5 Holistic Holiday Gifts under $20

Here is my guide to holiday gifting on a budget in a holistic and healthy way. Last week I wrote about not stressing out about gifts AND not going into debt to buy gifts. Everything here is less than $20 per person or less. I hope these ideas inspire you!

Books. As a health coach, I read a lot of  self-help, healthy living and nutrition cooks as well as cookbooks. Here is my list of favorite books I’ve found this year that I will be gifting - all are under $20.

The Body Book by Cameron Diaz

10% Happier by Dan Harris

Clean Food, Revised Edition by Terry Walters

Make Your Own Rules Diet by Tara Stiles

Coffee or Tea. Any coffee or tea drinker will appreciate some gourmet beans or teas! I like to order loose leaf teas from Mountain Rose Herbs - Kukicha, Rooibos and Chai are my favorites. For coffee try Coava, Blue Bottle, Ladro, Lighthouse and Four Barrel beans - my husband’s picks - he loves coffee.

Superfoods. They can be used in smoothies, in home-made desserts and in some cases added to salads. My favorites are hemp seeds, goji berries, cacao nibs, vanilla powder or maca powder.

Cookie Tins (they will never guess these are healthy treats). Spend a weekend afternoon baking cookies - then package into festive tins. You can get pretty tins at the dollar store. Just skip the refined sugar  - try these recipes:

Coconut Date Cookies

Turtle Oatmeal Cookies

Chewy Trail Mix Cookies

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Granola. Make a big batch of granola and give it awat in mason jars. Below is my easy granola recipe with some chocolate included - for the holidays It can be made for just a few dollars per person.

Holiday Homemade Granola Recipe

(Makes 3 quarts)

6 cups whole gluten-free oats

1 cup nuts (almond, walnut, pecan)

1/2 cup seeds (sesame, sunflower, pumpkin)

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

1/2 cup melted coconut oil

1/2 cup maple syrup

2 tablespoons cinnamon

1 tsp cardamom

3/4 cup dried fruit (dates, sour cherries, cranberries)

Oven @ 350F.

Mix everything together except for the dried fruit. Spread onto 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper.

Bake for 30 minutes - stirring a few times.

Let cool completely & stir in dried fruit.

*Vegan & Gluten-free*

Clean Out the Fridge Soup Recipe :: Winter Version

The other night my fridge was looking pretty bare. I had a few veggies left from my CSA share, and that was about it! I threw together this soup... and it turned out really yummy! The shredded Napa Cabbage is almost like having noodles in the soup.

Gather:

1 onion

2 cloves garlic

1 acorn squash, chopped (you don’t need to peel)

2 carrots sliced into coins

Extra Virgin Olive Oil - just enough to coat bottom of the pan - maybe about 1 TBSP

1 cup of beans - canned or already cooked*

1/2 Napa Cabbage - thinly shredded

1 cup chopped mushrooms**

1/2 cup tomato puree

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

1” piece of kombu

1 bay leaf

Cayenne pepper to taste

Black pepper to taste

(throw in whatever else you have on hand... leftover grains, more veggies, etc)

*I used leftover Rancho Gordo Yellow Eye Beans - so delicious in soup!

** I used Lion's Mane Mushrooms grown by a local mushroom farmer. They taste like crab meat - they are so good!

Make it:

Saute the onion, garlic and carrots in the olive oil. Add the mushrooms, beans and spices. Saute for another few minutes.

Add enough filter water to cover by a few inches. Add the tomato puree, kombu & bay leaf.

Simmer until the veggies are tender - about 15-20 minutes. Stir in the Napa Cabbage and simmer for another 5 minutes.

Enjoy!

How to Get Through the Holiday Season Without Stressing Out!

If you are anything like I am, you become a stress case around the holidays. Holiday parties & get togethers, buying gifts, managing your finances so that you can buy gifts, short days, cold weather - it all adds up to me getting frazzled right around now. But, it doesn’t have to be like this!

So, the question is, how do we change this cycle? So that we can actually relax and enjoy the festivities, spending time with friends and family, get into the spirit of giving? Below are some ideas I’m trying out this year. Won’t you join me? Wouldn’t it be nice to really enjoy and savor the holiday and the winter months?

Exercise Outdoors. No Matter How Cold it is.

There is something about being out in the fresh air, in nature, that grounds and calms me. No matter what climate you live in, you feel more connected to nature when you’re in it every day. Stay warm by dressing in layers. Wear appropriate footwear (snowboots or rainboots if necessary). I share more tips in this blog post.

Don’t go into Debt.

Make a budget per person for gifting and stick to it. Consider making gifts like homemade bath salts or granola. I stay far away from malls & shopping centers where there is a shopping frenzy. *Look out for my blog post next week on gifting & homemade gift ideas*

Prepare for Parties.

You may going to holiday parties where there is going to be a lot of alcohol, sugary treats, and all kinds of other things you may want to avoid, especially if you eat gluten-free and/or vegan. I like to have a big green smoothie before a party. That way I am less likely to go crazy on eating stuff I know will not make me feel good. A little indulgence is ok, but anything that makes you feel not so great later on is not cool in my book. And, if you are a good cook, bring something yummy & healthy for everyone to enjoy!

Let Go of Some Traditions.

If there is a holiday tradition that causes you stress, consider not doing it this year. A few years ago I let go of sending Christmas cards. This was hard for me at first, since I used to design & sell Christmas cards! But, it felt good to get it off my to do list. And guess what? No one noticed. If there is something you dread doing around the holidays, maybe its time to consider letting it go.

Stay Warm & Cozy.

This one seems obvious, but it’s the one I struggle with the most! Wear comfortable layers that keep you warm. Have slippers for around the house. Drink lots of warm beverages and eat foods that are warm & nourishing. Love oatmeal for breakfast, and homemade soups for lunch or dinner.

Lately I’ve been making a lot of winter squash soups, my recipe is below. I used acorn squash, but you could use any winter squash here.

Roasted Winter Veg Soup

Gather:

1 acorn squash

1 large sweet potato

2 carrots

3 cloves garlic

1 tsp coconut oil

1 tsp sea salt

black pepper to taste

Topping:

4 kale leaves - cut into ribbons

4 shitake mushrooms - thinly sliced

1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds

1 tablespoon dried cranberries

1 tsp coconut oil

Preheat oven to 425 F. Get out 2 baking sheets and line with parchment paper.

Cut the acorn squash in half & scoop out the seeds. Put the 2 halves cut side down on one of the baking sheets.

Peel and chop the sweet potato and carrots into large chunks. Spread on the other baking sheet with the garlic cloves.

By now your oven is heated. Roast the veggies until tender - about 40 minutes.

While the veggies are roasting, you can make the topping. Saute the mushrooms in the coconut oil for about 5 minutes. Add the kale ribbons and cook, stirring, until the kale has reduced and is tender. Stir in the pumpkin seeds and cranberries. Let this sit until the soup is done.

When the veggies are done roasting, put them into your blender - I use a Vitamix. The acorn squash can be scooped out of it’s peel. Add water to cover the veggies, salt & pepper, and coconut oil. Blend to whatever consistency you like - I did more of a thick puree. If the soup isn’t hot enough, run it in your Vitamix for a few minutes until heated.

Serve with topping... yum!