It seems grocery store shelves were just cleared of all the sweets from the holiday season and now Easter is right around the corner. With Cadbury eggs, jelly beans and those deliciously cute Reese’s peanut butter bunnies lurking around every corner, maintaining weight loss goals has been a topic of conversation with many of my clients. Maybe you are one of many who over endulged a bit for Halloween and planned to get back on track but then came Thanksgiving then Christmas and Valentines candy; now Easter and on and on … like we are caught in an endless cycle of endulgence. With food manufatcturer’s marketing toxic treats for nearly every holiday, temptations are ever present and only you can stop the madness. Not only are all Easter candies full of sugar, providing empty calories, they also contain many chemicals we need to be aware of. “Toxic” can be a strong word but that’s exactly what most candy is, a chemical concoction of non-food junk that contributes to the disease epidemics we face.
Yes, of course we should let loose sometimes and enjoy treats to celebrate holidays, not to mention the expectations of our candy crazed kids, but knowing the difference between a trick and a treat is always useful. With a little mindfulness about what we are putting into our bodies and how much, we can enjoy holiday treats without sabotaging our health or our weight loss goals.
This post offers up my absolute favorite cookie recipe, a recipe you and your children can enjoy as a healthy Easter treat alternative. These amazing little cookies are the easiest cookies you will ever whip up, taking only 15 minutes from start to finish. Best of all, they don’t contain any flour, but no one will ever know, I promise!
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients:
-3/4 cup creamy almond butter
-1/2 cup coconut sugar
-1 large egg
-2 teaspoons vanilla extract
-1/2 teaspoon baking soda
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees
-Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper
-Place all ingredients except chocolate chips in a mixing bowl and mix vigorously with a spoon
-Fold in chocolate chips
-Drop dough by tablespoonfuls on baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes
*Recipe courtesy of Nourishing Meals Cookbook
Below are some healthier Easter treats that don’t require any prep work:
1. Lily’s Chocolate – Sweetened with stevia and overall better quality ingredients, this is a good choice for that chocolate craving!
Surf Sweets Jelly Beans – With no artificial colors or flavors these are a better choice for your child’s easter basket than the traditional jelly beans.
Justin’s Peanut Butter Cups – The ingredients in these peanut butter cups are much cleaner than Reese’s and they taste great! Justin’s has other fun treats that are also great for an Easter basket like peanut butter snack packs with banana chips for dipping.
Here’s to a more mindful Easter!
