Holiday Baking: What does a nutritionist bake?

By: Jayda Siggers

What does a nutritionist bake for the holidays? Is it all healthy? Sugar free?

Umm, NO!

But whole, ingredients, yes!

Eat in moderation, maybe;)

Soft Molasses Cookies from NourishingMeals

These cookies have a very robust flavour that scream the holidays. They are, simply, deliciously addictive!

These cookies call for palm sugar, a nutrient rich , low-glycemic alternative sweetener. Palm sugar is made from the nectar of flowers that grow high on the coconut tree. The nectar is air dried to form a crystalline end-product that is rich in vitamins  and phytonutrients, including potassium, zinc, iron, and vitamins B1, B2, B3 and B6. The taste is like that of brown sugar.

Peppermint Bark

This succulent holiday treat is composed of a layer of dark chocloate, a layer of white chocolate with crushed candy canes, from TruSweets,  sprinkled on top. Chocolate is a plentiful source of antioxidants, more specifically, polyphenols. Polyphenols, you might have heard of them in relation to green tea and red wine, inhibit the oxidation of low density lipoprotein (LDL). High levels of LDL are associated with heart disease.

Pistachio, Cranberry Dark Chocolate Bark

Mmmmm, melted dark chocolate packed full of raw pistashios and dried cranberries is certain to quench your late evening sweet tooth.

Pistachios are a healthy mono- and polyunsaturated fats and a good source of fiber, 3 g per serving (1 oz or about 49 pistachios). Pistachios are an excellent source of vitamin B6, copper and manganese and provides potassium and is a good source of phophorus and magnesium.

Additionally, cranberries contain proanthocyanidins (PACs) that have been  shown to prevent the adhesion of certain of bacteria, including E. coli, associated with urinary tract infections to the urinary tract wall, bacteria associated with gum disease and stomach ulcers.

Turtles from BrazenKitchen

This is seriously one of the easiest recipes, 2:2:1 ration of cocao, nut/seed butter and honey. It gets rave reviews whenever I present it at parties or workshops. I highly recommend, at minimum, doubly the recipe. Store in the freezer. I challenge you to eat just one or two.

When compared to table sugar, honey is sweeter, thereby requiring less, has a low glycemic index and contains vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6 and C. Copper, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, iodine and zinc are found in trace amounts in honey. In addition, honey contains antioxidants, substances like vitamins C and E, that counteract the effects of free radical damage to your cells.

I plan to bake more this week. Stay tuned for an update!

Sugar Free Sugar Cookies

Vegan Naniamo Bars

Gingerbread

Happy Holidays and Healthy Baking.

Jayda Siggers, PhD, has a doctorate degree in Clinical Nutrition.
Currently, she is completing her certification in Holistic Health from
the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York. She blogs at
jaydamomphd.wordpress.com. She is also a Nutrition Counsellor at:
eatwholebevital.com