Cocoa balls are a fun way to ring in the holidays. ✨They’re festive and healthy! And these shiny ones are made from dark cocoa and natural peanut butter. No baking needed.
Working in event planning for a decade, I learned to be creative with food to decorate a plate for events like this…
The ingredients are simply rolled up and then dipped in melted dark chocolate… and then zhughed with some fun nonpareils. The recipe is below. ❣️
…I love how a little uniform tiny confectionary dots can add a smile that reminds me of childhood innocence. I’m easily amused. 😊
Old-fashioned nonpareils bring a nice, FUN texture candy crunch or sprinkle to a party table. I’m sure Girl Meets Farm Molly Yeh would agree with me. 🥳
And their perfectly round shape balance an imperfect confectionary creation for us imperfect humans.
We can put our own stamps on these cocoa balls.
These ones could have been cocoa powder dusted (like a chocolate truffle) with a dry look.
But I think the step of giving a tempered chocolate coating-look bring some added happy temperaments. 😋
Getting a best melted chocolate coating without making a ganache is seconds-easy, and healthy with plant-based ingredients like dark chocolate that’s also anti-inflammatory healthy.
Then you can roll these cocoa balls into their fun paper candy holders that are ready to be shared or popped in your mouth.
…I guess you could say these please the girl scrapbooker in me that likes anything paper and dainty you could use for parties! 🎊 A piñata and a few balloons never hurt either! 🎈
Then with any extra melted chocolate you have leftover, while still wet and room temperature, you can mix in peanuts, raisins, other nuts, or dried fruits to make a healthy snack or plate decoration.
And this type of festive Fiesta plate can be one of your dessert table centerpieces that you can make in advance and set out.
For parties, it’s always good to make more than you think you will need, so you can plate up quickly if needed.
And actually, I could’ve turned this plate into a decorative wreath piping in green leaves and red accents or adding mint leaves and glace maraschino cherries like on this Christmas bundt cake if I wanted to get all decked out. 🍒
Another simple and festive no-bake recipe you can add to your festive table is mint chocolate biscuits.
Lemon cookies are one tasty way to brighten up your holiday and Christmas cookie baking fun. 🎄
At first, it may sound strange to bake in lemon during the holidays.
…Because when we think of Christmas cookies, we traditionally think of chocolate, pistachio, or spices for Christmas-y vibes… and not summery lemon-y ones.
…But actually lemon is a winter fruit as most citrus fruits are.
Tip: you can buy lemons in the grocery stores in the winter months and freeze them for year-round use. You can save money this way as lemons are abundant in winter and when their price falls.
And these two healthy-inspired lemon cookies warm up the holiday baking season and festivities…
How to make these lemon strawberry and lemon rosemary cookies are step-by-step below… ⬇️
…So now that we’ve established lemons 🍋 are great, tasty year-round ingredients, they’re also super healthy.
Lemons are loaded with Vitamin C and full of limonene that’s an antioxidant.
And not only body healthy, the sunny lemon yellow is going to put anyone in a good happy mood… while brightening up tastes.
…Just ask those in the Mediterranean regions where cooking lemon into the daily diet for longevity reasons is a happy way of life.
Healthy Lemon Cookies
And so… in search of making one happy, anti-inflammatory lemon cookie, I was inspired by using healthy oils (no butter) and more healthy, natural sugar sources that have vitamins.
…But that was waayyy before I started baking all of my own sweets including cookies (my favorite!) for consumption…
Actually, I used to play a game with myself in the cookie grocery store aisle where I would find the healthiest cookie in a package with the smallest amount of sugar for the tastiest effect.
That was how I defined high cookie value.
Those were the day before I discovered how easy it is to bake your own cookies (that’s faster than if you go to the store and back).
And if you’re trying to lower your sugar intake (that’s a good idea! 💡) but love cookies, tart lemon is a great ingredient dimension add to cookies so the focus isn’t on sugar.
…The sour taste buds are doing a front row Radio City Rockettes happy dance with the secondary sweet buds behind. 👯
Like in this celebrational plate of healthy cookies with a strawberry lemon drizzle dessert surprise (made of Greek yogurt and buffalo mozzarella) in the middle.
Clockwise from left to right: lemon strawberry cookie, lemon almond thyme cookie, spiced cookie
Baking in healthy ingredients is anti-inflammatory for skin and gut heath.
And making a cookie without butter or white sugar of any kind — that’s also deliciously tasty, holds together, and is crunchy (wow, that’s a mouthful!) — similar to store-bought cookies, is a dream come true! 💕 ..
And these lemon cookies with strawberries 🍓 fit the bill. They’re zesty and sweet in every way…
…Maybe that’s where zest-for-life came from?
And you can make lemon cookies like these with mostly healthy ground almond flour where you can save money by chopping your own whole almonds with a machine.
Recipe below.👇
…Or you can make a thyme-rosemary lemon cookie that’s Mediterranean-diet-lemon-and-olive oil healthy.
Since you’re using oil instead of butter for this cookie, you don’t need to refrigerate or cool the dough before rolling out as an added bonus.
For the flour for those lemon cookies, use gluten-free flour like coconut or almond flour (again).
And for the sweetness, use a tablespoon of honey or maple syrup.
Those sweet ingredients also act as binders along with the olive oil. Honey is great for moisturizing in dry, winter months and maple syrup for cooling down in hot months. But either are great year-round!
You can measure the healthy EVOO, but it’s much more fun if you look at cookie making as a new adventure like the wonder you had as a kid. 💭
…In your wonder, you can take a cup of flour and make a mound. Then, make a small well in the middle (like you would if you were making pasta) and add a tablespoon of olive oil in the well and start combining… and see what happens.
You’ll probably see that you need more oil to hold the flour together.
Try another tablespoon of EVOO. Then add a tablespoon of honey (or maple syrup).
Then add lemon zest from one lemon, and you can also add your herbs like rosemary and thyme.
Keep combining and adding a little bit more of the ingredient amount you need, like more olive oil…
Cookies are super forgiving. 😋
When the cookie dough can hold together with crumbly bits falling off, that’s when you know you will have a good cookie crunch when fully baked.
Place a piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper on top of your dough, and roll out the dough (or flatten dough with the palm of your hand for imperfect cookies).
Then you can form your cookies into the shape you like by hand or cookie cutters.
Bake on 325°F on the higher baking shelf for about 12 minutes. I like to flip the cookies (from bottom to top) about 5 minutes before they’re done so they are baked more even as the bottoms get brown faster.
Lemon cookies also tend to burn quicker than darker color cookies like gingerbread cookies, another favorite for this ‘lil Miss Cookie Monster! 😋
Use a chopping processor machine to chop almonds to a fine almond flour or use store-bought almond flour. Combine with all ingredients except bench flour to make the cookie dough.
Add bench flour to your working surface and roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out shapes and add to a baking cookie sheet with a non-stick surface (Silpat or use baking spray).
Bake on 325°F for about 12 minutes or until sides are golden brown.
Holiday time reminds me of comforting pumpkin that matches the fiery orange leaves of the season.
A couple pumpkin holiday easy desserts you can make are below…
These days, our culture is rediscovering pumpkin pie from the lens of healthy foods. And maybe you have an extra can of pumpkin in your pantry ready to be used?
Pumpkin pie is one of the healthiest desserts on the planet with antioxidants (Vitamins A and C) minus the buttery pie shell that you can easily turn into a pretty trifle.
Trifles are easy desserts to make with as little as 3 ingredients in one bowl.
Like this trifle parfait, where all you need is a can of pumpkin, Greek yogurt, and ricotta for starters!
…A parfait is btw my favorite sweet for year-round brunch (all day) because it has probiotics and protein.
And well, it’s kinda exciting! Like jumping into the pool… except your spoon is coming out full of tasty filling goodness onto your plate. 🍽️
Assembling a parfait trifle like this requires no baking skills.
But if you want to add a baked egg-filled sponge cake, that’ll make it super delicious and even more worth sharing.
Like a family style and sized one to share.
I worked in event planning in Mediterranean cuisine (Spanish, Italian, and Lebanese) restaurants where family-style sharing plates were always part of the dining experience, so that’s always on my mind. 💭
It even makes a pumpkin smile.
To make the trifle: bake your sponge cake (or you can use light tea cookies of your choice).
You can dip in coffee (like you would for tiramisu lady fingers) if you like, and leave overnight in the fridge so the flavors soak in.
This gives a nice brunch vibe.
Then when assembling, layer the canned pumpkin that you can douse with cinnamon and allspice for fall tasting vibes.
Add a layer of ricotta or mascarpone cheese (that’s more healthy than most cream cheeses).
Then add another layer of the canned pumpkin.
Add more sponge cake and melted chocolate for some dramatic color and taste.
Then top off with Greek yogurt… and make a fun swirly design with a knife. Dust with cocoa if you like!
And that’s it!… then you’re ready to share!
And if a trifle doesn’t excite you…
Another great dessert is a ricotta scone you can put together in one bowl with as little as 3 ingredients.
Add ricotta, a small amount of flour (about 2 parts ricotta to 1 part flour) and 1 egg for healthy. You can always add more flour for a more traditional scone.
Add any fruits, zest, and/or spices you would like. I added banana and dried cranberries (craisins) and cinnamon.
Form into a circle. The thickness will remain the same.
Cut or score the circle before you bake so there are less crumbs after you bake and cut.
Oh, and if you want a more traditional crumbly scone (that’s expected for your afternoon tea 🫖… and if you’re watching The Great British Baking Show)…ah, and is still healthy, you can try a low-sugar orange scone.
That was a mouthful… and you can get your sweet mouth-filled in minutes after you bake.
Bake on 350°F for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. And voila!
And finally… even easier for easy desserts, you can always make a chocolate pumpkin mousse that you don’t need to share! 😊
Chocolate pumpkin mousse is a healthy dessert that’s so easy to make in 5 minutes with no baking!
Is it delicious? …Of course!
But make no mistake this is a luscious creamy dessert scoop THAT NEEDS NO added sugar. Recipe below. 🧡
You can use anti-inflammatory unprocessed cocoa and pumpkin from a can or 100% pumpkin that’s pureed in with A-B-C vitamins and fiber. 🎃
Pumpkin is one of those holiday ingredients that reminds us of fall when we see PUMPKIN EVERYTHING.
Plus, this chocolate pumpkin mousse dessert snack has almond and coconut flours that are gluten-free.
If you want, you can make your own almond flour easily with whole almonds that you add to your chopper tool or food processor.
Almonds are a food kind of healthy fat, so you can have synergistic nutrition absorption with the pumpkin-almond healthy duo (since pumpkin’s Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that btw, is good for eyes).
…And is a tasty duo with pumpkin-chocolate flavors, using cocoa for the recipe.
Or cacao that’s not a typo for cocoa. 😊
It’s the raw, unprocessed version of cocoa.
But if you can’t find 100% cacao that’s anti-inflammatory healthy, you can use any unsweetened cocoa that’ll be almost as good.
Besides pumpkin that’s the star ingredient for this mousse, another fall flavor incorporated is tart cranberry… thanks to another later American holiday where you can give more thanks to the feast on the table.
And cran-pumpkin together is a glorious pairing in both sweet and sour taste, and punchy fall vivid colors.
Dried cranberries (or Craisins) that are commonly used in salads, are low calorie and high in Vitamin C.
You could use juicy whole cranberries for flavor, but they would make this recipe too wet, and then we would have to add more dry ingredients or flours.
With mostly dry ingredients, you don’t need much flour.
You can adjust the coconut flour based on the creamy perfect mousse texture you want… even though you can’t go wrong here!
After you pull together and hand mix all your ingredients, take an ice cream scooper (or spoon) and test the texture thickness of your choc-pumpkin mousse that can be like soft ice cream scoops.
Your eyes can get big because you’ll want a bite. 👀
And when you get the textures to liking, you can let the glorious and healthy flavors melt in your mouth.
This site is all about happy and healthy living and eating ways and inspiration. If this is your first time here, I encourage you to find out more about me and this healthy recipe blog.
Italian bean salad is inspiraton from one salad dish I used to make every day. 🥗
That was in my teen years when I worked in the pantry of an italian restaurant with marble floors where you could hear silverware drop like a drum band.
…Those young years, I was responsible for lunch salads and desserts served at the tables that I could see from the open-style kitchen.
While the job was a summer one, the salad is one that stuck with me for many decades later when I became a food service professional… and can be one that you make.
It’s loaded with Italian ingredient greats… like gorgonzola, radicchio, and arugula that have distinct flavors.
Those are common in big American grocery stores where you can play a version of Guy’s Grocery Games 😊 as they’re usually hiding among the salads, produce, and cheeses.
Maybe see how long it takes you to find them camouflaged amongst the greens… and cheeses. 🧀
No green cheese, but blue healthy moldy cheese. Penicillium Roqueforti is mold that gives the blue veining easy to point out.
That makes it easier to find the cheese in the grocery store.
…And as for time, shopping will take the longest from sourcing (or farm) to table as salad prep can be quick and I think is relaxing, even though this Italian bean salad has 11 ingredient types to add.
If you can’t find radicchio, you can also substitute for Belgian endive, and blue cheese or a French cheese for gorgonzola.
Then you’d have an Italian-French salad.
They are worth the hunt as their flavors add interesting variety.
And eating variety is healthy for our microbiome guts. As you peruse, you’ll probably explore different sections of your grocery store than just around the perimeter for the staples.
And some may be right under your nose (like it was for me in my shopping adventure)…
I got lucky as there was a big gorgonzola cheese wheel that looks like a cake.
…So it wasn’t likely to be a miss. 🎂
Packaged up, you can’t smell the cheese… but imagine if it were open 🤔, that would have also attracted attention.
This good moldy cow’s milk cheese is a milder blue cheese. It doesn’t have such a funky aroma like a strong smelling blue cheese that purposefully smells rotten (but is healthy).
The cheese is named after the Gorgonzola northern Italian town it came from that’s famous for the blue veined cheese.
As a creamy cheese (almost like a cream cheese texture but not quite as creamy), it blends in with all the flavorful ingredients of this bean Italian Salad.
The beans are what make this Italian bean salad pennies per bite.
Added cannellini beans are the white beans…
And like most beans, they are high in protein and fiber good for losing weight and a healthy diet.
Beans are almost always great adds for soups and salads.
These cannellini ones are used in main Italian soups like Tuscan Ribollita and is one you can substitute in an everyday minestrone.
Beans can sometimes be boring, but you won’t be missing any bites in this salad as each one is flavorfully loaded.
It’s great for intuitive or mindful eating to slow down and lavish the flavors.
You’ll also get more flavors from the walnuts and apples (or pears). This is a fully nutritious bowl that’s a mouthfully fun experience to chew on…
You get bitter (arugula, radicchio), slightly sweet (onions), citrusy, herby (pesto), acidic (balsamic) and balanced (spices).
You get soft (beans), creamy (gorgonzola), salty (capers), and crunchy (apple, walnuts) textures.
Ready to make this flavorful Italian bean salad? 🥗
In an Italian restaurant I worked in as a teen pantry helper, my job was to prepare salads and desserts! This one is inspired by that restaurant with great Italian ingredients you can find in most big grocery stores.
Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets
Ingredients
arugula salad
radicchio
cannellini beans (white beans)
gorgonzola cheese (milder blue cheese) crumbles
pesto sauce (basil, pine nuts)
balsalmic vineger
oregano, lemon pepper, coriander, parsley
white onions (Vidalia or cipollino onion)
apple or pear (diced or sliced)
walnuts (optonal)
capers
Instructions
Add a bed of arugula.
Fill a radicchio leaf with a mixture of beans, cheese, capers, and onion.
Add fruit and walnut on the salad. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar (or light vinegar of choice as an alternative) and pesto. Flavor with spices.
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