The holidays are just around the corner and it’s time to get your gifts in order. I love making, and giving homemade gifts. Here are a few of the things I’ll be giving this Christmas.

Granola

I love muesli but the store bought stuff is too sweet for my taste. Making your own means you can include the things you like and omit what you don’t. This is my husband’s granola recipe; my kids love it and I know your family and friends will too.

Ingredients

450g rolled oats

250g natural almonds

120g sunflower seeds or pepitas

120g sesame seeds

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons honey

300g sultanas

Combine all the ingredients and spread on an oven tray. Place in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius until golden, around 30 minutes. You may prefer to slow roast the granola at 80 degrees C until barely golden, around 3-4 hours. This helps to preserve the healthy fats in the nuts.

Maple and Rosemary Spiced Walnuts

Walnuts are a wonderful source of omega 3 fatty acids and healthy monounsaturated fats, are high in potent antioxidants. The fats in nuts are easily damaged at higher temperatures, so these are roasted at a lower temperature for a longer time to maintain their health benefits. Plus, they’re super delicious!

Ingredients

150g walnuts

2 tablespoons of maple syrup (make sure you use genuine maple syrup, not the maple flavoured syrup)

1 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh rosemary

½ teaspoon of chilli powder

Combine all ingredients and spread out on an oven tray. Place in an oven at 80 degrees celcius and cook until the nuts are golden, around 40 minutes.

 

Rooibos Chai

Rooibos is high in antioxidants and makes a beautiful base for this caffeine-free chai mix. The mix makes enough for around 4 little packages but is easily multiplied if you have a lot of names on your list. To make one cup combine 1 cup of water with ½ cup of milk (or milk substitute) with 1 teaspoon of chai tea. Simmer gently for a few minutes until fragrant. Enjoy with a spoonful of raw honey.

Ingredients

50g rooibos tea

50g cinnamon quills or bark

25g star anise

20g green cardamom pods

10g dried licorice root

10g cloves

3 dried bay leaves

25g dried ginger (optional, see note below)

Use a food processor or mortar and pestle to crush the cinnamon quills into small pieces (about 1cm). Do the same with the star anise. Crush the cardamom pods just enough to split them open, and tear the bay leaves into small pieces.

Combine the prepared spices with the tea. Store in an airtight container.

Note: Fresh ginger can be used instead of dried ginger if preferred, but must be added when brewing a cup of tea. Use 1 teaspoon of grated ginger root for each cup of tea.