Holiday Treats and Traditions!

This time of year I look forward to the fruits of all my hard earned work. I've crushed every workout I was physically able, ate healthy well-prepped meals, made some gains, improved my mind and heart with every day personal development and taken a hard look at me and worked to make adjustments when needed, which is quite often, to be frank. There have been wins and losses, mistakes and achievements. It's not easy to wake everyday and 4:30-ish am to read, journal, then workout. Once it becomes habit, motivation is rarely needed. And just because it's a holiday break, it's no reason for me to fall off the wagon. I've worked so hard...however! This time of year, is also a time, I treat myself and my loved ones with some holiday traditions and yummies! Some of our holiday traditions include:

• Christmas Eve or Day (whichever works best with what we have going on) we find a good Chinese Restaurant, not a GMO serving buffet, a good place and we dine with framily, "A Christmas Story" style.

• I make some type of Italian holiday treat/cookie. I bounce between homemade biscotti, pizzelles, lemon ricotta cookies or pignolis. I make them from scratch and I go as vegan as possible, using 1/2 the sugar the recipes call for. They still taste amazing because Italians know how to use lemons, almonds and anise in ways that make sugar pretty insignificant when it comes to flavor.

• New Years Eve we either order in sushi (I know: "but you don't eat meat!"- this happens once a year, I allow myself that) or I make a special "takes all day" Italian dish like: Vegetarian Lasagna, Eggplant Parmigiana or maybe even Arancini (those little suckers take a while- but sooooo good). The aroma of garlic, onions and homemade red sauce filling the house is irreplaceable. I hope whenever my step kids see a jar of red sauce at the grocery store, they think to themselves: "Bekah's is better."

• We always get an old fashioned board game to play with the kids. Yes, they're now 13 and 17, one preparing for college, one for high school, and getting their own lives in order. But seriously, who doesn't wanna kick dad's ass at Sorry just once? (He's out for blood, I swear).

Even though I'm still working hard to make good on the promises I made to myself this year, I intend to enjoy every minute during this time of year and have a treat or two. I do not plan to turn 1 biscotti into 6, or 1/2 cup of brown rice at the Chinese Restaurant into 2 cups, but I do plan to indulge a little. I still have goals, even though there's only a week or so left in this year. I find no good reason to stop now. In honor of those goals and promises, I want to share my... Vegan Anise Biscotti Recipe

• 1/2 cup of sliced almonds, or chopped walnuts

• 1/2 cup coconut oil, softened

• 3/4 cup sugar (here's where I get experimental...I'll do 1/2 cup honey and/or marry it to 1/4 cup of sugar or maple syrup. Sometimes I just do the 1/2 cup honey and call it good)

• 2 egg-replacer eggs (egg-replacer powder and water mixed- 3 tsp powder to 4 tbs warm water mixed in a separate bowl)

• 2 1/4 cup flour

• 1 tbs baking powder

• 1 tbs of anise extract

Preheat oven to 375 and spray a cookie sheet, lightly. In a bowl, beat the oil, egg replacer, sugar/sweeteners and anise until well incorporated. Slowly combine the flour and baking powder until a heavy dough begins to form. Divide into 2 pieces, form each piece into a log as long as your cookie sheet. Place log onto the cookie sheet and then press it down to about 1/2 inch thickness. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Remove, cool and when cooled off, slice each log into 1/2 inch diagonal slices. Place them back on the cookie sheet, cut side up, and bake for another 6-10 minutes on each side until they appear lightly toasted. You have now made an old Italian Favorite to have after dinner, or at breakfast to dip in your coffee. Speaking of coffee, try this:

• 1 cup of coffee

• 1 tbs of coconut oil

• 1 tsp honey

• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Blend and enjoy it's frothiness. It's healthier and coconut oil helps keep you...ahem...regular, ya know...if ya need that. ;)

Happy Holidays!

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