By Joen Lane
The holiday season is upon us. Chanukah and Christmas traditions find many of us scrambling to prepare for our celebrations. We want our homes decorated, cards in the mail, gifts purchased, holiday music playing, wood ready for our fireplaces. We have our events pictured in our minds. But if you are like so many of us, we exhaust ourselves trying to do it all. Our involvement with our families, friends, our careers, and community activities find us with less time each year to cram all of our wonderful traditions into such a short period of time.
If this sounds familiar to you, you are not alone! No matter what traditions you embrace, there is one gift that is always appropriate for all those people we cherish in our lives. A perfect way to come together is to celebrate by sharing a meal. I call my family and friends “framily.” Gathering my “framily” to share food and conversation has resulted in shared stories and given new meaning to the seasonal celebrations.
For the last several years I’ve strived to simplify my preparations. My focus is on my “framily” and creating an atmosphere in which we can gather and find joy in each other’s company. As I’ve moved toward a healthier lifestyle, I’ve also changed my gift giving ideas. In my quest to have a healthier body, I’ve changed some of my kitchen equipment to better prepare some of the foods I’ve come to enjoy. It has occurred to me that some of these changes might make for a thoughtful gift. I’ll share some of my gift list ideas for your consideration:
Food Baskets: There is always the fruit basket as an alternative to a gift of a sugary holiday food. What about a “veggie” basket, with a favorite vegetable soup recipe and with all the spices and food items, or steel cut oatmeal with cinnamon and nutmeg? One of my personal favorites is a gift basket of spices. It’s amazing the flavor a fresh container of spices can bring to a favorite recipe. About every six months, all of us need to go through our spice cabinet and throw away our outdated spices and bring in some new ones. Area grocery stores will make these for you if you don’t have time.
Equipment for Healthier Eating: Such items can make the kitchen work easier and outcomes delicious. YoNanna has created a piece of equipment that makes delicious frozen desserts with only a few ingredients. There are also dehydrators, food processors, glass oven ware, and crock pots. Add a few of your own favorite recipes, and the gift suddenly becomes more personal.
Herb Garden: Your local hardware store can supply you with pots, seeds, soil, and instructions for growing. This is a gift that can be fun and enjoyed year-round in a kitchen, or anywhere there is a sunny window. Look for Basil, which is very popular in cooking and rich with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties and vitamins A, C, and K, as well as manganese, copper, calcium, iron, magnesium, and omega-3 fats. Rosemary may help prevent allergies and nasal congestion. Dill is for better bone health. The calcium content of dill makes it a key component in the growth and development of bones. Cilantro is a superfood, with its phyto-nutrients. This humble herb provides folates, vitamin B-6, vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin K, iron, and manganese. Sage can improve brain function and memory. It’s great in most soup recipes, or with beans, meats, eggs, or pineapple. Chives have shown, in clinical studies, to have anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, and antimicrobial properties. It’s high in vitamins A, C, and K. Try snipping a handful of chopped chives for morning eggs, or roast with any vegetable.
Start thinking about healthy gifts that keep on giving…you may be surprised at your own creativity. And always, please, remember, “You are what you eat!”
Joen Lane is a certified weight loss coach with Ideal Family Weight Loss & Life Balance Center, offering Ideal Protein, the medically developed, sensible weight loss protocol. The center is located at 2103 E. Washington Street in Bloomington. Their mission is to help people take control of their weight and keep it off. Classes are offered on a variety of food and lifestyle topics. For more information, please call 309-661-3235.