In light of all the bad news, tragedy, stress and strife lately, I figured we all (myself included) need a dose of holiday happiness and nothing in the world does that better than awesome Christmas cookies (or holiday cookies if you prefer) that are just as good when they’re gluten free. This is a Czech recipe – thanks to my dad’s side of the family – that has a very simple flavor and a melt in your mouth texture. I’ve never been able to eat just one – I just keep nibbling every time I pass by.
It can be festivus and christmas at the same time, right?
Czech Butter Cookies:
Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 cup organic butter
- 5 tablespoons sugar
- 2 egg yolks (organic)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 2/3 cups flour – all purpose if you’re not gluten free, and Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose Baking Mix if you are.
Method:
Preheat oven to 375*. Cream together butter, sugar, egg yolks and vanilla. Add in the flour and mix thoroughly. Shape into balls and press to flatten or force through a cookie press onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes if using regular flour and a few minutes longer if using gluten free. The cookies will be slightly golden around the edges but not brown at all. They’re like a light, fluffy, buttery shortbread. Yummm.
If you want some variety you can always press nut pieces, candied fruit, or whatever you like on to the top of the cookies for a little variety, but try them plain first – the melt-in-your-mouth part is the best.
*Note: When I use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Mix I make sure the cookies are totally done. I’d rather they were overdone than underdone. This flour mix is made from a variety of ingredients but it’s pretty heavy on the bean flours – which is great because it’s high protein and high fiber, but if the cookies aren’t cooked all the way through then there’s a subtle bean flavor that I don’t like. The great news is that it disappears completely as long as you cook the cookies through so just take one out when they look right and let it cool and taste-test before you take the rest of them out of the oven.
Eggnog for breakfast:
So – eggnog is possibly the best thing in the universe and I’m going to give you two recipes. One is for straight-up holiday greatness eggnog with alcohol. The other is for a morning smoothie that is pretty darn close to the real thing (but might go over better at work if you don’t put rum in it).
Traditional Eggnog:
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup organic milk
- 1/4 cup organic cream
- 1 organic egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 jigger spiced rum (or brandy, irish cream or kahlua if you prefer)
Method:
Add everything to your blender and blend until it’s smooth, creamy and delicious. Drink liberally over the holidays. Also if you like a little more flavor to it you can add nutmeg, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spices or Chinese five spice to the mix.
Healthy Breakfast Eggnog Smoothie:
Ingredients:
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
- 1 scoop benefiber or citriclear unflavored fiber powder that mixes clear
- 1 1/2 cup organic milk
- 1/4 cup organic cream
- 1 tablespoon flax oil
- 2 organic eggs
- 1/2 frozen banana
- 1 teaspoon rum flavor (or just use the rum if it’s going to be that kind of a day)
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup if needed (usually the protein powder and banana make it sweet enough)
- Nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, pumpkin pie spice or Chinese five spice if you like a little bit of warm, spicy flavor in your nog. I like a mix of cinnamon and nutmeg for mine…
Method:
Just dump it all in the blender and let it go! There’s not so much liquid so it will be pretty thick and creamy once it’s done. This smoothie is so rich and creamy and delicious you’ll swear it’s more like custard than anything else. It’s ridiculously delicious and great for you!
Happy Holidays Everyone and Here’s to a Happy, Healthy, Prosperous 2012.
With love from Dr. Amy.
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