Recipe: Low Fat Gingerbread (Though no one will ever knowl!)

For me, it just isn't Christmas without some specific things. First you need to have a Christmas tree and Christmas decorations around the house - and don't even think about doing that without listening to Christmas Carols.

At night, the Christmas lights outside light up and everyone bundles into the car to check out everyone elses. 

As Christmas approaches, the recipe book comes out and we start getting ready for a Christmas feast. The Steamed Christmas Pudding is made, the ham is ordered and the Christmas Cookie cutters are brought out once again. 

Gingerbread Cookies and Shortbread are the two Christmas cookies that have to be made every year at my house. 

This year - I wanted to test out something a little bit different. So I got baking... 

What I came up with was a ridiculously delicious Gingerbread recipe that is surprisingly healthier! When I gave these to my family no one had any idea that they were healthier (first rule with healthier baking for people: don't tell them straight out!) and were shocked once I told them. 

These are a must bake this holiday season - so let's get on with the recipe!

Low Fat Gingerbread - makes about 4 dozen cookies, depending on size.
These cookies are low fat and can also be gluten free!

45g butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 egg
100g molasses (around 1/3 cup - it's just easier to measure straight into the bowl!) 
3 cups flour/gluten free flour 
1 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 - 3 tsp ground ginger (if you like a full ginger flavour, use more)
1 1/2 tsp mixed spice

In a mixer, beat the butter and sugar until combined. Add the applesauce and mix until smooth.
Mix in the egg and molasses and beat until combined.
Add the flour, baking soda and spices to the mixer and mix slowly until the mixture is wet - mix on medium until a dough forms.
Divide the dough into two flat discs in between baking paper - chill in the refridgerator for ~2 hours or place into the freezer for around half an hour. 

Preheat oven to 180°C/355°F.
On a chopping board or benchtop, lay down some baking paper.
Take out one of the dough portions and place onto the baking paper. With a sheet of baking paper on top of the dough, use a rolling pin to roll out the dough to around 1/2 a centimetre thickness (about 1/4").
Cut gingerbread into shapes and place onto baking sheet about 1 inch or so apart. 
Bake for around 10-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of your cookies and whether you like them soft or crunchier.

So tell me - what holiday foods are on your must have list?

    

   

Saturday Spotlight: Pure Bred Gluten Free Breads

Well, the holiday season can be a little tough for coeliacs or those with gluten intolerances. 

A slice of delicious Christmas pudding? Forget it!
Turkey stuffing?! What did you put in it?!
Er.. do you have the ingredients list? 
NO! YOU CAN'T USE THE SAME SPOON!!! 

But don't worry - there are good gluten free products out there..... 

and I've just found a new one! 





PureBred is a new range of Gluten Free bread available in Australia. These breads are quite different to what you're used to seeing on the shelves - they're light, fluffy and contain half the amount of fat of the leading brand of gluten free bread. Not only that, they also have three times the amount of fibre!

If you've been reading Southern In-Law for a while, you'd know I'm the queen of Food Intolerances. Unfortunately their Seeded Wholegrain Rolls and the Multigrain Farmhouse Loaf contain Plum Puree which is a big no no for my stomach! Nonetheless, their Super Soft White Sandwich Rolls and White Farmhouse Loaf were Kristy-friendly and by jove were they good!

Both the rolls and the bread are super soft with a sourdough like flavour. They weren't squeaky like some gluten free breads and they don't sit like a brick in your stomach like others. The bread was light, fluffy and perfect fresh or toasted.

Now... let me tell you something. On the packet it says Not suitable for freezing. Well as an experiment (read: there's no way one coeliac can devour and entire loaf of bread and 3 bread rolls before they go bad) I froze them so that I could tell you how they went. 

The results? Perfect! They aren't affected by freezing whatsoever - just leave the bread out on your counter to defrost when you need it or gently defrost it in the microwave on a low setting. So you have my word - they're totally freezable (sorry Pure-Bred, I freeze everything!) 

The PureBred range is available at Coles stores Australia-wide, so do yourself a favour and get some ASAP! 

Kristy received PureBred products courtesy of PureBred and Communicado - all of the opinions expressed in this review are her own. 

Recipe: Steamed Christmas Puddings - My Favourite Christmas Tradition

Today's Christmas Blogging Challenge prompt is "Your Favourite Christmas Tradition"

When I think about Christmas, there are quite a few things that spring to mind. Family, friends, decorating the Christmas tree, finding the perfect gifts, wrapping presents, giving presents and my Mum's Christmas Pudding. 

My Mum's Christmas Pudding is definitely the stand out of our Christmas feast. It's made in advance and boiled for goodness knows how long, filling the house with a Christmassy smell and then reboiled on Christmas day before eating. It is divine. 

But it's not Kristy friendly. Last year was the first year that I didn't get a slice of pudding - and oh how it sucked. I had made Christmas Muffins - but they just weren't right having being cooked in the oven. 

So I got thinking.... the best part about my Mum's pudding is how soft and fluffy it is. I knew that I'd steamed bread once before and it was super fluffy - but could I steam muffins? 

Sure, I could have made a whole pudding - but when you're the only one in your family who is gluten free, there isn't much point! So I set myself a challenge - I was going to create my own version of a Christmas Pudding - gluten free, soy free, citrus free, alcohol free.

To my surprise, they worked PERFECTLY! They are soft, moist and filled with juicy fruit pieces - and are incredibly adaptable. Whether you can't eat citrus or can't eat eggs, dairy, gluten or wheat - you can adapt this recipe to suit you!

Steamed Christmas Pudding Muffins Recipe makes 10-12 small muffins

Can be gluten free, dairy free, egg free, soy free, citrus free, vegan etc. 

1 cup Gluten Free Flour/GF Pancake Mix/Plain Flour

1 tsp Mixed Spice 

1 tsp Baking Soda

Pinch of Salt

1 cup Dried Fruit - use mixed fruit or your own mix (I used Dates, Raisins and Sultanas) 

1/2 cup Boiling Water

1/2 cup Milk 

1/2 cup Applesauce 

Optional: 1/4-1/2C sugar (I don't use any as I find it's naturally sweet from the fruit!)

Get a large, deep saucepan or pot. Inside the pot place either a cooling rack or an upside down cake tin. Pour water to cover the bottom of the pot, not touching the rack/pan - this is so that your muffins will not touch the bottom of the pot - alternatively, you can use a steamer or rice cooker with a steamer insert. 

You will need silicone muffin cups to steam the muffins 

In a large bowl, combine flour, mixed spice, baking soda and salt.

In a medium bowl, add fruit (chop before adding if your pieces are big) and applesauce. 

Pour over boiling water and leave fruit to sit for 5 or so minutes to soften. 

Pour the milk into the fruit mixture, mix to combine and pour into the dry ingredients. 

Stir the mixture until just combined - it will be quite runny. 

Pour the mixture into silicone muffin cups.

Place the muffins into your "steamer" and turn the heat up to high. Cover with a lid, checking the muffins after about 15-20 minutes.

Your muffins will be done when a skewer removes clean and the tops are firm to the touch (they will be moist - but shouldn't be too sticky or remove on your fingertip).

Leave the muffins to cool before taking out of the moulds.

So tell me, what's your Favourite Christmas Tradition?

    

   

A Different Sort of Christmas Decor - How to Protect A Gingerbread Tree

I should be with my fiance right now - but American Airlines screwed that up... AGAIN.... But lets make the most of today... :( 

The Christmas Blogging Challenge prompt says to post a picture of Christmas Decor - and whilst looking through my photos, I knew I had to tell you the story behind this one. 

You see, last year Katrina, Jesse and I made a Gingerbread town. We spent hours piecing them together, decorating, making snow lined footpaths - we just forget about how we were going to store these houses. Oops..

It wasn't until we stood back from our houses (or House and Church) that we realised our problem. How were we going to protect our creations from the inevitable bugs and flies that come with an Australian Summer Christmas? 

Errrrrrrrrrr....... 

First, we went searching for a big plastic crate. Problem Number One: the crates we needed to fit the houses and board into (think snowglobe style) were far too big to put anywhere other than smack bang in the middle of the table - and we needed that for Christmas.

Hmmmmmmmmm.... 

There was a space on the cabinet where they would fit perfectly. Problem Two: still not going to protect our gingerbread house from bugs. 

Mum wasn't home and Dad was busy - so we decided we had to find a solution. A-ha moment: glad wrap. 

We wound the glad wrap around the opening of the cupboard, securing it with tape and making sure there wasn't any way for bugs to get in. We swore it was only a temporary situation and we'd find a solution tomorrow. 

Well, guess where the gingerbread house stayed? In the glad wrapped cupboard. It actually became quite the decor talking point whenever someone new came into the house ;P 

So tell me - have you ever decorated a gingerbread house? I'd love to see a picture!

My Favourite Christmas Tree Ornament

Jesse and I have been together for almost five years  - but until last year, we had never spent Christmas together. 

Whilst Jesse and I had been hoping for a long time that we would be together for Christmas last year - we stayed hoping for quite some time and hadn't actually been able to plan anything. 

One morning, I woke up and I had a message from Jesse that he had gotten the all clear and would be coming for Christmas. This was just one month before Christmas and I was so excited/overwhelmed/happy that I - first of all, cried (yeah, I'm that girl) - and then jumped out of bed and went running up the stairs, busting through the bathroom door where my mum was doing her hair and said (whilst practically hyperventilating) "JESSE'S COMING FOR CHRISTMAS!!!>#$(@#)(!!!!" all I got was a "What? What did you say?" and when I started crying I think she got confused even moreso. 

You see, we hadn't seen each other in 2 and 1/2 years. Also known as - forever. We hadn't parted emotionally whatsoever, but we'd been physically apart for way way waaay too long.

So when, a few days later, I was perusing what was on offer at the Disney Store and I came across this bauble - I had to have it. So I ordered it. I am a huge Disney fan and so are my family, so we have dozens of Disney ornaments - from Pluto to Tinkerbell and everything in between.

The ornament arrived just before Jesse came so I wrapped it up prettily and set it aside to give to him. You see, what made it extra special was that Jesse had never put up a Christmas tree - or decorated one. His family were never really into Christmas so he never got a chance - and as the queen of Christmas, I was preparing to give him the ultimate Christmas - gingerbread houses, tree decorating, Christmas light looking, Christmas carols, homemade shortbread and just about everything inbetween.

We put the Christmas tree up together when my sister came home from hospital and I gave him this ornament. He was thrilled and we decided that we'd buy a new one every year that symbolised something that had happened that year. I have big things planned for this year! ;) 

So tell me, what's your favourite Christmas tree ornament? 

Christmas Giftaway: Almond Breeze Summer Hamper and the Best Gift I've Ever Received

I am loving the Christmas Blogging Challenge and today - I'm doing two days in one. Yesterday as you know, I forgot to hit publish - so I had to make sure the Wonderful Pistachios Christmas Giftaway was posted first!

Yesterdays question was; "What's your favourite Christmas Song" and for me - that's a tricky one. Michael Buble's Have a Holly Jolly Christmas (actually, I love me some Michael Buble regardless!) always put me in a happy, festive mood but I also love the vocals in Mariah Carey's God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

Today's prompt is "Best Gift You've Ever Received". The best gift I've ever received is a tie - but there's one special little girl who may always take the top spot. Chanel wasn't a Christmas present, but a birthday present. 

My parents had spotted Chanel at the pet store with her scruffy little brother and knew straight away I'd love her. They come home and said "we nearly bought you a puppy today" and I freaked out. My Pa immediately piped up and said "BUY IT! I'll buy it!" and before I knew it, we were in the car racing to the pet store. 

I saw her and fell in love. She was a tiny little bunch of fluff with big beautiful eyes and the lady quickly had her in my hands to see if she liked me too. That little pup crawled all over me and wouldn't leave my side. I wanted her so bad - but then at the same time, being the cautious person I am, I wanted to think about it and make sure I wasn't wasting my Pa's money. Why I even needed to think about anything, I'll never know now!

She is the gift that makes me smile and laugh every single day and she is the sweetest little thing you'll ever meet. All she ever wants to do is cuddle and the second you walk in the door she will fuss over you like you're Jesus on Earth - and makes sure she greets you with one of her favourite toys.

But, I want to give a gift to you! Did you think I had too many competitions already? I didn't!

If you've read Southern In Law for a while, you'll know that I love Almond Breeze. Thankfully, the team at Almond Breeze Australia and I have teamed up to share the love with you

Each hamper includes:

• A copy of the new best-selling book The 20/20 Diet from nutritionist Lola Berry
• Beach towel
• Original Almond Breeze
• Unsweetened Almond Breeze
• Blue Diamond almonds
• Digital recipe booklet with recipe ideas
• Almond Breeze mug

With the goodies, you'll be able to try one of Lola Berry's healthy recipes - like her grain free soaked cinnamon muesli with banana and maple syrup. 

I often bake with Almond Breeze (and use Almond Breeze as a Dairy Free/Vegan Milk Substitute in my recipes). Almond Milk can be used to substitute any type of milk - from regular cow's milk to soy or rice milk and it can be used in any recipe or food. 

The texture of Almond Breeze is just like milk - so it's perfect for using when cooking sauces, baking or when baking soups. Unsweetened Almond Breeze can be used in any recipe, but it's perfect for savoury dishes - whilst the Original Almond Breeze is sweetened and is perfect for baking.

So how do you enter?

Just tell me What Your Favourite Almond Milk Recipe is in the comments below with your email address (Perhaps it might be one of my recipes that you've made!)

For additional entries; 

• "Like" Almond Breeze Australia and Southern In Law on Facebook 
• Share the Giftaway with your friends on Facebook and tag Almond Breeze Australia and Southern In Law (you can find the competition post on either page)

PLEASE NOTE: I will need a way to contact you if you are the winner. Please be sure to leave your email address or email me at southerninlaw@gmail.com.
Make sure you leave a separate comment for all of your additional entries!

Competition closes Monday 7th January, 2013 at 11:59am EST. The winner will be chosen by a random generator and notified by email. This competition is only open to Australian Residents. Kristy does not endorse any of the information provided in the 20/20 Diet nor does she endorse any diet. You should always seek the advice of a medical professional in regards to any health condition or concern. 

Christmas Giftaway: Wonderful Pistachios - and my Santa Experience

Source

Santa, that big jolly guy with the reindeer who fly through the night, pulling along his sleigh so that he can deliver all of the presents to boys and girls across the world.

Well... that's what I used to think! Today Yesterday, the Christmas Blogging Challenge asks When/How did you learn that Santa wasn't real? (I was the silly girl who didn't click publish last night!)

This is something I remember exactly and likely always will (it helps that I have a very very good photographic memory). 

I was pretty smart for my age, and very inquisitive and when inspecting the tags of one of my toys which "Santa" brought, I found that it said "Made in China". 

Cue light bulb moment. 

I knew that Santa was supposed to make the toys in the North Pole - and I knew that China definitely wasn't in the North Pole - So I confronted my Mum straight away. 

She was taking down the Christmas tree at the time, when I said.... 

"Santa's not real.. isn't he? That's why this says made in China" 

She looked at me half shocked and half upset because she knew it was coming and simply said "No... he isn't real"

I said "Oh, okay" before pondering what I'd just found out and getting hit with a massive realisation... 

"Oh gosh, Mum... The tooth fairy isn't real? The Easter Bunny isn't real either?!?!!" 

I don't know whether my Mum was more upset or I - not only had I found out that Santa wasn't real - everything else fell like dominoes! 

My mum reassured me and told me that no, they weren't real either - but I couldn't tell my sister or any of the other kids at school.

I still got to pretend that Santa, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy were real since my sister was younger and so were my cousins - but I remember bursting into tears when my sister found out that Santa wasn't real because my 11 year old self thought that Christmas was ruined and we'd never get any presents again :P 

Now, whilst Santa isn't real - that doesn't mean I can't giveaway presents to you - so how about a delicious Pistachio Pack from Wonderful Pistachios!

The lucky winner will receive a hamper containing;

• 3x Roasted and Salted Pistachios 
• 3x Salt and Pepper Pistachios 
• 3x Sweet Chilli Pistachios 
• 1x Joseph Aboud Pistachio Serving Dish (perfect for entertaining!) 

All you have to do to enter is tell me, 

How did you find out that Santa wasn't real? 

For additional entries; 

• "Like" Southern In Law on Facebook and sharing the Giftaway with your friends. 

PLEASE NOTE: I will need a way to contact you if you are the winner. On Facebook/Twitter/Instagram this is easy, however, if you are simply leaving a comment - be sure to leave your email address.

Competition closes Sunday 16th December, 2012 at 11:59pm EST. The winner will be chosen by a random generator and notified by email. This competition is only open to Australian Residents 

This giveaway is now closed.

A Secret Revealed! My Christmas Wishlist for 2012.

Secret? What secret?

On Friday, I let you know about a little secret favourite of the week that I had. Well now I can tell you what it is... 

Nope, the visa isn't approved yet. 

But....... 

Jesse is coming home for Christmas! He arrives next Saturday and will be here until the end of January. We've been keeping it a secret from family and friends until we got the all clear - and now we've got it!

Today's Christmas Blogging Challenge asks Your 2012 Christmas Wishlist? and it is now safe to say that my wishlist is a will-have-list. 

I can't wait for another Christmas spent with the one person I love more than anything, sun, family, friends and delicious food!

We are already creating our own Christmas traditions and decided that after spending last Christmas together, we would never spend another one apart. We were worried we wouldn't get to be together this Christmas - but we're keeping our promise to ourselves and getting exactly what we want! 

So tell me, what is on your Christmas list this year? 

25 Days of Blogging - Christmas Challenge! Day 1

Last Christmas

Hey lovelies, it's December 1st! That means Christmas is just around the corner, so when I saw Jenny's Christmas Blogging Challenge, I knew I had to jump right on the bandwagon - or should that be sleigh? 

I love Christmas. From New Years day, I wait impatiently for Christmas to come around. I try to stop myself from listening to Christmas Carols in June and I try to wait as long as I can before breaking out the Christmas plates and bowls (this year I lasted til November 1st ;P) 

I am the self proclaimed queen of Christmas. Decorations, gift wrapping, costumes, themed dinner sets - you name it, I have it (or want it). It's my favourite time of year and I totally don't understand how anyone could think otherwise. 

Now, What is my Favourite Christmas Movie? That's an easy one. 

There's nothing more I love than a good Christmas movie, but there is one particular one that I have watched almost every single year since I was little... 

Source

The Santa Clause with Tim Allen! Best of all, it's one of those rare movies where the sequel is still just as good - if not better!

The second my sister or I think about the Santa Clause 2 we think of this scene. Why? Because when the movie first came out, we watched it with our babysitter and laughed ourselves silly over...

"BUT DO WE STILL GET TOYS?!" 

Speaking of which, I really need to watch both the Santa Clause 1 & 2 this weekend! 

So tell me, what's your favourite Christmas movie?