Peace on Earth Good Will to Men

So the time is growing closer for our big Christmas celebration. Let’s keep the Prince of Peace central to this celebration because he’s the reason for the celebration and he came to bring great joy and peace to the world. As we hold him close in our hearts peace can break through and reign in our lives even in this busy season.

And if we have more peace in our hearts we will have more good will towards others!

Simplifying my life at this busy time of year helps keep me more peaceful. We can say no to some of the demands of the season and focus on the things we love to do during the Christmas season.

Shopping – not my forte! So I like shopping online. Seems like healthy stocking stuffers are the hardest things for me to find so I had a lot of fun searching for them online and sharing those ideas with you. Maybe they won’t be the last thing on my shopping list this year.

If you missed the stocking stuffers and gift ideas in the previous newsletter, here’s the link:

https://www.drjomd.com/2013/11/healthy-gifts-and-stocking-stuffers/

And I added another healthy gift idea that I really love. Our friends sent them to us as a thank you after a wonderful visit at our house. You may find them a great gift of health too or even want one for yourself. Find out more here:

https://www.drjomd.com/2013/11/healthy-gifts-and-stocking-stuffers/

Cooking is fun for me, but we share the load. Everyone brings the dishes they enjoy preparing when we gather for the big Christmas dinner. Our Christmas dinner is quite similar to our Thanksgiving dinner. If you missed receiving our gift of the Healthy Holiday Cooking ebooklet before Thanksgiving you can still download it from this post:

https://www.drjomd.com/2013/11/a-gift-for-you-and-good-news/

Fix-ahead dishes help a lot in keeping things peaceful and leave more time to enjoy your family and friends at the festive gatherings. Enjoy these make-ahead healthy dishes from breakfast to appetizers to main dishes to dessert.

http://naturalhealingcookbook.com/blog/category/healthy-recipes/healthy-recipes-holidays/make-ahead-holiday-dishes

I tried a new appetizer for us – gluten free!

Baked Zucchini Sticks

Olive oil cooking spray – spray very lightly

¾ cup brown rice flour ¼ cup tapioca flour

2 tablespoons cornmeal

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 1/2 pounds zucchini, (about 3 medium), cut into 1/2-by-3-inch sticks

2 large egg whites, lightly beaten

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Combine flours, cornmeal, salt and pepper in a large sealable plastic bag. Dip zucchini in egg white, shake in the bag to coat, and arrange, not touching, on the baking sheet. Coat all exposed sides with cooking spray.
3. Bake on the center rack for 5 minutes. Turn the zucchini and coat any floury spots with cooking spray. Continue to bake until golden and just tender, about 5 to 6 minutes more. Serve hot.
4. If it’s not browned well put under broiler just enough to brown the zucchini sticks.

And I love these:

Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts

2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

1 cup pecans, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1.            Heat oven to 375° F. In a large bowl, toss the Brussels sprouts, pecans, oil, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Turn the Brussels sprouts cut-side down onto a large rimmed baking sheet.

2.            Roast until golden and tender, 20 to 25 minutes

Enjoy!

Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward Men,

Dr. Jo