With Christmas right around the corner, many of us are scrambling to find recipes that are healthy, festive and tasty all at the same time – it is possible, we swear. That’s why we’re sharing 3 FREE recipes from our classic Christmas cookbook to get you started. 

Whether you’re after a crowd-pleasing cheesecake, Christmas cake or coconut ice for dessert or a for lunch or dinner – we’ve got you covered, and then some. We’ve even got a fun section for the kids too, featuring our fun Snow Man Noses, Reindeer Poop and Candy Cane Ice Cream recipes that will thrill the whole family. We know that despite Christmas being “the most wonderful time of the year”, it can also be a time of stress and chaos – especially when you’ve made a massive change to your life like quitting sugar. That’s why we’re here to help you manage everything from the temptations of sugary foods around the table to critical words and judgemental looks from friends and family. Our Christmas Cookbook is loaded with simple, wholesome and fun recipes to make the festive season that much easier – we’ve taken care of the food, so you can take care of the fun.

Here at I Quit Sugar, we’re not about restrictive diets and boring food, we’re all about enjoying delicious, satisfying meals with loved ones – and they also happen to good for you. You’ll find the following in our Christmas cookbook: 

• Delicious, nutritious recipes
• Leftover storage and cooking tips
• A fun kids’ recipes section
• Homemade gift ideas
• Whole, nutritious ingredients
• Affordable, readily-available ingredients
• Exciting cocktails and indulgent desserts
• Comforting, hearty dishes

You don’t have to give up delicious food to save your health, nor do you have to drop hefty amounts of cash on expensive “health” brands to use our cookbook. The Christmas Cookbook is made up of affordable ingredients that prioritise in-season, locally-sourced foods to keep the cost down and the taste up. Here are 3 of the tasty recipes you’ll find – and there’s more where these come from!

Christmas Quinoa Tabouli

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa, cooled
• 1/2 cup (125ml) fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/3 (80ml) cup extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1/2 bunch mint, chopped
• 1 bunch shallots, chopped
• 1 red capsicum, chopped
• 1 cup finely diced cucumber
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

Method:

1. Christmas Eve: Cook the quinoa, allow to cool, and set aside in a big serving bowl. Mix the lemon juice, cumin, oil and salt and pepper in a jar and shake. Pour half over the quinoa, mix and place in the fridge overnight.
2. Christmas Day: Add the rest of the ingredients to the quinoa mixture. Pour the remaining dressing over the top and mix to serve.

Gingerbread

Note: You will need to track down some festive cookie cutters for this recipe. This is a gluten-free recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups almond meal
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 2 pinches ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 1/2 cups almond meal
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 2 pinches ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 

Method:

1. Place almond meal, coconut flour, spices, salt and baking powder in a food processor and pulse briefly. Add butter, rice malt syrup, orange zest, vanilla and egg. Pulse until dough forms a ball. Wrap in cling wrap and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 180oC/350oF/Gas Mark 4. Roll dough between 2 sheets of baking paper until 1cm thick. Cut into shapes with a cookie cutter and place on baking paper lined trays.
3. Insert small holes if you’d like to thread through some ribbon afterwards.
4. Bake for 10−15 minutes until they have a light golden-brown tinge around the edges. Cool and tie with ribbons and/or package up as a lovely sugar-free gift for loved ones.

Christmas Trifle

Ingredients:

• 4 egg whites (you can freeze the yolks
• to use in custard or mayonnaise)
• Pinch sea salt
• 1/3 cup rice malt syrup (optional)
• 2 1/2 cups shredded coconut
• 1 1/2 cups mixed berries
• 1 large can coconut cream or milk, chilled in the fridge for an hour
• 1 1/2 cup full-fat plain or Greek yoghurt or homemade cream cheese (simple recipe can be found here)

 Method:

1. Christmas Eve: Preheat oven to 120°C/250°F/Gas Mark 1/2. To make the meringues, beat egg whites and salt in a bowl to create stiff peaks. Add the syrup and beat a little more. Then gently fold in the shredded coconut. Form into 12 rough balls and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake for 30 minutes. Reduce oven temp to 95°C and bake for another hour until balls are chewy.
2. Bake for longer if you like them crispy. Remove from oven and let cool completely before removing them from parchment paper. Store in an airtight container overnight. Meanwhile, place coconut cream in the fridge. Make a simple coulis by bringing the berries and 1/2 cup (125ml) of water to a gentle boil, breaking berries up with a wooden spoon and reducing for a few minutes until you reach a syrup-like consistency. Store in the fridge overnight in a non-metallic container.
3. Christmas Day: Take your 12 meringues, crumble roughly and set aside. Whip the coconut milk/cream and yoghurt/cream cheese with a pinch of salt until thick. Now, divide the meringue chunks (reserving a few for topping) into the bottom of eight glasses (mugs or cocktail stems could also work). Divide three-quarters of the berries between the eight glasses, then place a big dollop of cream on top. Top with a few extra berries and the remaining meringue chunks, to serve. 

Keen for more recipes like this? Check out our Christmas Cookbook and our entire range of eBooks HERE! And if you’re in need of a hand making your health goals stick and kicking a stubborn sugar addiction to the curb, we’re here to help. If you’ve been having a little trouble keeping that sugar addiction at bay, we’re here to help. We know it can be hard to stick to your health goals – especially when you’re trying to manage it alone. Join us for the 8-Week Program where we’ll be quitting sugar and turning our health dreams into a reality. When you sign up with us, you’ll have access to clear-cut meal plans, community support and exclusive access to our sugar-free content. Here’s what’s on offer:

1. 8 weeks of meal plans and shopping lists.
2. 90+ member-only recipes.
3. Community forums to share your journey.
4. Support and guidance from the I Quit Sugar team.
5. Exclusive content from our panel of experts.

So, if you’re ready to ditch sugar and the host of maladies that come with it, it’s not too late to join. We’d love to help you get started on your health journey. Sign up HERE today!