Food Gift Recipes
Maple Tamari Roasted Almonds and Cashews
These tasty little bites are a sweet-and-savory spin on my classic recipe for Tamari Almonds. People often use tamari as a gluten-free option to soy sauce, but after reading the label of the bottle of tamari I had in my cupboard–and seeing wheat as an ingredient–I did a little more investigating. By way of The Kitchn, I found…
Honey Lollipops — a Natural Sore Throat Remedy
A 2-ingredient, natural sore throat remedy that’s easy to make and helpful to have on hand. Fun to give away too! In the past few months, I have read several times about the antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-fungal properties of honey and cinnamon. I am certainly not a doctor, but when I saw the idea from my…
Pancakes in a Jar
The following recipe may be used as a gift but also as your go-to biscuit mix. Economical to make, it tastes fresher than store-bought, too. When presenting as a gift, a small container of maple syrup makes a fitting accompaniment. Who doesn’t love to start a weekend morning with a tall stack of pancakes? In…
Pumpkin Bran Muffins (with optional 2-ingredient frosting)
The classic bran muffin meets a whole can of pumpkin in this wholesome recipe that the whole family will love! Bran muffins are a seemingly wholesome way to start the day, yet so many bran muffins rely on sugar and oil to create moisture and flavor… Enter pumpkin! These satisfying muffins offer the health benefits…
Homemade Vanilla Extract
Vanilla extract is easy to make at home with just two ingredients. The following how-to offers helpful details on which beans and liquor to use and how to store for practical use and gifting. Every year, I tell myself that I’m going to do my Christmas shopping early—and wrap the gifts too. In September,…
No-Sugar Homemade Jam (choose your favorite flavor－even use frozen fruit－in this easy, small batch recipe)
This flexible, small batch recipe doesn’t use pectin as a thickener, so there’s no need for a copious amount of granulated sugar as is used in traditional jams. Instead it relies on heart healthy chia seeds and a small amount of maple syrup or honey. Healthy jam that tastes great…really? The perks of…
Old-Fashioned Horseradish Pickles
Make crisp, tangy pickles just like your grandmother used to make them with these step-by-step instructions for naturally fermented pickles. It’s a truly simple process and you can taste and adjust as you go. What is the difference between pickling and fermentation? Pickling involves soaking food in an acidic liquid – usually vinegar-based –…
Blueberry Peach Pound Cake
A handful of basic pantry ingredients and fruit are all you need to whip up this fabulous pound cake. Plus, the flavors improve as the cake sits, so the recipe is ideal when looking for day-ahead preparation. On a recent trip to a local farm stand, a longtime employee mentioned that whenever she sees me,…
Rhubarb Pineapple Jam
Over the last couple weeks, I’ve noticed rhubarb reappearing at our local farmers markets. I have held out buying any as the two rhubarb plants in our backyard garden have been growing quickly. I marvel at how briskly rhubarb grows ever spring, from those first early leaves that poke out of the ground when it…
Peanut Butter Energy Bars
These nutty, chocolatey, whole-grain bars are a tasty mix of chewy and crunchy and have been declared a winner by literal teams of kids and adults. Six years ago, my friend Carrie Johnson asked me to meet her for coffee to discuss a program she had been researching. Carrie was seeking input and, as a runner…
Homemade Almond Milk
I bought cartons of almond milk for years, and I still do on occasion. My sister always made her own almond milk and told me that it was soooo worth the small effort. When I finally tried, I couldn’t believe how creamy and delicious it was. With a few simple tips, almond milk is also…
Dark Chocolate Blondies (grain-free, no refined sugar)
Typically, I don’t mention the specific brand I use in a recipe unless it is integral to the recipe’s success or I just really love the product for one reason or another. I first became familiar with Bob’s Red Mill many years ago when my dad discovered he had to eliminate gluten. He never complained about all the…
