Get Festive with 3 Healthy Holiday Appetizers

Toasted Almond Cranberry Scones with Maple Drizzle

Servings: 12

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 Cup Gluten Free All Purpose Flour Blend
• 1 1/4 Tsp Xanthan Gum Or 1 Tsp Psyllium Husk Use Only If Your Flour Blend Does Not Already Contain Any Xanthan)
• 1/4 Cup Lakanto Sweetener (Can Sub With Coconut Sugar)
• 1 Tbsp Baking Powder
• 1/4 Tsp Salt
• 1/4 Cup Coconut Oil (Creamy And Somewhat Solid - Not Melted Or In A Liquid State)
• 1 Cup Fresh Cranberries Or Dried
• 1 Cup Coconut Milk, Full Fat & From A Can
• 5 Tbsp Sliced Almonds, Toasted

Maple Glaze:

• 1-2 Tbsp Lakanto Maple Syrup
• 1/2 Cup Lakanto Powdered Sugar

Directions:

• Whisk together the flour, sweetener, baking powder and salt together in a large mixing bowl until combined.
• Add the coconut oil to the flour and use a fork to mix into the flour. Mix until the coconut oil is well combined. Your mixture should be powdery & dry.
• Add the coconut milk to the bowl and stir until a soft dough forms. Fold in the cranberries and toasted almonds.
• Turn the dough out onto a sheet of lightly floured parchment paper. Mold the dough into a round disk, about 7 inches wide and 1 1/2 -2 inches tall. Cut the dough into 6 wedges. You will cut them in half after baking.
• Place the dough in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Don't skip this step - the coconut oil needs to harden up so the scones don't spread too much while baking.
• Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C. When you're ready to bake transfer the dough to a baking sheet, pull the wedges apart leaving space between each wedge (at least 2 inches). Sprinkle with a little Lakanto sweetener and bake for 20-22 minutes until the scones have risen and are golden in color. Cut each wedge in half to make 12 small scones.

Maple Glaze:

• Mix together the powdered Lakanto sweetener and maple syrup in a small bowl until you get a thick glaze. Start with 1 tbsp  of maple and add an additional tablespoon if you need a more fluid glaze. Drizzle the glaze over the top and enjoy!

Beet, Basil, and Goat Cheese Crustini's

Servings: 15-20 Pieces

Ingredients

• 3 Medium Sized Beets (Tennis Ball Sized) Halved (Or Can Use Canned Beets)
• 1 Loaf Or Baguette Sourdough Sliced At A Diagonal Into 1/2 Inch Thick Slices
• Olive Oil For Brushing Toasts
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 Tbsp Balsamic
• 10 Basil Leaves – Cut Into Ribbons
• 1/8 C Finely Diced Red Onion Or Shallot
• 4 Oz Goat Cheese
• 4 Oz Vegan Cream Cheese (I Like Tofutti Dairy-Free Brand)
• 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
• 1/4 Teaspoon Cracked Pepper
• 1/2 Tsp Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400F In a medium pot, cover halved beets with water and boil until just tender, about 20-30 minutes.
• In the meantime, slice baguette into 1/2 inch slices at a diagonal. Brush both sides with olive oil, sprinkle with a little salt and place on a sheet pan in a 400 F oven for 10-12 minutes, or until crisp. Set aside.
• Place cream cheese and goat cheese in a bowl and warm in a microwave until just soft enough to combine easily with a fork. Mix with a fork until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Feel free to add some fresh chopped herbs ( basil or parsley) Set aside.
• When beets are fork-tender, drain pot, refill with cold water and slip skins off the cooked beets under running cold water using your hands. Dice into very small 1/3 inch cubes and place in medium bowl.
• Add finely chopped onion, salt, pepper, Lakanto sugar, olive oil and balsamic -stir to combine. Taste, adjusting. You want this be flavorful and juicy.
• Assemble: Spread a little goat cheese mixture on each crustini creating a “trough” ( to hold beet mixture in place) and top with a Tablespoon of beet mixture. Garnish with a few basil ribbons. It’s really nice to serve when the goat cheese is still a touch warm. Serve on a white platter to show it off, or a rustic cutting board.

Apple and Brie Tartlets

Servings: 12 Tartlets

Ingredients:

• 1 Sheet Puff Pastry, Thawed As Instructed On The Package, Or I Used
• Immaculate Organic Crescent Rolls And Cut Into Squares
• 1 Cup (125g) Local Apples, Diced Small (I Used Royal Gala, But Any Local Variety That Holds Its Shape When Baked Works)
• 1/3 Cup (40g) Walnuts, Chopped Small
• 2 Tbsp (20g) Lakanto Monkfruit Golden Sweetener
• 1/4 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
• 2 Oz Brie Cheese, Cut Into 12 Pieces
• Flour For Dusting And Rolling

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375F and position a rack in the lower third of oven. Set aside a mini muffin pan.
• In a small bowl, mix together the apples, walnuts, Lakanto golden sweetener and cinnamon. Set aside.
• Lightly flour your work surface and roll out the puff pastry sheet or dough to just over 9×12″. Trim the edges and cut out 12 – 3×3″ squares. Fit the squares into the muffin pan.
• Drop a piece of Brie cheese in each pastry cup. Divide the apple filling into the 12 cups.
• Bake for 10-11 minutes or 15-20 for puff pastry until bubbling and golden brown.
• Sprinkle with a little Lakanto sweetener and let cool for 5-10 minutes and serve warm.

All of these recipes use Lakanto products. They are some of my favorite ingredients to substitute regular sugar with. You can easily make a recipe a lot healthier by substituting for a natural sweetener. I highly recommend trying some today! I've linked them all for you directly in the recipes, but you can also find them here: 

I have a ton of tips and resources on how to stay healthy during the holidays, and will be sharing them in my 21 Day Challenge that starts on November 28! Plus you'll get over 50 recipes, 8 full length festive workouts, contests and much more! We start November 28th!