Healthy Holiday Treats

The holidays are here! But that’s no reason to derail healthy eating habits. People can still enjoy indulgences in the name of holiday spirit! But for those that need some healthy holiday treat ideas, Sphinx Date Co. has some inspiration:

Date Muffins and Bread — When craving a cookie or cake-y Christmas treat, why not try a healthy date muffin instead? There are a multitude of recipes available online and innovative bakers can swap out ingredients to custom-make a healthy version of nearly any recipe. Consider whole wheat flour instead of white, apple sauce instead of vegetable oil or eggs, for example. Swapping nut, coconut or oat milk in place of regular dairy milk is another great substitute for those looking for a vegan friendly option. For a punch of protein, why nut add some nuts! Chopped walnuts and pecans complement dates particularly well in any muffin or bread recipe.

Bake with Veggies — There are a surprisingly large variety of vegetables that can be sneaked into sweet treat recipes — and they are virtually undetectable to the discerning tastes of even the sweetest sweet tooth! Consider making zucchini bread or carrot cake muffins, or adding pumpkins to bread or cupcake recipes for a deliciously moist result without a dramatic flavor change. 

Dark-Chocolate Dipped Dried Fruit — Chocolate dipped fresh fruit is so tasty — but it has a very limited shelf life. For a not-too-sweet treat that can be preserved for a few days, dip dried fruit such as pitted dates, apricots or pears into melted dark chocolate. Decorate with chopped nuts.

Date “Nice” Cream — Variations of traditional dairy ice cream can be made with almond, cashew, or bananas so it’s a guilt free way to enjoy a scoop every now and then. Dates can also be incorporated into a favorite “nice cream” recipe to add flavor, a thicker consistency and a change of texture.  

Think Outside the Box — Rather than making boxed or packaged sweet treats such as brownies or cakes, consider starting from scratch. This way, bakers can swap out healthier substitutes or even get creative with items such as black beans to make a flourless brownie recipe or chickpea cookie dough. Who would have ever thought?

So when thinking of holiday treats this season, get creative with some healthy substitutes so come January 1, those healthy eating goals won’t seem to far off! Sphinx Date Co. is stocked with plenty of date treats and other sweets for the occasional holiday indulgence so stop in to stuff those stockings!