A Christmas Spread - Nakee Recipes for the Holidays!

Hey there, everyone! Brendan here, and I know it's been a minute, but I have come back now to share something that everyone thinks they won't need until the hustle and bustle of the holiday season becomes ever more demanding: emergency recipes!

Yes, however much we promise ourselves we're going to prepare earlier in the month for the barrage of holiday get-togethers, the end of our calendars are so often spent in a scramble. Hopefully this blog post comes just in time for those of us who, like me, would procrasinate baking cookies for Santa until he was on the roof if it came to that! Here's a few of our favorites over here at Nakee HQ:

Nakee Butter Hot Chocolate

The title is as simple as the recipe itself, but with the vibrant flavor of our Focus flavor pouch, you can make up a platter of hot cacao (see what we did there?) so tasty the little marshmallows won't have time to melt before your guests are asking for seconds.

Thankfully, it's also a pretty quick process. Just grab your favorite instant hot chocolate (there are some very good organic blends on Amazon) and add a dollop of Focus into a fresh cup. Stir with a spoon and the appropriate intensity and you'll end up with a wonderful flavor blend. Optional element: vegan whipped cream on top!

Gingerbread Energy Balls

The name might sound like something out of The Office, but this simple recipe will help you create a treat worthy of any holiday snack table; they're perfect for tiding you over until a later dinner. Considering how oven space is at a higher premium than shade on a beach in July this time of year, the fact that these energy balls are a no-bake treat only makes them all the sweeter. Here's the details:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup Nakee Butter (Maple flavor recommended)
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tbsp mini chocolate chips or dried cranberries (optional)

Instructions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
2. Add Nakee Butter and maple syrup, mixing until the ingredients come together in a sticky dough.
3. Fold in chocolate chips or dried cranberries; up to your preference.
4. Roll the mixture into bite-sized balls and place them on a parchment-lined tray.
5. Chill in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes (until firm).

Serve and enjoy these gingerbread-inspired bites full of holiday cheer! If you stacked a few and added pretzel stick arms, I imagine you could even make little ginger-snowmen!

Stuffed Dates

Never let it be said that we don't know how to be fancy here at Nakee! Dates are a delicious and beneficial treat all by themselves, but with the addition of some Nakee Butter and a few other ingredients, they can become so much more. This is actually the recipe I'm the most curious about personally, so if you decide to try them out, post a pic on Instagram and tag us! 

Ingredients:

• 12 Medjool dates, pitted
• 1/2 cup Nakee Butter (either flavor)
• 2 tbsp crushed pistachios or walnuts
• 2 tbsp shredded coconut (optional)
• Drizzle of melted dark chocolate (optional)

Instructions:

1. Slice each date lengthwise and remove the pits, if not already pitted.
2. Fill each date with a generous spoonful of Nakee Butter.
3. Sprinkle crushed pistachios or walnuts on top of the Nakee Butter filling.
4. (Optional) Roll the stuffed dates in shredded coconut or drizzle with melted dark chocolate for added flair.
5. Arrange on a serving tray and chill in the fridge for 10–15 minutes before serving.

These seem like they'll be very rich, so it might be best to pair them with something a bit lighter; I even read that tea might pair well with dates. This is my umpteenth reminder this year that I need to learn more about tea! 

Thumbprint Cookies

I wasn't joking about the cookies earlier, by the way! The last of today's recipes is a combination of old holiday tradition with a newer, healthier spin. Nakee Butter's minimal sugar content and natural sweetness should add more than enough flavor, but you could always add a pinch of sugar (around a quarter cup) if you felt the cookies needed it. 

These cookies are pretty simple to make, and the way they're made feels like a perfect experience to share with the kids (although they may need to borrow your thumb for a moment if theirs is too small!). Here's the lowdown:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup Nakee Butter (any flavor)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
• 2 tbsp holiday jam (like cranberry or raspberry)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl, mix flour and salt. In another bowl, combine Nakee Butter, sugars, and vanilla until creamy. Gradually add dry ingredients and mix into a dough.
3. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place on the baking sheet. Press your thumb in the center of each ball to create an indent.
4. Fill each indent with a small amount of jam.
5. Bake for 10–12 minutes or until edges are golden. Let cool and enjoy!

Well, that's all we've got for the moment. We're actually collaborating with Santa himself this year, so there's a lot of orders left to pack. 😉 Hope you all have a wonderful holiday season.

Naturally, next week's blog will be about those pesky new year's resolutions, and how keeping to them has more benefits than you might think. In the meantime, let us know how these recipes turn out for you, and stay warm out there, friends. This is Brendan, signing off for now.