Healthier Homemade Gifts

I am not a scrooge.  Really.  Last week, I wrote a post on green and frugal gift giving which outlined ways to minimize the giving of unnecessary stuff.  Previously, I also posted on preparing healthier foods for the holiday season.  To be clear.  I like giving (and receiving stuff), and I really like delicious foods and holiday specials.  I also think it’s possible to be generous and healthy, to give non-wasteful, and still much appreciated gifts.  One of my favorite gifts that I received a couple of years ago was a mason jar filled with dried beans.  Different types of beans were layered in a multi-colored arrangement, and the jar had a cute cloth cover and a hand-written recipe for 5-bean soup attached.  I thought it showed incredible ingenuity and launched hours and hours of curiosity for 13-bean, 16-bean, 17-bean mixes.

An item that I made last year was spiced pecans.  Instead of cookies or other baked goods, the spicy mixed nuts are great for my gluten-free and dairy-free friends, and nuts have healthy mono-unsaturated fats. But, be careful, these are addictive and not low-calorie.  Both of these gifts show some personal touches, so there’s no need to tell anyone they are healthier.

Festive Bean Mix

Assorted dried beans, try lots of different colors
1 bay leaf
Italian seasoning

In clean jars or sealeable glass containers of interesting shapes, layer dry beans in 1/4 cup amounts, alternating colors.  Try to have contrasting colors and shapes, like black beans and small white beans, next to each other.  Add bay leaf and Italian seasoning on top. Seal jars, and decorate with a cloth top or ribbon. Attach a card with instructions to make bean soup.  Simple instructions might be to soak beans overnight, rinse and drain, then combine w/ 1 can of Italian style tomatoes, 1/2 pound of sausage optional, the Italian seasoning and bay leaf, and 5 cups of water for every pound of beans, and cook in a crock-pot on low for about hours.

Sweet and Spicy Pecans

About 4 cups pecans
1-2 T water
1 egg white
1/3 cup sugar, white or brown
1 t cayenne pepper (adjustable to your spice tolerance)
1 t cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
1/4 t salt

In a baking sheet, spread pecans in one layer and toast in a 250 degree oven for 8-10 minutes.  While nuts are toasting, combine the other ingredients in a large bowl and whisk vigorously to combine.  Remove nuts from oven and pour into bowl with sugar/egg mixture.  Be careful nuts are hot.  Spread the coated nuts onto a thin layer on a baking sheet that has been coated with cooking spray, or a sheet of parchment.  Bake at 250 for about 45 minutes, stirring a couple of times.  Remove from oven and let cool completely before placing in containers.

shared at Works for Me Wednesday, Frugal Friday, Ultimate Recipe Swap, Grocery Cart Challenge, and Nourishing Gourmet