Here are some healthy and delicious festive recipes to try over the holidays!

Festive Cabbage Salad

For 6-8 people

Ingredients

• 1/2 of a medium sized organic red cabbage, thinly sliced
• 2-3 small raw organic beetroots, peeled and finely grated (I use one of the larger sides of a cheese grater)
• 2-3 small organic carrots, finely grated
• the rind  (zest) of 2 Moroccan lemons (citron beldi) or clementines (keep the fruit for the sauce)
• walnuts or pecans (raw or roasted slowly in the oven first)
• dried cranberries or bilberries/blueberries (avoid the ones with added sugar) – you may also use sliced fresh organic Granny apples or organic clementines segments instead

For the sauce

• 7-10 tbsp organic extra-virgin olive or avocado oil (adjusted to taste)
• juice of the above lemons or clementines (adjusted to taste)
• salt and pepper to taste
• small bunch of coriander leaves, chopped

Place the grated and chopped cabbage, carrots and beetroot in a large bowl. Mix the ingredients for the sauce together and pour over the cabbage mixture. Mix well again, then stir in the walnuts/pecans, cranberries or bilberries/blueberries and coriander leaves just before serving. Et voila – a festive, colourful and delicious veggie recipe!

Green Juice Galore

• A bunch of organic kale leaves and stems
• A bunch of organic parsley or coriander
• ½ organic fennel bulb (small)
• 3-4 celery sticks
• ½ cucumber
• 1-2 organic Granny Smith apples or similarly hard juicing apples
• 1 large organic lemon
• a piece of raw fresh ginger (about 2 cms long)
• a piece of raw fresh turmeric (about 4 cms long)

Juice or high-power blend ingredients together, mix well and enjoy as soon as possible! 

Festive Peanut Butter Cookies (Gluten and Milk-products Free)

Ingredients:

• 250g of organic non-GMO peanut butter at room temperature or cold* (see below)
• 60g organic large (not instant) oatmeal/rolled oats or oat flour*
• 80g organic crystallised maple syrup (see other options below)*
• 1 large organic egg
• 1 vanilla pod (emptied) or 1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon aluminium-free baking soda
• a pinch of salt*
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg or cinnamon (optional)
• 90g organic and at least 80% dark chocolate chips or pieces (optional)

Directions:

In a medium bowl, mix the oats, spices, baking soda and salt together. Set aside. In another large bowl, cream the egg and maple sugar. Mix in the peanut butter with a large spatula until smooth. Incorporate the dry ingredients little by little and slowly mix until everything is combined. Fold in the chocolate if desired.

Chill the cookie dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 180C (350F) degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Use an ice cream scooper or a large tablespoon to scoop the dough into even balls onto baking sheet, allowing for space between each cookie since they will spread out. Gently press down on the mounds with the back of a fork to slightly flatten. If your cookie dough balls look oily or are oozing oil, blot each with a paper towel.

Bake for 9 to 12 minutes, depending on whether you want softer or crispier cookies. Softer cookies will look very soft and undercooked. Just after taking them out, press a fork lightly on top of the cookies on two sides to give it the distinctive crisscross shape. Let cookies to cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack with a flexible steel spatula to cool completely. Sprinkle some crystallised maple sugar on top. Cookies stay fresh stored at room temperature for up to 7 days and can be frozen too for up to 3 months.

*For people who are gluten intolerant, read the label carefully to ensure the oats are certified gluten free.

*If you can’t find crystallised maple syrup you can use about 90g of regular maple syrup. Since this will make the dough more liquid you can increase the oats to up to 90g, adding them little by little until the dough holds together but is still very soft/flexible. If you absolutely must use sugar, I suggest some good quality organic muscovado sugar.

*You can have fun experimenting with different types of peanut butters, from freshly ground or commercial, to smooth or chunky. Always make sure the peanut butter is cold or low room temperature and if the peanut oil has accumulated at the top of the pot, ensure you stir it together before using. If the peanut butter already has added salt to it, do not add the pinch of salt. You can make this recipe with other types of nut butters too (in the same amounts) – I especially like almond butter.