Making healthy choices coming into the celebration season

We are only a few weeks away from Christmas and the holiday season which means parties and events where there is alcohol and all those tempting treats on offer on a more frequent basis then usual. So how do we stay on track and not put on unwanted weight? 

When drinking alcohol it's important to follow the rule of 1:1 which is one glass of water for every glass of alcohol. It's also important to not drink to excess as this can cause dehydration not to mention the extra calories and the hangover the next day. It is also important to limit soft drinks as the average 600ml bottle of soft drink has 11 teaspoons of sugar in it. Soft drinks also dehydrate us so it's important if you are consuming soft drink to drink extra water as well.

When it comes to food there can be hidden calories in all sorts of foods we find at Christmas parties. So how do we choose the best options? For starters make sure to eat something before you go to the party. This way you are less hungry when you go to the party and less likely to binge on everything that is on offer. It's also important to allow yourself a few little treats otherwise you are more likely to feel like you are missing out and will end up consuming more in the long run. As I've said before I do believe in a balanced lifestyle with everything in moderation. Choose as natural food as possible, including fruit and vegetables. Avoid pastry based products which are high in fat and sugar.

You always have the option of making something and taking to the party if it is not at a restaurant or catered venue. Yesterday I set out to make a healthy chocolate tart which could be taken to parties and I am really excited by the result. Here is the recipe:

Chocolate Almond Tart
Tart base
1/2 cup oats
1 1/2 cups almond meal
2 tbls oil (I used olive)
pinch salt
3 tbls rice malt syrup (could use honey or maple syrup if you have these)

Chocolate filling
1 cup cashews (soaked for 4 hours)
1/3 cup cacao powder
1/2 cup rice malt syrup (again could use honey or maple syrup)
100g butter
1 tsp vanilla extract

Topping
Strawberries
chopped up almonds

Method:
Crust - 
Blitz oats in a food processor until they are a fine powder, add all extra ingredients and blitz again until combined
Press the mixture evenly on the base and sides of a lightly greased tart tin
Bake for 12-15 minutes at 180 degrees
Remove and allow to cool completely before putting filling on
Filling-
Melt butter in the microwave and place aside to cool slightly
Place all other filling ingredeints in the food processor and blitz until combined and as smooth as possible
Slowly add the butter until smooth and creamy
Pour filling onto the tart base and place in freezer for at least 2 hours
Decorate with a topping of your choice and enjoy

Hope this helps a little and you enjoy the recipe

Simone
xx