Sugar-Free, Gluten-Free, and other diet restrictions during the holidays

The holidays are known as a time to indulge. But what if you or a family member need to follow a specific diet for health reasons? What do you do to still share in the holiday treats without breaking your recommended diet restrictions?

Here are a few healthy alternatives to fill the sweet-tooth craving while still allowing you to keep on track with your restrictions.

Sugar-free Treats

The No Sugar Company
All of their products are made with no sugar, 100% pure nut butters, organic coconut oil, fair trade organic cocoa, and exclusive, sustainably sourced dark chocolate.

Some of our family favourites are:

No Sugar Keto Bomb Dark Chocolate Hazelnut, $37.99 CAD
The Hazelnut No Sugar Keto Bomb is a creamy, nutty, keto-friendly snack with a mix of healthy fats and coconut MCT’s all coated in a creamy and nutritious, custom dark chocolate blend. With only 1g of net carbs and 0g of sugar, this no sugar snack will crush your chocolate hazelnut cravings during the holidays!

These bite-size treats are sweetened with Erythritol and so tasty. They also come in Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter, Dark Chocolate Mint, Dark Chocolate Fudge, Dark Chocolate Fudge Brownie

No Sugar Keto Bar Cinnamon Bun, $37.99 CAD
The average amount of sugar in a frosted cinnamon bun is 15.4g. The Cinnamon Bun No Sugar Keto Bar is made with sweet and spicy cinnamon filling then wrapped in a creamy white chocolate coating and best of all, made with NO SUGAR!

These come in a huge variety of flavours including Birthday Cake, Peanut Butter, Lemon Meringue and more!

No Sugar Keto Gemz Dark Chocolatey Peanut, $24.99 CAD
This better-for-you snack is naturally coloured with ingredients like turmeric, vegetable juice (red radish), and spirulina. A colourful treat with a surprise peanut crunch centre is all you need for a sweet treat this season!

Gluten-Free Treats

Gluten-Free Hot Chocolate Cookies
Made with Azteque cubes from Evive, these cookies are vegan and gluten-free. As well, the addition of the Azteque cubes provides you with nourishing superfoods like goji berry, baobab, moringa, and chlorella which have antioxidant properties. Happy holidays and happy baking!

Pumpkin Pie Bars
These tasty Pumpkin Pie Bars are so close to the real thing. Evive’s Yin smoothie cubes help make these bars more flavourful and nourishing. The Yin flavour smoothie cubes are full of antioxidants and fibre, while also containing properties that soothe and improve your digestive system. 

If you prefer baking from scratch why not try out these Gluten-Free Brownies from Kids Cook Gluten-Free: Over 65 Fun and Easy Recipes for Young
Gluten-Free Chefs © 2022 by Peter Bronski and Kelli Bronski.

MAKES: 16 brownies
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOK TIME: 30 minutes
A little chewy, a little fudgy, and totally tasty—these brownies are the real deal. If you like smooth brownies, leave out the chocolate chips. If you like the extra texture, add them in. When you’re the chef, you get to decide!
Ingredients
 GF nonstick cooking spray
 1 cup (216 g) packed brown sugar
 1 cup (125 g) GF all-purpose flour blend*
 ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
 ⅔ cup (64 g) cocoa powder
 1 teaspoon salt
 ½ teaspoon baking powder
 1 cup (180 g) chocolate chips, optional
 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted (see page 12; make sure the butter is just warm—hot butter will scramble the eggs)
 3 large eggs
 2 teaspoons GF pure vanilla extract
Tools
 Digital kitchen scale or measuring cups
 Measuring spoons
 9-inch (23 cm) square baking pan
 Large bowl
 Whisk
 Small bowl
 Rubber spatula
 Oven mitts
*High-altitude adjustment: Use 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (141 g) GF all-purpose flour blend.

Method

DO THE PREP

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
2. Grease the baking pan with cooking spray. MAKE THE BATTER
3. In the large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder. Whisk in the chocolate chips, if you want.
4. In the small bowl, whisk the butter, eggs, and vanilla until completely mixed.
5. Add the butter mixture to the cocoa mixture and whisk until smooth. The batter will be thick, but keep whisking and it will come together.
6. Using the rubber spatula, scrape the batter out of the bowl and spread it in the prepared baking pan.
   Smooth the top with the rubber spatula.

   BAKE THE BROWNIES

7. Put the baking pan in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes, until the edges are set and the center has a crackly
   top.
8. Wearing oven mitts, carefully remove the baking pan from the oven.
9. Allow the brownies to cool to room temperature. Cut them into 16 squares with a knife and serve. (They’ll be much easier to cut when they’ve cooled completely.)

Enjoy these tasty treats and tell us about your favourites!!!