Healthy Holiday Treats to Make with your Kids

12/11/19

The holiday season is here, and the BOKS team is overflowing with cheer (and yummy treats!). This year, we want to help you and your family find the perfect balance between indulging in your favorite holiday foods while maintaining your family’s healthy nutrition habits.

We understand finding this balance becomes even more difficult with holiday parties, work events, and extravagant dinners with family and friends but it’s important to keep the holiday spirits high and the sugar intake ~relatively~ low for everyone’s sake. No need to worry, because our holiday health hacks allow you and your family to indulge in sweet treats that taste good and make you feel great!

We scoured the web and found two recipes. The first is created by Julie Wunder from www.runninginaskirt.com and the other from www.delish.com  that are both simple, delicious, and fun to make with kids! Neither dessert requires an oven, which makes these ideas perfect for kids of all ages and stress-free for you. Try them out and share a picture with us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram so we can all share a little holiday treat! 

Recipe 1: No Bake Peppermint Fudge Energy Bites: A festive treat with a nutritional boost!

Prep time: 10 min

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup craw almonds
  • 1/3 cup pitted medjool dates (about 6)
  • 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1 tablespoon mini dark chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup crushed peppermint

Instructions

  1. Put almonds in a food processor and chop.
  2. Add the dates and blend well.
  3. Add the cocoa powder, vanilla extract. peppermint extract, and coconut oil. Blend for several minutes until starting to combine. Add a couple drops of water if necessary to help it move.
  4. Add the chocolate chips and pulse a few final times to combine well. You don’t want to pulverize the chocolate though.
  5. Take a heaping teaspoon of the mixture in your hand and roll into a ball. The coconut oil will soften, and it will be very messy. The warmth of your hand will allow the coconut oil to help bind the bite. You will end up pushing it more together than actually rolling it. While it is still warm press into the peppermint.
  6. Allow the finished bites to set in the fridge for 30 minutes to re-solidify the coconut oil.

Recipe 2: Light Chocolate Bark: Enjoy the delicious blend of peanut-butter and chocolate without worry!

Prep time: 10 min

Ingredients

  • 24 oz. dark chocolate (at least 60 percent cocoa)
  • 1 c. natural peanut butter, warmed
  • 1 c. unsalted peanuts, chopped
  • 1/4 c. pretzels

 Instructions

  1. Line a baking dish or sheet with parchment. In a small glass bowl, heat dark chocolate in the microwave on low heat, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted. Pour into prepared dish, tilting so it fully covers the bottom of the dish.
  2. Drizzle over peanut butter, then drag a toothpick over the peanut butter in the opposite direction of the drizzle, creating a swirl.
  3. Top with peanuts and pretzels and refrigerate until firm, 1 hour. Break into pieces and serve. (Bark can be stored in a resealable container up to 2 weeks.)

Ultimately, the key to having a happy and healthy holiday season is understanding moderation. It is okay to go back for the extra slice of chocolate cake, just be self-aware and maintain a balance of indulgence-intelligence.

Have a happy and healthy holiday!