accompaniment to personalize it. While buttermilk isn’t going to win any health awards, this recipe calls for the low-fat version which will save you about 5g fat per 1-cup serving. You can also healthy-up this recipe by replacing the all-purpose flour with whole-wheat flour.
Ingredients
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 3 Tbsp soft butter
- 3 egg whites, stiffly beaten
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 2/3 low-fat buttermilk
- Fresh fruits for topping (optional)
What to do:
Combine all dry ingredients in the jar. List out the wet ingredients your gift receiver will need to complete the recipe with these directions:
- Beat egg yolks. Add all ingredients except egg whites and beat until smooth. Gently fold in egg whites.
- Grease the heated pan or griddle. Sprinkle a few drops of water on griddle, when bubbles skitter around the heat is right. Pour a ladle of pancake mixture onto the hot griddle or pan. Flip the pancake once you see them puffed and full of little bubbles (but before bubbles break). Bake other side until golden brown. Serve topped with fresh strawberries, blueberries, and/or bananas.
