Planning fun activities to do with your kids in the run up to Christmas is really exciting. Yet, when it comes to baking Christmas treats, often they’re full of sugar and other things that aren’t very good for you, or your children.
So, for the health-conscious parents out there, here are two healthy and fun snacks you can make with your kids!
Energy Snowballs
To give yourself and your children a boost of energy, try these coconut energy snowballs.
They’re extremely nutritious and easy to make – great for getting the kids involved. The dark chocolate will help with contributing to increase your child’s brain power, as well as being delicious.
Ingredients
- 150 g Dried Fruit (apricots, dates, mango and raisins work well).
- 180 g Rolled Oats.
- 2 Tablespoons Chia Seeds.
- 240 g Low Sugar Peanut Butter (natural is best).
- 170 ml Honey (raw is best).
- 150 g Dark Chocolate (minimum 70%).
- 200 g Desiccated Coconut.
Method
- Blend your oats in a food processor or blender until it forms a smooth, powder texture.
- Add in the peanut butter and honey and pulse until smooth.
- Finely chop your dried fruit on a chopping board so you are left with small pieces. Place them in a bowl and add the chia seeds.
- Add the contents of the food processor to the bowl with your fruit and mix until completely combined.
- Line a tray with baking parchment and roll your mixture into golf sized balls. Place them on the sheet and put them in the fridge to set for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, melt your chocolate in the microwave so that it becomes runny and place your desiccated coconut in a different bowl.
- Once the chocolate has cooled slightly and the energy balls have set, roll them gently in the chocolate and then in the coconut, ensuring they are completely coated.
- Pop the energy balls back onto the tray and set for another 15 minutes.
- Now they’re good to go! (store them in the fridge for up to a week).
Low-Sugar Christmas Cookies
These cookies are delicious and nutritious, making them the perfect Christmas treat for your little ones.
Ingredients
- 175 g Healthy Butter Substitute (I use plant-based spreads, but there are plenty of other alternatives to experiment with).
- 1 Medium Egg.
- 4 Tablespoons Stevia Sweetener.
- 300 g Plain Flour (white spelt is a good option).
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder.
- 130 g Icing Sugar (powdered Monk Fruit is a good substitute).
- 4 Teaspoons Skimmed Milk.
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract.
- Mixed Fruit (to decorate).
Method
- Preheat your oven to 180 degrees celsius and prepare two baking trays by lining them with parchment paper.
- Using an electric mixer or a wooden spoon, combine the butter substitute and stevia until smooth.
- Whisk your egg and add that to the mixture, stirring until mostly smooth.
- Sift in your flour and baking powder and stir until it is fully combined and has a dough-like texture.
- Take your mixture and allow it to rest in the fridge for 15-20 minutes.
- Lightly flour the work surface and roll out your dough until it is about half a centimeter thick.
- Using Christmas cookie cutters of your choice, carefully cut as many biscuits as you can out of the dough and place them carefully on the baking trays.
- Bake your cookies in the oven for around 10-15 minutes until nice and golden.
- For the topping, combine the icing sugar, milk and vanilla extract until smooth. If the mixture feels too runny to pipe, add some more icing sugar.
- To decorate, place your icing into an icing bag and go wild!
- Arrange your pieces of fruit on top of the icing. Blueberries, strawberries and raspberries are really tasty options.
Summary
If you’re looking for a healthy alternative to unhealthy Christmas treats, give one of these recipes a go.
In all seasons, not just Christmas, it’s important that you are feeding your children nutritious food to help them build up a strong immune system. Plenty of fruit, veg and superfoods will help them to fight off any colds or flus to bounce back much quicker than usual.
If you’re in doubt whether your child is consuming enough vitamins, try giving them a vitamin tablet to put your mind at rest. With that, and these yummy recipes, you’ll have a very happy and healthy child!
Featured image by Nathan J Hilton on Pexels.
Author:
Daisy Moss
Daisy Moss is a freelance writer specialising in eco-friendly living, with a passion for healthy eating, zero-waste lifestyles and multivitamins. When she isn’t writing, you’ll probably find her enjoying a good novel with a cup of tea!
DOWNLOAD OUR COURSES GUIDE
Learn More About Our Course Offerings and Discover Which New Wellbeing Career Best Suits Your Passion!
