Guest Post: How to have a healthy, happy Christmas

This month’s Official Mayver’s Taste Tester @_naturalnutrition_ has some handy advice on keeping it healthy this Christmas, here are her top 5 tricks!

1. Get some exercise in
Why not start the day with a gym session? I know I will be! The plan is to get up, get the food going, and then rush off to the gym to squeeze in a workout. You know, work off those extra calories before I’ve even eaten them!

If you know your morning is going to be crazy busy, then head out for a walk in between lunch and dinner, rather than heading to the couch for a nap. You’ll feel much more alert following the former, rather than the latter.

 2. Load up on the good and less on the bad
Start by piling up your plate with as many delicious vegetables as you can, followed by lean meats and proteins, and lastly some filling good fats. Use less, or if possible skip altogether, things like processed sauces, pre-made mayos, etc – anything packed with sugar or trans-fats, really. Have some spreads like tahini on hand to use as sauce instead!

Great options are seafood – think fresh prawns, oysters, smoked salmon. At my boyfriend’s, every year for lunch we start off with a massive fresh platter full of seafood, with mango and avocado. It is so delicious, and packed with protein and minerals!

3. Offer to bring a plate
Off to the in-law’s or family friend’s, and worried that there won’t be much fresh goodness there for you? Offer to bring a plate, and whip up a big quinoa salad, packed with vegetables, and a tahini dressing. You can then start by piling your plate up with this, so that you don’t have to eat as much of the other stuff!

  4. Indulge
Do not be afraid to indulge, and never EVER feel any regret or guilt for it. I can promise you that stressing over what you eat will do more trouble than the food ever did. Let’s not forget – this is one day out of a whole year, and I bet you really enjoyed whatever it was at the time. Don’t forget to actually STOP what you’re doing, savour every mouthful, and really enjoy it, though. Don’t go into autopilot on overdrive, shovelling in as much as you can before your brain catches up to your body – that is one sure fire way to feel terrible afterwards.

5. Get back on track
As I said, this is one day out of the whole year – so do your best to keep it that way! Sure, you may have other get togethers and catch ups on after the big one, but make a conscious effort on Boxing Day to get up and have a really nutritious breakfast, followed by some exercise, rather than raiding the fridge for left over cake.

Here’s my recipe for a healthy snickerly layered cake- seriously nom!

RAW SNICKERS CAKE

INGREDIENTS:

Biscuit base
1 cup almonds
1/4 cup activated buckinis
1/4 cup coconut oil (not melted)
2 tablespoons rice malt syrup OR maple syrup
1 tablespoon maca powder
Peanut butter fudge
1 cup natural peanut butter
1/4 cup rice malt syrup OR maple syrup
3 tablespoons full fat coconut cream
2 tablespoons coconut oil
Salted caramel sauce
1/2 cup almond butter
1/2 cup rice malt syrup
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 tablespoons coconut cream
1/2 tablespoon mesquite powder
1/2 teaspoon himalayan salt
Dark chocolate ganache
3/4 cup coconut cream
80 grams chopped raw dark chocolate
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean powder
Decoration
Raw cacao nibs, activated buckinis, sea salt flakes, and/or edible rose petals, to garnish

METHOD:
1. Add all biscuit base ingredients to a good processor/blender.
2. Pulse until mixture comes together and resembles a biscuit-y crust – still slightly chunky, but no big visible whole nuts/seeds.
3. Line a springform tin base with baking paper, and evenly press the biscuit base into the lined tin in a flat, firm layer.
4. Refrigerate to set.
5. In a bowl combine the peanut butter fudge ingredients, using a microwave or double boiler to gently melt the ingredients until well combined and runny enough to pour (but avoid heating until completely melted).
6. Sit to stand to slightly thicken if too runny, then pour over the base in an even layer, and return to the refrigerator to set.
7. Comine ingredients for salted caramel sauce in a clean bowl, and melt with microwave/double boiler until a runny combined mixture forms.
8. Pour over peanut butter fudge layer, and again refrigerate cake tin.
9. Heat the coconut cream for the dark chocolate ganache in a clean bowl with microwave/double boiler until steamy hot butnot boiling.
10. Remove bowl from the heat and sit on a tea towel to keep the bowl stable.
11. Whisk in the chopped chocolate and vanilla bean, and continue to mix until the chocolate is completely melted.
12. Sit to stand and cool slightly until it is no longer warm, and pour over the caramel layer into the cake tin.
13. Garnish around the edges with raw cacao nibs and more activated buckinis around the outside, and sea salt flakes in the centre.
14. Return to the fridge and set for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.

You may wish to pop this in the freezer before serving to ensure that it does not melt too quickly at room temperature. In the warmer weather, it would be likely to melt quicker, so remove from the fridge to serve, and then refrigerate any left overs soon after.
At only 20 years-old, Victoria is passionate about eating real food, cooking, and educating people through her blogs. She’s currently studying a bachelor of Nutritional Medicine at Endeavour College of Natural Therapies in Melbourne, check out her website to find more nuggets of wisdom!