With less than a month til Christmas, you’ve probably had your Christmas Pudding happily maturing in the fridge for a few weeks or so by now.
No? Right on! There’s still time. And THIS is the recipe to do it with.
This is the one I’ve made for many years now but full disclosure - I can’t claim it as my own.
I discovered it on a (now non-existant) website called I Heart Scratch so shout out to Cath Noonan for adapting her grandmothers recipe. I honestly think that's another reason why I love it - it reminds me of my Baba in some way!
Anyway, NO ONE has ever known this is a paleo creation upon tasting it, and it always gets devoured in record time. So get amongst it folks. Or there’s always next year! But just know you can have your pudding and eat it too at Christmas time even if you’re following a grain-free, crap-free, paleo lifestyle – woo! And yes, of course brandy is paleo 🙂
Old news, but you do not have to lose the plot completely with your health over the festive season. You can choose to (you're an adult, remember) but you don’t have to.
There are so many ways to make it easier to keep your goals in sight. To list just a few, here’s some tips.
Stay active! Don’t become a slob. Move 🙂 You can still walk, enjoy more recreational activities than you might usually have time for...PLAY with your kids/nieces/nephews/cousins/grandkids/mates/family...fling yourself in the ocean...hire a SUP, surfboard or kayak...hit a yoga class...do a home bodyweight workout...try out the local fitness studio…the list is endless.
Try not to drink yourself under the table constantly! The special drops often come out at this time, the family liqueur, the good champagne, the good scotch, the espresso martini’s, the port, the usual beers, blah blah blah and they’re usually pretty free flowing. Hold up. You don’t have to hit the turps every single day to enjoy the festive spirit. You don’t always have to have an alcoholic beverage in your hand – a kombucha or sparkling water with fresh lime in a wine glass goes a long way.
Load up on protein and veggies/salad. Nourish 🙂. There’s always plenty of that stuff at Christmas! The ham, the chicken, the turkey, the prawns, the pork (whatever), the delicious fresh summer salads alongside traditional roast veggies…get in there. You can even bring a dish that fits your lifestyle to contribute if you're joining a group gathering.
Avoid arriving at an event starving! A great way to avoid hacking into the smorgasbord of treats and snacks at each Chrissy bash you go to is to have a healthy snack or meal before you arrive.
Don’t feel guilty for relaxing! Recharge 🙂. While staying active and eating well will help negate some of the effects of indulging, there’s nothing better than an arvo nap, chilling with a good book, and waking up naturally without an alarm clock.
Here’s a different perspective for you if you’re still caught in the ‘holidays are open season’ thing nutritionally:
Going nuts over the festive season is NOT a ‘reward’, and you’re NOT ‘treating yourself’.
In a way you’re actually treating yourself poorly. So be a smart cookie and choose not to treat yourself poorly for too long. In short, you deserve better!
I’ll leave you with this final thought though.
We ALL enjoy some indulgences at this time of year (often a few more than usual). And in addition to that, there’s also the very real concept of Soul Food (loosely translated to ‘if you’re lucky enough to get to sit with your grandma and eat her pasta…eat the damn pasta’).
So I'm technically a little early...but Merry Christmas everyone, enjoy each moment, have a wonderful break if you’re lucky enough to be getting one, enjoy precious time with family if you're lucky enough to be able to, and most importantly practice gratitude – always.
EPIC PALEO CHRISTMAS PUDDING
Ingredients
200g currants
200g sultanas
200g pitted prunes
100g raisins
zest and juice of 1 orange
4 tbsp brandy
50g coconut flour
120g almond meal
1/4 tsp mixed spice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp bicarb soda
1 pinch Himalayan sea-salt
50g coconut sugar
50g slivered almonds
100g leaf lard or beef suet, finely chopped (I use Yorkfoods Lard due to limited options in my neck of the woods - grassfed if you can)
3 large eggs (OR 4 smaller eggs), beaten
Method
In a large mixing bowl, combine the currents, sultanas, prunes, raisins, orange zest, orange juice and brandy. Cover and leave to rest for 4 hrs, or overnight.
Once you’re ready to proceed, start to boil a large deep pot of water and while the water is coming to the boil, prepare the pudding as per below.
In another mixing bowl, sift the coconut flour, almond meal, spices, bi-carb soda and salt.
To the same bowl, add the finely chopped leaf lard (or beef suet), massaging it thoroughly through with your fingers, until it resembles bread crumbs (just like you might do if you were making a pastry with butter and flour).
Add the beaten eggs, coconut sugar and slivered almonds and mix thoroughly.
Add the fruit and mix thoroughly.
Press into a greased and lined pudding steamer and secure the lid. If without a lid then cover with one layer of baking paper, then two layers of aluminium foil and tie very, very tightly with string.
Plunge into boiling water, no deeper than the rim of the steaming pot. Boil covered for 5 hours. Top up the water regularly to the same level.
Do not remove the lid, but allow to cool before transferring to the fridge until required.
Before serving, boil for another 2 hours, then rest for 20 minutes before removing from the pot.
Serve with a yummy caramel sauce or custard (google is your friend for some great paleo options)
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