Gingerbread Pancakes

Gingerbread Pancakes

What do you get when you combine the recipes for Gingerbread Muffins and Buttermilk Pancakes? Gingerbread Pancakes!!  And the perfect Christmas (or any) morning breakfast.  The best part of this recipe is that the batter can be made the night before and then all you have to do in the morning is (get your husband) to cook the pancakes!  And you honestly don't even need syrup or anything else on them.  They are high in fiber and whole grains and all of the spices make them especially good for you, and tasty!!  You can easily make them vegan by using the soaked chia seeds instead of eggs, oil instead of butter and soy milk and vinegar instead of buttermilk.  Either way, they are super simple, and absolutely unforgettable. I am so glad I took the time to figure out this recipe and that they turned out so perfectly on the first try.  Considering this was the first Christmas morning my family and I didn't travel to visit any extended relatives, it was important to me to have a memorable morning meal for my family of four. And the left overs are great heated up in the toaster as well!!  

Gingerbread Muffins

Nothing smells more like Christmas to me than gingerbread.  I suppose peppermint candy canes would be a close second and I will be featuring a recipe with candy canes soon, but the unmistakable aroma of gingerbread muffins, or cookies, baking in the oven is an all time favorite.  I honestly thought I had posted this recipe last year since it is such a staple in my home.  Better late than never!

As always, I use all organic whole wheat flour to add fiber and nutrients, but the real all stars in this recipe are all the spices.  Cinnamon can help regulate blood sugar and reduce inflammation, ginger is a natural pain killer and can ease stomach upset, nutmeg is good for digestion and detoxification of the body and cloves are anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and nutrient dense.  Combine those benefits with a tasty filling snack and you have a perfect holiday treat!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Happy Thanksgiving, and early Christmas all baked into one!  This delectable dessert brings together my favorites from both holidays (pumpkin and gingerbread) into one taste of heaven. Not too sweet, and full of flavor, this dessert was so good that the large pan of them were eaten by my small family of four within a couple of days.  I actually put half of them into the freezer, only to take them out two days later for breakfast. I found a recipe like this online, but used whole wheat flour, cut the sugar in half and replaced the cool whip with organic whipped cream and a touch of sugar. They do take a little more work than most of the desserts I throw together, but this one is worth the extra effort.  So even if you don't have time today to make something extra for the big feast, this sweet treat will be in season for at least another month, if not all winter!  Happy Holidays everyone!

Whole Wheat Gingerbread Cookies

Whole Wheat Gingerbread Cookies

This is a very basic gingerbread recipe passed down from my mom.  I did change a few things, choosing to use all organic whole wheat pastry flour and substituting the 1 egg with soaked chia seeds, but you could easily revert back to the basic original version.  This recipe makes a lot of cookies, so they are perfect for a holiday cookie swap, or for giving away as gifts.  The thing with gingerbread is that it honestly tastes better and better after each passing day, so if the cookies even last that long, they can be enjoyed for days and made ahead for convenience.  This recipe can also be used to make a gingerbread house so long as you have a template to cut the shapes.  A few years ago, my husband, son and I made a gingerbread Alamo using this recipe and if I can find the photos, I will be sure to post them.  This cookie does have a bit of sugar in it (and butter) but it also has a ton of antioxidant rich spices and molasses, a nutrient dense sweetener.  Plus they are just delicious and will make your house smell amazing for days.

Oatmeal Gingerbread Cookies

Oatmeal Gingerbread Cookies

It is another cold and snowy day here in the Poconos so why not spend the afternoon baking up some holiday cheer with your family?  This is another version of my simple to mix together oatmeal cookies, but with a gingerbread twist. The cookies are sweetened with healthy banana and the nutrient dense sweetness of molasses.  Full of antioxidant rich spices, protein packed almond butter and healthful organic oats, these cookies taste like more of a treat than they really are!  So whip up a batch and snack away!