We're on the home straight to the holidays now.... I'm seriously going to try and take some time off over Christmas. I'm notoriously rubbish as relaxing and have got worse over the last year BUT I'm determined that will change over the holidays- that's usually the time my head eases off with it's 'Go Go Go' approach as the world as a whole slows its pace and brings me down a notch or two in the process.

I say relax.... well, of sorts!

I have a 'Plant Based Fit-Food' ebook and seminar to write due to be launched in the New Year. You've probably heard me mention this a few time over the last few weeks and months, I believe i actually began muttering comments of this sort many months ago- its just taken along time to get from my head to paper (or computer to be more accurate). More details on that to come but I will be cracking on with that over Christmas whilst I try and shut down distractions from other work related things.

I have struggled to make lots of festive recipes for my blog over the last few weeks- due mainly to Wholeplus taking over my life a little, but also part to recipe development for my book (it will feature some old but also many new ones) and also because I've been creating recipes for the Real Food Source ebooks.

The RFS ebooks are FREE to download and you can find the Coconut Milk Powder ebook here and the most recently launched Christmas ebook here.  Many of the recipe are also featured on their blog and so I wanted to give you a little round up some of the recipes I have recently created for them.  These are all quick and easy, gluten free, unrefined festive themed recipes....that's gotta tick all the boxes right? 

Just 'keep it real people'  Ha ha, I love my tag line for the books. :-)

So here is my mini collection- click the titles to go to direct to the Real Food Source blog for the full recipes.

What festive experiments have you had success with recently? ...Please share, I love to hear what others have been up to!

Cranberry almond flourless cookies:

Soft and chewy with big chunks of fruit and nuts encassed in a golden fluffy cookie shell... the easiest flourless cookies you’ll make this Christmas! in one of the photos below you can see i added the nuts and fruit to the top of the cookie, but they're definitely best mixed through the batter and baked within the cookies.

Chocolate tiffin:

Tiffin is a classic at any time of the year- but at Christmas time the combination of chocolate fruits and nuts come really into their own! Note you could try subbing almond or hazelnut butter for the coconut milk powder and water in the recipe if you prefer- it just needs to combine with the melted dark chocolate to allow the tiffin to set as firmly as possible.

Crunchy Buckwheat chocolate melts:

Ok, so this little  experiment is barely even an recipe. This weekend I fancied a treat with a crunch and a crisp bite and so had an idea to toast up a little quinoa and buckwheat to layer up with the melted chocolate....so good! I think the buckwheat was my favourite option with it's large chunky pieces, whereas the quinoa gave more of a 'bubbly' texture. Such a great, simple way to get a healthy wholesome kick!

Vegan 'egg nog':

All the classic Christmas flavours in a creamy but healthy Christmas drink...add a little rum if you fancy. Use a greener banana for a more subtle taste!

Chocolate drizzled almond flapjack:

In this recipe almond paste (or other mild nut butter) acts as a binder in conjunction with the apricots and chia. Previously peanut butter was my go-to nut butter, but obviously that imparts a distinctive taste that isn't always appropriate or preferred, here the almond paste allows the flavour of the apricots to do the talking.  You could of course use other dried fruits such as cranberries to suit for an extra festive feel!