Gluten-Free Thumbprint Cookies (Because Everyone Needs a Cookie for the Holidays)

Thumbprint cookies are my favorite! You can use different jams and preserves to create different flavors and colors. I used a no-sugar added raspberry jam for the ones pictured above. These simple cookies are a tasty holiday treat that are also low sugar and gluten free!

Ingredients:

6 TBSP unsalted butter

1/3 cup light-colored raw honey

1/4 TSP vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour

1/2 cup coconut flour

Unsweetened coconut or sliced almonds (optional)

1/4 cup fruit sweetened jam

Instructions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Using a handheld mixer, beat together the butter, honey, and vanilla on medium-high for 1 minute. WIth mixer on low, add almond and coconut flours and mix until just combined.

Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and place them on backing sheet. If desired, you can roll the dough balls in shredded coconut or sliced almonds.

Using the round end of a wooden spoon (or your finger), gently press into the center of each ball, making an indentation about 1/2 inch wide and 1 inch deep. Spoon about 1 tsp jam into each indentation.

Bake the cookies for 15-17 minutes, until golden. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely

This Chicken Chili Verde Is How You Tomatillo

When I bought the tomatillos for this dish at Whole Foods, the cashier looked at the little bundle of fruit wrapped in their papery husks, and said, “What the heck are those things?” It’s true that tomatillos are one of the forgotten gems of the produce section, which is too bad because they’re delicious and different. If you’ve ever wondered how to cook with tomatillos, this chicken chili verde is a fall weather favorite around our house. You can eat it as-is like a stew, put it on rice or even use it to top a dish like baked enchiladas. It’s easy peasy to make and its pepper warmth is welcome as we have cooler weather.

Ingredients:

2 lbs chicken thighs

8-10 tomatillos, stemmed, husked and quartered

5 medium poblano peppers, stemmed, seeded and chopped

2-3 jalapeno peppers, stemmed and chopped (seeded if you like less spice)

1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1.5 teaspoons table salt

2 cups water or chicken broth

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/3 cup chopped cilantro leaves

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Instructions:

Heat olive oil in large pot over medium heat, cook onions until they are translucent and add tomatillos, poblanos, jalapenos, garlic and cook for 2 minutes.

Add salt, cumin and place chicken thighs on top of vegetables. Add about 2 cups of water or chicken broth, until chicken is just covered. Bring to a boil, turn to low medium heat, cover and cook for 45 minutes.

Remove chicken from pot and make sure it is cooked. If cooked, shred chicken and set aside. Use an immersion blender to blend ingredients in pot until fairly smooth. Add cilantro and lime juice, blend a bit more, add chicken and enjoy! As a variation, add a can of cannellini beans. This stew is also nice served over rice.

3 Tips for a Happy and Healthy Holiday Season

As we enter the holiday season, we enter a time of year that for many of us also involves more stress. Navigating travel and extra commitments, consuming more sugar and alcohol, and working out less are all things that seem to happen during the holiday season. I fully support balance, which means enjoying the holiday (whatever that looks like for you) while also checking in with yourself to make sure you are taking time to care for yourself.

Here are 3 simple tips to cultivate more wellness this holiday season:

1. Notice your body. Check in by feeling your feet on the floor, or your hips in a chair. It sounds so simple, and yet this is my go to recommendation to build awareness and your ability to be in the present moment.

2. Move your body a little every day. You don’t need a lot of time for movement to be effective. Even a short walk, getting out of your chair, stretching, or doing one of your favorite Pilates exercises is a great way to experience movement in your body. Moving feels good and, usually, doing a few minutes will turn into more.

3. Make sure you’re drinking enough water! Sugar and alcohol can make us feel groggy, and so it is helpful to drink water to stay hydrated and support your body when you enjoy those extra holiday treats.

Add in these super simple tips and have a holiday season that feels jolly and bright inside and out.

Give Yourself Permission to Pause

Relaxation. Resetting. Pausing. Do you give yourself permission to rest? Or do you push through?

Does it feel hard to rest and relax? Is it hard to let go?

We can let our busy brains and bodies settle down into a soft, comfortable chair, lie down or put our feet up in the middle of a productive work day. You don’t need to feel ashamed of the desire or need for rest. We’ve all heard the saying “I’ll sleep when I’m dead,” and we’re all living in the hustle and bustle of a society that glorifies ”grinding” and asks us to save rest for our vacations.

Try to tune into and listen to your body's needs. When you feel the urge to rest, can you pause? Even if you can’t actually take a nap, can you close your eyes for a few minutes? Can you allow your body to settle into your chair? Can you allow a few deeper breaths to move into your body? Of course you can. It only requires a conscious moment to give yourself permission to pause.

As we transition to fall, you might notice your body needs more sleep and rest. See what is different for you if you give your body what it’s asking for.

If you could use some help learning how to give yourself permission to pause, somatic techniques can help. Let me know if you’d like to schedule a session focusing on somatic techniques to support relaxation. Sessions start at $50.

Warm Butternut Squash and Chickpea Salad

Photo courtesy of Smitten Kitchen.

I adore this salad from Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen. Her recipes are great and I’ve tried many of them over the years, but this one was the first and it’s one I come back to often, especially as we move into cooler months.

Serves 4

Ingredients

For salad:

1 medium butternut squash (about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces

1 medium garlic clove, minced

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt

One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (1 1/2 cups)

1/4 of a medium red onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup chopped parsley or cilantro

For tahini dressing:

1 medium garlic clove, finely minced with a pinch of salt

1/4 cup lemon juice

3 tablespoons tahini

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more to taste

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 425° F.

In a large bowl, combine the butternut squash, garlic, olive oil, and a few pinches of salt. Toss the squash pieces until evenly coated. Roast them on a baking sheet for 25 minutes, or until soft. Remove from the oven and cool.

Make the tahini dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic and lemon juice. Add the tahini, and whisk to blend. Add the water and olive oil, whisk well, and taste for seasoning. The sauce should have plenty of nutty tahini flavor, but also a little kick of lemon. Add more water to thin it out if needed.

To assemble the salad, combine the squash, chickpeas, onion, and parsley or cilantro in a mixing bowl. Add the tahini dressing to taste, and toss carefully. Serve immediately. I often will serve this salad on a bed of brown rice. I also think this salad tastes just fine the next day.