By Kristi Hujik
Tis’ the season to indulge in all things holiday!
We are engulfed by baked goods and Christmas treats from the office to the neighborhood party there’s a sugary trap waiting around every corner. So how can you stick to your wellness goals without the guilt, shame or digestive issues?
I’m here to tell you that you don’t need to sit home and be a scrooge. There’s a way to enjoy some homemade treats, take part in the fun, and still not throw your healthy habits to the wolves. With some simple swaps your friends and guests won’t even know they got a “healthier” version of a Christmas favorite.
Sometimes just changing an ingredient or two drops the calories, minimizes digestive distress, provides valuable nutrients, and limits the blood sugar elevator.
Below are some general swaps you can make when making your holiday favorites. You can google more recipes on Pinterest and search “AIP” or “Paleo” baking to help find more recipe replacements to create some healthy holiday magic.
Gelatin Egg instead of regular eggs
Need an egg-free, AIP solution? You can make a gelatin egg with a product like Vital Proteins Grass fed beef gelatin. Works great as a binder in baked recipes.
Cacao Nibs instead of Chocolate chips
A few of the many vitamins and minerals found in cacao nibs include: fiber, iron, phenylethylamine (PEA), and oxalic acid. Like dark chocolate, they’re also high in antioxidants. Use this in any recipe that calls for chocolate chips with a 1:1 ratio.
Coconut butter instead of sugary icings
It’s tasty. I love coconut butter and you can soften it to drizzle on things and it will harden with time/refrigeration.
Cassava, Almond, Tiger Nut, and Coconut flour instead of regular white flour.
Refined white flour is a baking staple and part of most people’s diets, but it certainly isn’t good for us. Good news is there are more and more alternative flours. My favorite is Tiger Nut Flour. Tiger nuts are not actually nuts they are small root vegetables. They are a source of resistant starch, which is an essential prebiotic fiber that resists human digestion and becomes fuel for our probiotics. It has a neutral taste, produces drier and less dense baked goods, and the final result is light and holds together very well.
Pumpkin instead of butter
Loaded with vitamins A, C, K, and fiber, pumpkin makes a great substitute for butter in many spiced baking recipes. I’ve also seen avocado used in some recipes.
Mashed banana instead of oil or butter
Bananas are high in fat content and work as a substitute for oil or butter. Bananas are also naturally sweet, a great source of fiber and potassium. Mashed banana works best in recipes that are not meant to be fluffy or light. This is a very popular Paleo thing. You will see this in a ton of recipes. A ripe banana works best.
Natural sweeteners vs. refined sugar
You can substitute honey, dates, and maple syrup for boatloads of refined sugar. Even Organic Pure Vanilla Extract is a good alternative and additive in many recipes for flavor.
One final tip as you look to avoid that glucose spike and crash – reach for savory snacks and not sweet ones. Have the higher carb/sweet as a dessert that comes after a meal featuring veggie, fats, proteins. This will give you better glucose stability and more energy to attend those holiday gatherings!
