Breakfast/Brunch, Dairy-Free, Dessert, Lightened Up, Low Sugar, Snack, Vegetarian

Christmas Stollen on Christmas Morning

Merry Christmas! I promise you that if you make bread, Christmas Stollen is an easy bread to tackle. I’m a little too organized, so I simplified the steps and the ingredient groups. You just need to prep accordingly to let the nuts and fruit soak and allow the bread to rise. Stollen is a traditional German bread made with dried fruits, candied citrus, nuts, and spices dating back to the late 1300s or early 1400s from Dresden, Germany. Our neighbors use an old recipe and gift us Stollen each Christmas that we swap for our homemade cut-out cookies and Spritz. We munch on Stollen on Christmas morning as we open presents and enjoy each other’s company. I kept this version simple using the dried fruit and sliced almonds that I had, but I’d highly recommend buying or making your own candied citrus. By using yeast instead of making a quick bread, this Christmas bread becomes dense and chewy.

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Dessert, Vegetarian

Christmas Cut-Out Sugar Cookies for the Holidays

Sugar Cookies

Ok, so these aren’t healthy per se, but they are tradition. Every year, my mom and I would bake sugar cookies, spritz, dandies (a pecan shortbread dipped in powdered sugar) and a chocolate addition of sorts that varied year to year. The spritz and sugar cookies were always a constant. Such a constant that my cousin, Elizabeth, would eagerly await her Christmas plate every year and already be munching a cookie before the plate was fully in her hands. (Can you blame her?) I thought I’d share a holiday favorite — our Sugar Cookies and hope that your holidays are also filled with merriment, good fortune and cheer!

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Dairy-Free, Drinks, Gluten-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Spicing Up Classic Cocktails

Rosemary Grapefruit Gin & Tonic

The holidays are upon us. This time of year calls for office parties, friends gathering and holiday happy hours. To match the festive occasion, try dressing up your classic G&T this season. Citrus is at its peak and rosemary has that hearty evergreen essence. (The fresh rosemary used came from Perin’s herb garden still thriving somehow outside our window.) Add the two together for a Rosemary Grapefruit Gin & Tonic. I made these on a whim for roommates on Friday and we all gave these a sure nod of approval. Cheers!

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