This post was written in partnership with my friends at Made with Local. As always, all opinions are my own!
The holidays are fast approaching, and a big part of the fun is…you guessed it—treats!!! Some of our all-time favourite Christmas treats are things like Nanaimo bars, homemade chocolate truffles and gingerbread cookies, YUM.
But when the season of treat-eating starts at the beginning of December—because you know it does—that means a lot of extra sugar, saturated fat and empty calories filling our bellies (and our little ones’ bellies), which can displace other nutrient dense choices.
Hey—I’m all about celebrating with yummy food, trust me! But sometimes the sugar-fest that is Christmas can get a little out of control.
So this year, along with our traditional favourite family treats, we’re making some healthy holiday gingerbread men (or women) that are perfect for snacks, treats, and even holiday gifts.
And the best part is that the whole family can enjoy them—even your little ones—because they pack in a lot of nutrition, and minimal added sugar.
We’re using our favourite mix—the Real Food Bar Mix by Made with Local—that contains nutrient-dense oats, dried fruit and seeds, and then adding some a few nutritious ingredients and then maybe doing a little bit of decorating afterwards for fun.
I have to admit, I let the decorating get a bit out of control (as you’ll see in the video below), and although it sort of defeated the purpose of the low sugar cookies, it was pretty fun. For your toddlers, I would keep the icing and sprinkles to a minimum 😉
Make sure you watch until the end to learn how to win your own case of Real Food Bar Mix to make these delicious and nutritious cookies.
Healthy Homemade Gingerbread Cookies
Serve them with a glass of milk as a snack, as a treat after a meal, or give them as gifts!
Ingredients
- 1 bag Original Goodness Real Food Bar Mix
- 1/2 cup almond butter
- 1/4 cup honey (scant)
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp ground ginger
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325F and grease a cookie sheet.
- Combine (list all ingredients) in a large bowl and mix with a hand mixer or by hand.
- Spread mixture onto wax or parchment paper so it’s about ½ inch thick. On a hard surface (like a cookie sheet), place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.
- Remove the cookie batter from the freezer, and – with a small gingerbread man cookie cutter, cut out your cookies, place them each on a greased cookie sheet, and bake for 10-12 minutes or until slightly golden brown.
- Allow to cool and then let your kids help you decorate!
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To win enter to win a case Real Food Bar Mix for your family, leave a comment below about how you’re planning to control the holiday sugar fest in your house! Contest closes December 5th. Or if you simply want to order some mix now, you can visit Made with Local’s Website now and use the code Sarah20 to get 20% your first order!
![CLOSED *GIVEAWAY*
[AD] Even this dietitian Mom is guilty of getting caught up in the busy morning school rush and totally missing breakfast. (🙋♀️) Once the kids are off, it’s straight to coffee and work until I realize I’m starving.
Everyone’s breakfast routine is different, but it’s important to honor your hunger and take the time to sit down and eat in the morning - seems simple, doesn’t it?! But it can feel overwhelming when you’re juggling a million tasks and to-dos–I get it!
To make your life easier, I’ve partnered with @naturesbakery to share some easy go-to breakfasts:
1. Breakfast Snack Plate: Grab a hardboiled egg, fruit, cheese cubes, and a Nature’s Bakery Bar—perfect for mornings on the go. 🥚🧀
2. 3-Ingredient Pancakes: You can find the recipe on my blog! I add dairy-free yogurt, chopped fruit and fig bars and enjoy!
3. Breakfast Bowl: Layer yogurt with granola, chopped Nature’s Bakery fig bars, chia seeds, and your favorite fruit. So filling and delicious! 🍓🥣
4. Smoothie + Fig Bar: Toss fruit, veggies, and yogurt (or non-dairy alternative) into a blender, and pair it with a Nature’s Bakery bar for a balanced breakfast. 🍓🥬
5. Overnight Banana Chia Oats (my fave!): Prep oats, chia seeds, and oatmilk the night before. In the morning, add chopped fig bars and fresh berries. Great grab-and-go option! 🍒🥛
Recipe for overnight banana chia oats:
To a glass/mason jar or container add:
* ½ cup rolled oats
* 1 tbsp chia seeds
* ½ ripe banana mashed
* 1 cup of oat or almond milk
Cover and store in the fridge overnight and enjoy with some cut up fruit, chopped up Nature’s Bakery Fig Bars and cinnamon!
For a chance to win a month’s worth of Nature’s Bakery Fig Bars, here’s how to enter:
1. Like + save this post
2. Follow @naturesbakery and @sarahremmer
3. Comment below tagging 1 friend per comment (no limit entry)
4. Bonus + 10 entries: share this post to your IG stories tagging both @sarahremmer and @Naturesbakery
Good luck!! Contest closes at 11:59pm MST September 23rd, 2024.](https://www.sarahremmer.com/wp-content/uploads/sb-instagram-feed-images/460549247_331678436633783_4952507500425988441_nfull.webp)
![[AD] Who else loves a quick, one-pot meal for the busy back-to-school season? 🙋♀️
As a dietitian and mom, I’m all about recipes that are quick, affordable, nourishing, and of course, delicious. That’s why I’ve teamed up with my friends at L’Ancêtre Cheese to bring you my Homemade One-Pot Hamburger Helper—perfect for weeknight dinners and makes awesome leftovers for lunchboxes too!
What I love most? You can toss everything—beef, pasta, veggies—into one pot, saving time and dishes! Plus, @ancetrecheese , made locally here in Canada from pasture-fed cows, adds that perfect cheesy touch. It’s organic, sustainably produced, and absolutely delicious. 🧀
What you need:
* 1.5 lbs lean ground beef
* 4 cups uncooked whole grain, regular or gluten-free pasta noodles (like rotini or macaroni)
* ½ yellow onion, diced
* 2 cups veggies of choice, diced (eg. mushrooms, bell peppers, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower etc.)
* 1 cup frozen peas
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 tsp pepper
* 1.5 cups milk of choice
* 1.5 cups chicken broth
* 1-680 mL jar tomato pasta sauce
* 2 tsp Italian Seasoning
* Tsp red pepper flakes
* 3 cups L’Ancêtre’s Marbled Mild Cheddar
Put it all together:
1. Cook beef in a large pot over medium-high heat until browned, then drain. Add onion, garlic, red pepper, mushrooms, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper; cook until veggies are tender-crisp.
2. Mix in milk, broth, tomato sauce, and uncooked macaroni. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook for 15-18 minutes, stirring often. Adjust liquid as needed.
3. Remove from heat, stir in frozen peas and 1 cup of cheese until melted. Transfer to a casserole dish, sprinkle with remaining cheese, and bake at 375°F for 5-10 minutes until golden. Cool before serving.
Make sure to pick up L’Ancêtre cheese (either a family-sized block or pre-shredded) at a local retailer near you! Visit https://www.fromagerieancetre.com/en/cheeses/ to find out more!
#Ad #Partner #BackToSchool #LunchboxIdeas #OrganicCheese #FamilyMeals #LAncetreCheese](https://www.sarahremmer.com/wp-content/uploads/sb-instagram-feed-images/459558167_1543212989903442_998663133378052381_nfull.webp)
Comments
cake lover says
nice dear thanks for sharing
Kristi says
We try to stick with Trim Healthy Mama guidelines but we have had a few sweet treats off plan. I plan on making some things that follow THM to have fun things around to enjoy.