Day 20: Low Fat Gingerbread Cookies!

Weekend is here finally and we might start it by baking some Christmas classics, like the following amazing Gingerbread cookies! What is special about them? They are low-fat cookies perfect to keep you away from the bad stuff these holidays! You can still enjoy the 56 kcal these delicious ones provide you with and start off your afternoons with a tea and energy! I wont add any icing to these.

Low-Fat Gingerbread Cookies

♥ 3 tablespoons of softened butter

♥ 165 g packed brown sugar

♥ 118 g applesauce

♥ 1 egg

♥ 113 g dark molasses

♥ 384 g all purpose flour

♥ 1 teaspoon baking soda

♥ 2 teaspoon ground ginger

♥ 1 teaspoon cinnamon

♥ half teaspoon of allspice (learn here how to make your own allspice)

♥ 1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves

INSTRUCTIONS: In a bowl beat the butter, sugar, egg, applesauce and molasses and mix well until well combined. In another bowl, mix flour baking soda and spices and add them to the first bowl and combine well. Divide the dough formed into 2 flat balls, wrap them in plastic foil and chill in the fridge for 2 hours.

Preheat oven at 180 Celsius degrees. Dust with flour the area you will work your dough in, and place the dough and roll it and cut shapes, don't make it too thick neither super thin. If it's too sticky add more flour to your working area and on top of the dough, sprinkling. Bake your cookies for 10-12 minutes. Work with one dough ball at a time.

I like to keep them simple without any icing. Perfect to enjoy with your tea! Have fun doing these!

Day 19: Protein Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie

Today is rather about a sweet drink, a great combination of chocolate and peanut butter packed with proteins!

Protein Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie

♥ 1 large banana, peeled, sliced and frozen

♥ 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder (you can choose an organic brand)

♥ 183 ml Greek yoghurt

♥ 118 ml milk

♥ 1,5 tablespoons honey

♥ 2 tablespoons of creamy peanut butter (avoid chunks)

INSTRUCTIONS: Place all ingredients in your blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a glass and enjoy! If you feel like you like it colder, add an ice cube to it.

Happy Holidays!

Day 18: Fitness-Flourless Protein Pancakes

Looking for a natural source of protein in the morning without the need to add any flour? Check out these! Made them the other day and everyone in the house loved them!

Fitness Pancakes

♥ 1 banana

♥ 2 eggs

♥ sprinkle of cinnamon

INSTRUCTIONS: Mash the banana, add the eggs and beat good with the mashed banana, add a sprinkle of cinnamon at your taste. Mix. Pour them in your frying pan and fry. Serve right away with blueberries on top and banana slices, you can spread peanut butter on them too. 

Easy right? Enjoy!

Day 17: Croque Monsieur Sandwich

A classic that should not be missing from your appetizers this season! From the fanciest French cafés right at your table following this easy recipe I am sharing with you!

Croque Monsieur Sandwich*

♥ 4 slices of your favorite toast bread (whatever you like but not baguette)
♥ 1 tablespoon of mustard (pref. Dijon)
♥ 1 tablespoon of light butter
♥ 1 tablespoon of all purpose flour
♥ 177 ml milk
♥ 22 g grated parmesan cheese
♥ pinch of salt and pepper
♥ few slices of Emmental cheese (or any with the ''eyes'', your favorite)
♥ few slices of ham (thin slices)
♥ 1 tablespoon of melted butter

INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat oven at 200 Celsius degrees. Brush your bread on both sides with melted butter and place them in the oven and toast both sides (flip them around so they get equally toasted). 

In a saucepan prepare the bechamel, melt the butter and add the flour, stir them until is creamy (about 1 min). Add the milk and season with salt and pepper. Cook until it thickens (about 5 min). At that point add the grated cheese. Set aside.

Start putting the sandwich together by spreading some mustard on a toast, add a slice of cheese, slices of ham and another slice of cheese, place the other toast on the top to finish and add some bechamel sauce on the top toast and place a slice of cheese. Pop in the oven again until the cheese is melted and brown and bubbly.

Enjoy this sandwich with some salad as a side dish and let me know how you liked it!

*A curiosity is that, if you serve the same sandwich with a sunny egg on top instead of a slice of cheese, this will be called a Croque Madame (since the egg resembles the shape of a hat).

Day 16: Lemon Bars (not light but worth cheating)

I've just made these today for my family so I didn't need to be that extra careful with the sugar or margarine since they are pretty small and if everyone takes 1 bite, nothing it's going to happen! And it's Christmas!!! You are entitled to some extra sugar these days anyway...

Festive Lemon Bars

CRUST

♥ 256 g all-purpose flour

♥ 64 g confectionery sugar

♥ 226 g margarine or butter

FILLING

♥ 415 ml light condensed milk

♥ 4 eggs (you can take the egg yolk out)

♥ 157 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice

♥ zest of 1 lemon

♥ 1/4 teaspoon salt

♥ 1 teaspoon baking powder

♥ 1 tablespoon all purpose flour

INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat oven 180 Celsius degrees. Mix all the ingredients for the crust in a bowl until a dough is formed. Pour the mix in a 9x13'' baking pan lined with aluminium foil. Bake for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix all the ingredients from the filling in another bowl. After you get the crust out of the oven, pour this mixture over the crust and bake for another 25 minutes. Get it out, leave it 30 minutes out at room temperature. Place it in the fridge for 2 hours cooling. Get it out, sprinkle confectionery sugar on top and serve!

Amazing smell and delicious treat for your guests!

Day 15: Healthy Peanut Butter Chocolate Balls

Healthy Peanut Butter Chocolate Balls

♥ 105 g raw almonds
♥ 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder
♥ 12 seedless dates
♥ 2 tablespoons of all natural peanut butter

INSTRUCTIONS: Chop your almonds by placing them in a blender until they look almost like almond meal. Process the dates until they become a paste. When it's done add the rest of the ingredients in the blender over the dates paste and mix again for another minute. From the dough you got, form little balls and serve them! You can add some coconut flakes or serve right away! If it's too sticky, add a little honey! 

Enjoy!

Day 14: Pizzadilla

Something more filling for your brunch!

The Pizzadilla (for one)

♥ 1 whole wheat tortilla wrap
♥ 5 black olives sliced
♥ half green pepper
♥ 4 slices of pepperoni
♥ quarter red onion
♥ a little handful of grated cheese (your favorite light one)

INSTRUCTIONS: Spread the ingredients on one side of the tortilla and at the end sprinkle the grated cheese so when you fold the tortilla in 2, the grated cheese will act as a glue. Place these in a pan and heat over medium heat.

Day 13: Sugarless Snack - Blueberry Bars

Sugarless Cold Snack Blueberry Bars

♥ 200 g blueberries, fresh or frozen
♥ 118 ml maple syrup
♥ 2 teaspoons of ground vanilla beans
♥ 450 ml creamed coconut

INSTRUCTIONS: Blend all the ingredients in your blender, line a baking tray 8x8 with parchment paper leaving enough in the sides outside. Pour the mixture in the tray. Spread with a spatula. Place in the fridge for 20-30 minutes. Once is firm, you can cut it with a pizza cutter. If you see your spread is not getting firm might be due to the creamed coconut, then place the mix in the freezer instead of fridge.

Sweet and tasty!

Day 12: Cheat with gluten free mini doughnut cakes

Gluten Free Mini Raspberry Doughnuts

♥ raspberries, fresh

♥ 15 g melted butter or you could use margarine if you prefer

♥ 30 ml milk

♥ 1 egg, breaten

♥ 120 ml greek yoghurt

♥ a pinch of salt

♥ 2 teaspoons of baking powder

♥ 75 g sugar or you could use your fave sweetener according to this quantity

♥ 125 g Gluten Free flour

INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat your oven to 200 Celsius degrees. Add all dry ingredients in a bowl and mix them together. In a small bowl mix the egg, milk, butter and yoghurt until combined. Add these to the first mix, the dry one and mix until well together. With a small ice-cream scoop take some batter and place it in a muffin tray or muffin shapes. Add a raspberry in the center of each one. Bake around 8 minutes or until cook proof with a toothpick. Serve after they are cooled.

Day 11: Healthy Champion - Quinoa Dish

One of my favorite dishes since I've discovered quinoa. Quinoa is perfect for salads, tabbouleh, all kinds of delicious dishes and substituting rice, and this particular dish is just a small proof of how tasty quinoa recipes can get! Packed with proteins and gluten-free makes the perfect choice after your workout!

Healthy Champion - Quinoa Dish

♥ 450 g brown cap mushroom/crimini mushroom

♥ 5 cloves of garlic

♥ 1/2 teaspoon of dried Thyme

♥ 170 g uncooked quinoa (and cook them according to the instructions on the package - drain, boil)

♥ pinch of salt

♥ pinch of black pepper

♥ 1 tablespoon olive oil

♥ 2 tablespoons of shredded Parmigiano Reggiano

INSTRUCTIONS: Once you have your quinoa cooked according to the package instructions, take a large skillet and over medium high heat add mushrooms (chopped), chopped garlic and thyme and cook stirring sometimes for about 3-4 minutes or until everything is tender. Season with the salt and black pepper according to your taste, gently stir in your cooked quinoa until everything is well combined. Serve warm, and add shredded Parmigiano right before serving.

Eat well!

Day 10: Chicken Siciliano, a fresh lunch!

Maybe you're having lunch with your friends or asking them over, or...with your family and you want to twist a little bit the traditional chicken recipe?! It's effortless and it will become one of your favorite chicken recipes as soon as you try it!

Chicken Siciliano

♥ 450 g boneless chicken breasts, skinless

♥ 56 g shredded Mozzarella cheese

♥ 56 g shredded Provolone cheese

♥ 1 egg

♥ 1 tablespoon of all purpose flour

♥ 56 g breadcrumbs (like Panko)

♥ 100 g shredded Parmigiano Reggiano (or less if you don't want your dish too salty)

♥ 1 tablespoon of freshly chopped oregano

♥ the zest of 1 lemon

♥ 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder

♥ salt

♥ ground black pepper

♥ 5 tablespoons of olive oil

♥ lemon slices for serving

INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat oven at 180 Celsius degrees. Sprinkle salt on your chicken breasts and let it sit for 20 minutes at room temperature. Combine the mozzarella and provolone cheese in a bowl and set aside. Take a deep plate and mix together the egg and flour until smooth. In another deep plate mix together the breadcrumbs, parmigiano cheese, oregano, lemon zest, garlic powder and a pinch of black pepper. Take the breasts and get the water excess with a kitchen paper until dry. 

Now deep the chicken breast first in your plate with the egg mixture, coating both sides of the breast and let the excess to fall off, then transfer to the plate with the breadcrumbs and coat both sides. Repeat same process with all your chicken breasts. In a non-stick skillet with 2,5 tablespoons of olive oil fry the breasts on each side for 2 minutes each until golden brown. Once you're done transfer the fried chicken to a plate with kitchen towels so it sucks all the excessive oil from the panko coat. 

Place the fried chicken on lined baking sheet and sprinkle them with the mozzarella-provolone mixture. Bake for about 12 minutes. Take them out of the oven and decorate with lemon slices on top. Serve right away, with a salad, or sweet potatoes.

Enjoy!

Day 9: Breakfast idea! The lazy but healthy cookies!

Hi! This one you must try it! It's only few ingredients yet it's really healthy and well if you're trying to slow down on sugars, this would totally be worth!

Lazy Healthy Cookies

♥ 2 bananas

♥ 90 g rolled oats

♥ coconut/chocolate chips/nuts (your decision)

INSTRUCTIONS: Yes. That's all you need. In a bowl mash your bananas with the help of a fork, so they need to be quite ripped. Take your rolled oats and mix them with the mashed bananas until well combined. Add the extra ingredient you chose, mix it well again. With an ice-cream scoop place them on a baking sheet you've previously lined with parchment paper. Bake at 180 Celsius degrees for 15 minutes approximately, or until they are getting darker in color.

And there you go! Healthy cookies for your morning milk these holidays!

Day 8: Eggnog for the Holidays! (adults ONLY)

While this is an American-Canadian tradition, eggnog is usually served for Thanksgiving but also for Christmas! Not many European countries have adopted the recipe neither the tradition to serve this but why not to give it a try? Now if you're supposed to eat/drink healthy ...not sure if this is for you unless you hack the recipe a little...

Eggnog for Christmas (adults only)

♥ 4 egg yolks

♥ 134 g white sugar

♥ 473 ml whole milk

♥ 295 ml heavy cream

♥ 1 teaspoon nutmeg

♥ 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

♥ 1/4 teaspoons of ground cloves

♥ 1/4 teaspoons of cinnamon

♥ 118 ml of Bourbon whiskey (Jack Daniel's could make it)

♥ 60 ml Rum

INSTRUCTIONS: In a large bowl beat the egg yolks with the sugar until the mix is puffy, doubles

in volume and the color is pale yellow. At this time, add the heavy cream, milk, cinnamon, clove and nutmeg in a saucepan and bring it to a slow simmer. Add around 236 ml of the warm mix to the yolks, slowly and whisking constantly (this will prevent the yolks to cook in the warmth). Now add the egg yolk mixture in the saucepan with the remaining liquid and cook stirring all the time until the mix reaches 160 degrees (if you dont have a cooking thermometer then just dont let it boil too much). Strain the mixture, add the bourbon, rum and vanilla and cool it completely in the fridge!

Serve it chill with some whipped cream!

Day 7: Bacon and Parmigiano Warm Cookies

Ready for some savory? Today we have something really special and easy to make!

Bacon and Parmigiano Warm Cookies

♥ 113 g butter at room temperature (you can use lighter versions or of course margarine)
♥ 100 g Parmigiano-Reggiano shredded
♥ 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
♥ 160 g all purpose flour
♥ 2 eggs
♥ 1 teaspoon of rosemary, chopped
♥ 10 slices of cooked bacon, chopped
♥ 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
♥ 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
♥ 1/2 teaspoon of salt

INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat your over 190 Celsius degrees and place baking paper on your baking sheet. Take a small bowl and combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt and set aside. In another bowl cream together the butter, the parmigiano, brown sugar and the chopped rosemary. Add the eggs and combine until creamy. Add the dry ingredients to this and combine. Add the bacon to it too and fold together everything. Using a tablespoon or a ice-cream scoop drop the cookies on your parchment paper. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until they are golden-brown. 

Let them cool completely before serving. Enjoy them!

Day 6: Delicious Gingerbread-Pear Muffins

Try these amazing muffins and all your friends and family will adore you, and probably Santa will get so happy he will drop a few extra presents in your socks *blink blink*

Delicious Gingerbread-Pear Muffins

♥ 224 g all-purpose flour

♥ 2 ripped pears, peeled and grated

♥ 67 g white sugar

♥ 2 teaspoons of baking powder

♥ 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda

♥ 1/4 teaspoon of salt

♥ 1 teaspoon of ground ginger

♥ 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

♥ 78 ml milk

♥ 50 ml olive oil

♥ 50 ml molasses

♥ 1/2 teaspoons of orange zest

♥ 1 egg

INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat your oven at 180 Celsius degrees and line a 12 muffin tins and set aside. In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda and salt and set aside. In another bowl, big enough, blend together oil, sugar, molasses, egg and the pear together with the orange zest and milk, until you get a creamy texture. To this mix, add the dry ingredients and mix until well incorporated. Now fill your muffin tins using a spoon or an ice-cream scoop and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the toothpick test.

You will love the smell of these and how your house will be scented for Christmas! They're really delicious and tasty, and most importantly, really moist! You can add crushed nuts or chocolate chips inside if you wish, but I usually serve them just like this and warm.

Day 5: Potato Salad with Dill and Curry, a must on your Christmas table

This is a rather easy recipe that might save you some time for when you don't have any idea of a side dish. However there are many versions and possibilities with this one so...make sure to be creative when you have more time in your hands and want to make this dish even better!

Winter Potato Salad with Dill and Curry

♥ 3 large potatoes

♥ 3 tablespoons of Gourmet Kania Curry Sauce from Lidl (or some like this)

♥ 2 pickle gherkins

♥ 1 pickle red pepper or substitute by red onion, either one either the other

♥ smoked wild salmon

♥ pepper and salt to season 

♥ fresh dill

INSTRUCTIONS: Cut the potatoes in cubes, as big as you want, rinse them with water throughly and boil them as usual until tender enough. In a bowl place the boiled potato cubes and add the other ingredients all cut in little cubes as well. Mix them good. You can add more curry sauce/mayo if you want to. I substituted it with the curry sauce because it's a little less fat than the mayo, however you can find a light mayo and use it instead of the curry, will be same good. Add the fresh dill chopped in the salad and also to present.

Serve right after and can also be saved in the fridge.

You can use parsley instead of dill, and new potatoes if you don't have any large potatoes.

Give it a try!

Day 4: Eastern delicacy, Sauerkraut Leaves Rolls

These are well known in Eastern Europe, Russia and Finland. In Eastern Europe they are usually prepared during Christmas time following traditional recipes and using Sauerkraut cabbage (fermented cabbage). As far as I know, in Finland, they prepare the cabbage rolls with regular cabbage and that might be the only difference in the recipe. However the taste it's different because of the Sauerkraut cabbage leaves. So if you happen to have some Sauerkraut cabbage leaves, give this dish a try, it's truly satisfying and different...

Sauerkraut Leaves Rolls

♥ 500 g ground beef, lean

♥ 500 g ground pork, lean

♥ 2 bay leaves

♥ 2 carrots, grated

♥ 2 small heads of cabbage or leaves of Sauerkraut

♥ 1 bunch of parsley, chopped

♥ 1 large onion

♥ 1 can of tomato sauce

♥ 100 g white rice

♥ 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper

♥ 2 teaspoons of salt (or less if you prefer)

♥ 2 tablespoons of olive oil

♥ 354 ml chicken stock

♥ 240 ml creme fraiche

INSTRUCTIONS: If you use the normal cabbage (not Sauerkraut) then you are supposed to freeze the cabbage 3 days before using it. Start cooking the rice, al dente, drain it and set aside. Take a frying pan and heat it, with a little olive oil cook the onion until tender at low heat. When done, take a large bowl and mix all the meat, chopped parsley, onion, grated carrots, cooked rice top with salt and pepper. In another bowl, mix together the chicken stock, tomato sauce, and creme fraiche and set aside. If you use normal cabbage then just cut the hard part and separate cabbage leaves. 

Preheat your oven at 180 Celsius degrees. Take a cabbage leaf and put 2 tablespoons of the meaty filling at the bottom of the wide part of the leaf and just roll it as a...tortilla while getting the sides in. Pour 240 ml of the sauce you did on the bottom of the casserole you will use to bake the rolls (I recommend a glass one) and place your cabbage rolls there. Spread the bay leaves between the rolls (do not rip them, leave them entire). When you're done tucking all the rolls in your casserole, just pour the remaining sauce over them. Cover with an aluminium foil and bake them for 1 hour. Take the foil off and bake for another 30 minutes.

You're done and ready to enjoy this! The way I like it is with some extra creme fraiche. There are other possibilities too! Be creative! 

Enjoy them!

Day 3: Sweet breakfast time!

And today we go back to the basics! You will surely love this breakfast trick! 

Bananas in a Blanket, wintertime healthy breakfast

♥ 2 bananas, peeled, do not cut
♥ 2 big pancakes (if you need a recipe for these, let me know)
♥ 4-5 tablespoons of your favorite almond butter or peanut butter, low fat
♥ sprinkle of cinnamon

INSTRUCTIONS: You take your pancakes, spread 2 tablespoons of almond butter or peanut butter per pancake, and place the banana on the side, you roll the banana in the pancake and you're done! Sprinkle some cinnamon on top if you prefer. After you've made a roll out of your pancake, just cut them in slices that will be perfect to bite on while having your coffee!

This protein packed sweet breakfast will give you the energy to start your day off! Enjoy it this season!

Let me know how you liked them!

Day 2: A healthy and creamy sweet potato soup

Day 2 in our Cooking Advent Calendar. Today we are preparing something light and warm, perfect for winter days. I have had this since I was a kid and never getting tired of it and it's perfect in autumn already...when weather gets a little cooler.

Sweet Potato Cream Soup

♥ 400 g cubed and peeled sweet potato

♥ 135 g slices leek, thinly

♥ 300 ml chicken stock or chicken broth, as you prefer (see the difference here)

♥ 157 ml skimmed milk 

♥ 1 and 1/5 teaspoon of Dijon mustard

♥ 1/2 teaspoon of salt

♥ a pinch of black ground pepper

♥ a pinch of nutmeg

♥ few thin slices of fresh leek to decorate and intensify flavor / or fresh parsley

INSTRUCTIONS: In a saucepan combine the sweet potato, the leek and the chicken stock/broth and stir well until all the favors combine. You can either cook them until a little tender on the stove or, you can microwave this mix for 10 minutes at high. After your mix is tender, blender it, you can do it directly in the saucepan if you chose to tender them on the stove. Blend them until smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients listed, except for the fresh leek/parsley we will add at the end to decorate in the dish. Place in dish and add some slices of leek or parsley and serve warm so the flavors are more enhanced!

Enjoy!

*Some people like to add a little bit more cream at the end or some Philadelphia cheese, others like to add rosemary instead of parsley or leek. It's all about the preferences!

Day 1: It's December! - Make your own Mulled Wine! (Glühwein, Glögi, Glögg...)

Hello there! It's finally 1st of December and I am here with a little surprise! A healthy recipe a day until 20th December! I hope you will like the series, it's my own Advent Calendar, so you're welcome to check the blog everyday for delicious recipes and ways to cheer up your cold December! Enjoy!

Today I am starting with an easy recipe of this typical wintertime drink we all love to enjoy starting December! They are available at supermarkets and unless you'd get an organic one, most likely the ones in the market are full of sugars and Es. Why not to make it yourself? You know what you got inside, it's natural and much healthier than the purchased ones...and most importantly, easy to make!

A warm cup of Mulled Wine (a.k.a. Glühwein, Glögi or Glögg)

♥ 750 ml of red wine (dry type - select a good one from your local store, I recommend Marqués de Riscal *wink wink*)

♥ 236 ml of water

♥ 32 g sugar (you can substitute with another sweetener though I suggest to use sugar)

♥ 3 cloves (do not ground them)

♥ a tip of a teaspoon of nutmeg (1/4 of a teaspoon)

♥ a pinch of ground cardamom (1/8 of a teaspoon)

♥ a pinch of allspice

♥ 2 strips of orange peel (preferably organic and/or washed rigorously) - remove pith because is bitter 

♥ 2 strips of lemon peel (preferably organic and/or washed rigorously)

INSTRUCTIONS: Firstly, you can add or take out as much as you like of the ingredients, according to your personal taste, for instance if you prefer more cardamom flavor or allspice...feel free to add a little more but always taste it.

Take a saucepan and turn the heat to medium, add the wine and the rest of the ingredients, combine well and while enjoying the amazing aroma and scent in your house, let it simmer warmly for around 15-20 minutes, never boil it. 

Only 100 kcal per serving. Enjoy! You can serve it with peel and a stick of cinnamon for taste and decoration ♥