3 Mins Read
It’s nearing Christmas and the impulse to run to the malls and stuff our homes with bags of stuff for ourselves and others is getting harder and harder to control. Green Queen understands and has been known to indulge her credit card limits herself…But if you have a free Sunday afternoon, here are some fabulous ideas to create personalized, delicious, usable, luxury Christmas presents for your nearest and dearest. These are guaranteed to knock their socks off! All you need to start with is a clean, empty glass jar. Fill it with the lovely ideas below and stick on a homemade label, a recycled ribbon or string and you are done! Glass jars remind us of homemade jams and rich preserves and specialty ingredients. Plus they are environmentally friendly- no adding to the plastic mounds in the landfill! To top it off, the recipes below are packed with nutrition powerhouses so you will be helping those around you make healthier food choices!
Homemade Muesli/Granola (Use a large-sized glass jar)
- What to put into it: In a large bowl and using your hands mix organic oats, brown rice puffs, puffed/dehydrated quinoa, puffed/dehydrated amarinth, dried goji berries, dried fruits, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds—go nuts (!) and create your own recipe of morning goodness! Use unsalted, raw, organic and/or dehydrated wherever possible.
- Cereals are an easy, nutritious way to start the day. People tend to spend crazy amounts of money on fancy cereals at luxury supermarkets. Sadly, most of them are packed with sugar. This is the natural, pure, unrefined/unprocessed version.
Homemade Trail Mix (Use a medium-sized glass jar)
- What to put into it: nuts such as almonds, cashews, brazil nuts, jungle peanuts, macademia nuts, walnuts, pecans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds raw dried fruits, dried goji berries, dried mulberries, raw cacao nibs. Use unsalted, raw, organic and/or dehydrated wherever possible.
- Easy to bring to work, carry during traveling and use before/after sporting/workout sessions
Homemade Superfood Smoothie Mix (Use a medium-sized glass jar)
- Using a wooden or plastic spoon (but never metal) mix high-quality raw, organic superfood powders such as maca, cacao, acai berry, goji berries, cacao nibs, mesquite, lucuma, ground flax meal, any supergreens mix (including wheatgrass, spirulina, chlorella, etc) and with vegan protein.
- This is another great morning starter. So easy to throw in a blender with some fresh fruit and some water and packed with antioxidants!
Homemade Flavoured Salt (Use an extra small-sized jar)
- Mix high-grade salt such as Himalayan Pink Sea Salt or Celtic Sea Salt or Sel de Guerande with different flavours such as ginger, red chilli, cayenne pepper, black pepper, saffron, vanilla, dried herbs–anything dried/powdered works. Make sure to whiz the mixture in a food processor/high speed blender to ensure it is properly mixed through.
- Such a useful additions to salads, soups, olive oil dip and anything else that requires that extra zing of flavour.
Homemade Berry Jam (Use a small sized jar)
- Get some fresh or frozen berries (a medley works well; alternatively, just use 1 kind) and cook on a medium stove with as much coconut sugar as you like (to taste) until it gels into a jam.
- There is simply nothing like homemade jam. It brings to mind big wooden kitchen tables, checkered tablecloths and Grandma with her apron.
Happy Green Holiday Season Everyone 🙂
Photo credit: feeb via photopin cc
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