While visions of Sugarplums danced in their Wee Little Heads...

It's getting closer and closer to Christmas ! Parties, errands, commitments... all of which I have been able to say no to this year because of my recovery. I am walking a lot more stable, but it takes very little time for my muscles to become taxed and really wobbly. Does not make for a good situation to wander through stores at this time of year, so I have been giving Bob and Nick lists and they do the errands. Stairs are still a no go  as well  as other things, so we have canceled any party invites we have, including the annul gathering with my family. I am being super cautious ! A fall could mean more serious damage, and it has only been slightly more than 3 weeks. 6 weeks is pretty much the normal time table for serious injury healing, so it's just a mater of time and patience.

This has been a huge blessing, because it allows complete control over our eating ! We have specific dietary guidelines that we follow ( it must be food that our primitive ancestors would have been able to create) and properly prepared grains and nuts ( soaked, sprouted or fermented before cooking), and absolutely no fat free anything.Regular meals are very easy , but when you come to things like cookies, a little more thought provoking. Many recipes can be adapted to these guidelines, but some things get a little difficult to know how much water to soak the flour in and not compromise the quality of the final product. Happily there are several very creative women out there doing this for their families and are happy to share their knowledge. I visit their blogs and learn about how to nourish my family , even when it comes to treats. I decided for my first attempt into this healthy holiday baking would be Sugarplums. Did you know that they are an actual food substance and not a made up literary device ? In days gone by, they were sort of the go to sugar cookie because they contained no sugar beyond fruit. Spices, dried fruit and nuts that are properly prepared.

Sugar Plums ( adapted from The Nourished Kitchen, found here)

In a mixing bowl , place
 1 cup shelled walnuts ( or other nuts of your choice)
1/2 teaspoon unrefined sea salt
enough war water to cover plus an inch

Cover and let soak at room temperature 8-12 hrs ( this removes phytic acid from the nuts, making them more digestible and nourishing). Then when ready to make, drain, pat dry and place in a food processor. Add:
 zest of 1 orange ( or 1/2 tsp dried orange peel )
 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup chopped pitted dates
1/2 cup chopped unsulphured apricots
1/2 cup chopped pitted prunes

Pulse for a minute, till well combined. Transfer to another bowl, roll into small bite sized balls .( be prepared to rinse your hands often, as this gets really sticky !) To make less sticky for serving, roll in unsweetened coconut flakes. Makes about 3 dozen.

How do they taste ? Like a cross between a Lara Bar, a truffle and a good fruit cake. No wonder children had visions of these dancing in their heads- they are yummy ! News of my creating them sent Nick into a spontaneous recitation of  Twas the Night Before Christmas- it made me smile ! After dinner , as we were watching a DVD in John Adams and making mention that tomorrow was St Lucy's Day I brought them out, curious to see how the guys would like them. They were inhaled ! I felt really good that these were something that tasted good and was good for you . Can't wait for the next experiment !