It’s no secret that I am not so much into any Christmas shenanigans this year. I am not a full blown Grinch by now but maybe I go by a slightly less mean version of it. Call me Grinchella. Or better don’t because I really try to get into the mood right now.
Exhibit a: Tonight I am going to get a out my giant cooking pot and make some Hot Cider for the hubby and me.
Exhibit b: Most probably we will watch Frozen then and I will get a little too funny after a few mugs of cider and then we will watch all Olaf scenes for a few times in a row and I will end up laughing so much that my belly hurts and then I will pass out before the movie is even over.
We have been there before so it’s kind of a Christmas tradition, right? And nothing sets a certain mood than acting out those traditions, right? RIGHT???
Maybe I should mention here that I don’t expect to pass out because I am drunk but because I never make it trough an entire movie! One time I have to tell you about the one time when I slept through the first 30 minutes of a movie – in cinema! But that’s a storie for another day.
Even sadder than my absent Christmas mood is maybe my lack of Christmas Cookie cravings. Or any sweets at all. Maybe it’s not even the Christmas Cookies I don’t want at the moment but it’s that I don’t really crave any sweet foods right now. I mean some things I eat are sweet but the only sweet food that really works for me is smoothies. I am in a serious smoothie phase and I already wonder if I should bring a smoothie to Christmas coffee. Yeah my mum-in-law will love me for this!
But anyways I have compiled a nice list of things I’d prefer over any cookie right now. Because there’s so much goodness out there that to me sounds so much more appealing than cookies right now!
Oh yeah I should mention maybe that most probably I’ll get into a huuuuuge cookie phase right after the holidays because this is the way my body operates: Swimming against the tide and keeping me in suspense!
So here in no particular order my kinda ‘Christmas Eats 2015‘ aka List of food for people who are not in the mood for Christmas food but crave fresh food instead! Now that’s a mouthful! And you may call me Grinchella now!
Healthy Pesto Gnocchi Salad
This salad is the antidote of Christmas Party nausea! It’s so quick and easy, chock-full of flavors and deliciously fresh food, dense in nutrition and just overall satisfying thanks to the healthy fats and carbs.
Avocado Cheese Panini
Oh boy, I clearly have to say that this was my recipe of the year 2015. I ate it countless times. I scrolled through my phone and I had 17 pictures of this sandwich in it and I know I haven’t taken a photo every time I ate it. It’s the bomb! Recipe and photo by cleaneatsfastfeets.com
Spicy Baked Meatballs stuffed with Cheese
When I think of comfort food this recipe comes to my mind! Those meatballs are warm, juicy and spicy in flavor and if that isn’t enough they have an almost maddening melted cheese core popping up like a little naughty surprise.
Baked Egg Stuffed Sweetpotato
Those little sweetpotato ships leave me nothing but drooling! I mean swetpotato, eggs, cheese, avocado and hot sauce (or ketchup if you want to)? I don’t have to say anymore, do I? It’s basically a shortlist of what I am living off minus the meat! Recipe and photo by runningwithspoons.com
Cheesy Mexican Stuffed Baguette
This baguette is the epitome of goodness. It combines fresh summary flavors with a zing of spice and my two besties bread and cheese! If this baguette doesn’t take the cake I don’t know what to say anymore!
Healthy Burger King Chicken Nuggest
I could easily stay off fast food forever if it wasn’t for chicken nuggets! They are my kryptonite! But those little nuggets of gold make me not only stay clear of any fast food drive through but any single cookie jar as well. Or maybe I can smuggle a few in the cookie jar this year 😉 Recipe and photo by thebigmansworld.com
Original Swabian Dinnete
I feel the need to throw in a recipe from my neck of the woods. It’s Narnia inspired and combines yet again a few of my favorites. I am an advocate for pairing bread cheese and potatoes because I can! And because it’s great. Also this is one of my Narina Christmas Market visit staples and so basically already chosen a few times over sweet Christmas treats!
Spicy Beef Burger
How could I not???? – End of story!
Peanut Butter Chocolate Smoothie
Let’s talk smoothies now. Because this is indeed a sweet thing I am gobbling down as if there was no tomorrow. This one in particular. With an additional T of cocoa. Seriously this smoothie is liquid gold with hidden greens in there so is basically qualifies as a main dish and is therefore consumed as such. Case closed. What’s a cookie? Recipe and photo by cleaneatsfastfeets.com
Healthy Orange Cheesecake Smoothie
This smootie is maybe the most acceptable when it comes to Christmas flavors but maybe it’s just wishful thinking here. Anyways it’s the ideal creamy and orange flavored cheesecakey breakfast or snack. It’s naturally high in protein and so rich in flavor. It’s a perfectly healthy sweet treat without being overpowering thanks to the tartness of the orange that just adds the right kick.
So excuse me please now that I try to keep my cheese cravings at bay. I really shouldn’t write these kind of posts when I have an extremely hungry day with no packed snacks and my lunch already gone by 10 am. Now you guys go and check out those recipes above but be prepared to add a few things to your Saturday grocery list. Then go and put away some cookies for me for January! Because I feel a craving coming!
Are you stuffing your face with cookies right now or do you crave different things, too?
You know, as much as I love cookies I would gladly pass on them for some of these recipes right now. You can only have so many cookies before its time for a change, right?
Olaf however, never gets old! True story I jammed out to Pentatonix version of Let It Go last night with my nephews. It was glorious.
RIGHT!
Olaf is my hero and you must be your nephews’ hero. I wish people wouldn’t run screaming when I started to sing because I would love to do the same with my nieces 🙂
I was already excited about this list before I even saw that you included some of my own recipes! I am so over the holiday sweets (it might have something to do with stuffing my face full of cookies and cupcakes earlier in the week), but I am seriously craving fruits, veggies, and bready carbs. The only thing missing from this list is your seasoned bread bowls. I could go for one of those right now.
Guess I need to join the Grinchella Club with you, although I might make your chocolate toasty things today just because I adore you and they are only a fistful of ingredients. How can I resist. 🙂
The bread bowl made #11 and therefore got cut. But you’re right. I crave those over cookies as well 🙂
The Chocolate Crossies technically don’t count because they are all year proof 😉 So go ahead and make them!
We should definitely put ‘cooking something together’ on our to-do list when we come visit you in summer. Maybe something with yeast. Or butter. Or better both 🙂
Ok so I would pick all of these over a cookie – every time! Cheese trumps cookies. period.
And don’t feel bad about falling asleep in a cinema, I have done that too – twice :-S
Amen sister 😉
Pssst I share a secret with you: it wasn’t the only time I fell asleep in cinema but the first and only time I missed the beginning of a movie…