Here we are in mid-December, and if you’re like me, you’ve still got quite a list of folks to gift! One of my favorite ways to show appreciation for the many people in my life who I’m grateful for–including my mechanic, mail carrier, staff in my kids’ doctors offices, the admin folks at their schools, George’s therapists, June’s dance teacher–is to make them something delicious from my kitchen. I have a big list and a limited budget, so I always look for something that serves a big bang for a small buck! This year, I’ve been working on my spiced nut recipes and am really excited to share it with you! Most recipes for spiced nuts have tons of butter and refined sugar, but these are super tasty with just a bit of honey.

Because I believe that cooking is a great way to create connection and communication with my kids, I like to get them involved in the process of making the gifts we’re going to share. Last year, my son George, who is 8 and has autism, had a blast making these nuts and we’re planning to get started again this week.

By the way, on Friday, December 9th, I’ll be doing a free, live webinar on gluten-free, casein-free cooking for Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa. It’ll be just 30 minutes or so starting at 11:30am EST. Please join me!

I’ll show you the recipe with some pictures of our process below:

Spiced Nuts

Ingredients:

• 3 cups nuts of your choice (try walnuts, almonds, pecans, etc.)
• 1 egg white
• 1/3 cup honey
• 2 t. cinnamon
• 1 t. cardamom
• 1/2 t. sea salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Help your child unroll some foil over a baking sheet.

3. Look at the nut selections and measure out three cups of your favorite nuts.

4. Your child can dump them out onto the baking sheet.

5. Show your child how to spread the nuts evenly over the baking sheet.

6. Mix the egg white and honey in a small bowl. Help your child measure the spices and salt and add to the egg-honey mixture.

7. Slowly pour over the nuts.

8. Bake for 15-20 minutes until nuts are crisp but not burned!

When the nuts cool down, your kids can help put them into small jars and wrap with pretty ribbons. Be sure to save some for your family to enjoy. Beware: These nuts are addictive!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup coconut oil
• 6 tbsp unsweetened apple sauce
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 – 1 ¼ cup agave
• 2 cup gluten-free flour mix
• ¼ c flax meal
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 ½ tsp xanthan gum
• 1 cup chopped nuts and/or dried fruits

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, mix together the oil, apple sauce, salt, vanilla, and evaporated cane juice. In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, flax meal, baking soda, and xanthan gum. Using a rubber spatula, carefully add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until a grainy dough is formed. Gently fold in the chocolate chips just until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.

3. Scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, in 1-inch-diameter portions, spacing them 1 inch apart. Gently press each with the heel of your hand to help them spread.

4. Bake the cookies on the center rack for 15 minutes, rotating the sheets 180 degrees after 9 minutes. The finished cookies will be crisp on the edges and soft in the center.

5. Let the cookies stand on the sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack and cool completely before covering.

Corn Fritters

From “A Primitive Diet” by Beverly Southam

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup brown rice flour
• 1 tablespoon potato flour
• 1 tablespoon arrowroot or corn flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup filtered water
• 2 cobs of fresh sweet corn
• 2 shallots and green tops sliced
• 2 tablespoons fresh coriander or parsley chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Grind of fresh pepper (optional)
• 2 tablespoons oil

1. First take a sharp knife and trim the corn from the cob and put aside.
2. Sift together the flours and baking powder three times to distribute the baking powder evenly.
3. Place egg, water, salt and pepper into a bowl and whisk lightly.
4. Sift in dry ingredients and stir to form a thick batter.
5. Add corn, shallots and coriander and gently combine.
6. Heat pan on medium heat with the oil and place in generous tablespoons of mixture.
7. Cook on one side til lightly brown then with a spatula turn to cook the other side.
8. Serve hot with a sauce, such as tomato sauce, on a bed of greens or serve with salsa.

Butter Pecan Cookies

By Christina Gentile,
NFCA Intern

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup chopped sugar-roasted pecans
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/3 cup sugar, plus more for coating
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups GF flour (3/4 cup Bob’s Red Mill + 1/2 cup Whole Grain Sorghum)
• 1 Tbsp Xanthan Gum

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. With an electric mixer, cream butter for a minute.
3. Add 1/3-cup sugar and cream for one minute.
4. Beat in vanilla, salt, GF flours, and xanathan gum, scraping the sides of bowl, just until dough comes together. Fold in pecans.
5. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.
6. Beat the egg whites; add water and vanilla. Mix well.
7. Separate dough into 12 pieces; squeeze dough to shape into balls.
8. Roll dough balls in sugar. Place 3 inches apart on a baking sheet.
9. Gently flatten with the bottom of a glass (reshape sides if necessary). Sprinkle with sugar.
10. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with more sugar. Cool cookies on a wire rack.

Cantaloupe Soup

From “A Primitive Diet” by Beverly Southam

Ingredients

• 3 cups fresh pineapple or apple juice
• 1 cup fresh coconut milk or canned coconut cream or organic rice milk
• 2 cups cantaloupe balls
• Chopped mint
• Crushed almonds, pecans, or both

1. Blend together the juice and coconut or rice milk.
2. Add the cantaloupe balls and serve garnished with mint and nuts.

Berry Flan

From “A Primitive Diet” by Beverly Southam

Ingredients

Crust:

• 2 cups hazelnuts ground finely
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

1. Blend hazelnuts, honey and lemon juice and press into flan tin and refrigerate

Filling:

• 8 oz strawberries
• 8 oz raspberries
• A sprinkle of cinnamon or fresh ground allspice to taste.
• Sprig of mint

1. Reserve a few berries for decoration, then puree the remainder of the berries in the blender or food processor.
2. Add spice to taste
3. Spoon into flan, decorate with reserved berries and mint sprig, and refrigerate til required.

Caponata

From “A Primitive Diet” by Beverly Southam

Ingredients

• 1 large eggplant cut into thin slices
• 4 large ripe tomatoes chopped
• 1 red pepper chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 onion sliced
• 2 sticks celery sliced
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tablespoons capers rinsed under water to remove white vinegar
• 1/2 cup pitted green olives
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• Dash of salt
• Grind of pepper
• Lettuce leaves and fresh sprouts for serving

1. Lightly sprinkle both sides of eggplant with salt and leave to sit for about 30 minutes.
2. Shake together the olive oil, lemon juice, crushed garlic, salt and pepper and set aside for flavors to develop.
3. Rinse salt from eggplant and let the slices dry.
4. Fry quickly in a little olive oil in a frying pan til both sides are golden brown, the remove and cut into large cubes.
5. Place in a bowl and lightly mix the dressing through and leave to marinate for at least an hour.
6. Gently toss with all remaining ingredients except lettuce and sprouts.
7. Serve in salad bowls on a bed of lettuce and the mixed sprouts.

Banana Bread

By Rachel Kay

Ingredients

• 2 cups Pre-Leavened Flour (I used Pamela’s Ultimate Baking and Pancake mix, but you can use anything that you feel comfortable with)
• 2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
• 2/3 cup Brown Sugar
• 1/2 cup Milk (cow, goat, soy, rice, etc)
• 2 Eggs or Egg Replacement
• 3 tbsp Oil
• 2 Medium Bananas, mashed
• optional: 1/2 cup chopped nuts or chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray a 5″ by 10″ bread pan with non-stick cooking spray, or approximately 15 muffin tins. Line the bread pan with parchment paper (NOT wax paper), allowing it to overhang the edges of the pan.
2. Mix flour and cinnamon together in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the brown sugar and create a well in the center of the flour. Place the liquid ingredients (NOT including the mashed banana) into the middle of the well and stir until well combined.
3. Add the mashed bananas to the mixture and incorporate completely.
4. If you are choosing to add chopped nuts or chocolate chips (or whatever strikes your fancy) mix them in now.
5. Spoon the batter into the prepared bread pan or muffin tins and smooth the surface.
6. Bake in a preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out cleanly.
7. Remove the loaf or muffins from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

By Edgar Steele,
NFCA Chef Spokesperson

Ingredients

• 2 pounds butternut squash
• 8 oz. onion, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 ounce butter
• water, as needed
• salt to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place the squash on a sheet pan, put it in the oven and roast until it is soft. Remove the squash from the oven and place it on a rack to cool.
2. Melt the butter in a large pot, and add the onion and the bay leaf. Cook the onion over a low flame until it is soft and translucent, about 30 minutes.
3. Once slightly cooled, peel the squash. Cut the squash with the seeds into large chunks and put into the pot with the cooking onions.
4. Cover the squash with water and allow it to simmer for 20 minutes. Season the mixture with salt, and then blend it on the highest possible speed your blender has until it is smooth and free of any lumps or sediment. Note: A high power blender will liquefy all seed pieces, while a soup blended with a lower power one may require straining before ready to eat)
5. After blending, return the soup

Garnishing Ideas:

• Yogurt (optionally flavored with some spice)
• Toasted pumpkin seeds
• Small pieces of herbs such as parsley, cilantro or basil
• Nuts
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil