Each year, when the calendar page shows December, my girlfriends would arm themselves with a battery of vigorous workout sessions and insane diet regimens.
Nope, they’re not having a mass wedding or renewing their vows together. This is just a preparation they all go through to enjoy their Christmas parties while keeping the guilt trip to Blubberland at bay.
With so many high-calorie sinful temptations during the festive celebrations, it’s only fitting that one should fear the battle of the bulge afterward. Zenxin Agri-Organic has concocted several solutions for excellent-tasting, reduced-calorie dishes.
I used to be a staunch believer that anything healthy can’t taste half as good as the real thing. After securing a date with Mrs Ceridwen Wolf, Zenxin Agri-Organic’s Product Manager, I went to the hypermart, certain that Mrs Wolf wouldn’t succeed in budging my judgment, much less my taste buds.
But I was so wrong.
Upon reaching my destination, I was shoved aside, between a Christmas tree and the demonstration table, by an army of “aunties” determined to learn how to make healthy, yummy dishes.
Mrs Wolf whipping up some Christmas cheer.
Undeterred, I watched as the amiable Mrs Wolf quickly whipped up a batch of Delish Christmas Eggs and, at the same time, good-naturedly fielded the fast, robust queries the spectators threw at her.
“Whatever your grandmother ate would be the best thing for you to eat,” Mrs Wolf announced, offering the plate of delicious eggs. These were, in my opinion, named aptly as they were pretty tasty.
The mix of tangy, sweet, and tasty herbs was perfectly balanced, and they will be great starters or finger food.
Zesty Cranberry Sauce
Next, she put together a saucer of Zesty Cranberry Sauce to go with the turkey, and boy, did it smell like Christmas. Not only was the sauce tasty with a lovely tart, sweet finish, but it was also a visual treat. Its natural ruby red coloring will bring out the Christmas spirits and smells when drizzled over desserts or turkey.
But the one thing that sold me was the Sweet Potato Pie. One bite into the sweet potato, and the whole floor went silent. The filling was smooth, sweet, and decadent, with the right touch of spices. I was sure this was one dessert I’d be lugging to many potluck parties over Christmas and New Year’s. The best thing about them is that they’re dead easy to prepare!
Do not freak out if you are craving after the recipes! It’s here for all to see!
Ingredients:
6 organic eggs
1 pct fresh organic chives
1 pct fresh organic Italian parsley
1 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp gourmet mustard
Freshly ground sea salt and black pepper
Preparation:
1. Gently boil cold water and room-temperature eggs and simmer for around 5 minutes. Any longer, and your yolks will turn pale and lose their vibrant yellow.
2. Plunge the eggs into ice-cold water to cool them off. This will contract the eggs from the shells and allow them to be peeled without getting craters in their skin.
3. Peel the eggs carefully and halve them.
4. Carefully remove the yolks and mash with the other ingredients. Use a teaspoon to replace the mixture with the white half eggs, and serve on a bed of lettuce.
Ingredients:
2 cups washed fresh organic cranberries
1 stick of cinnamon
6 cloves
Juice of 1 orange
6-8 thinly pared strips of orange peel or organic orange zest
1⁄2 cup organic brown sugar
1⁄2 cup of water
Preparation:
1. Dissolve the brown sugar in the water by heating it in a saucepan.
2. Add the spices and orange zest and let this simmer for 3 minutes until the room smells like Christmas. Then, add the cranberries and orange juice.
3. Simmer gently until thickened to the desired consistency. Be careful; the cranberries will pop and fly out of the pan unless you keep the lid on.
Ingredients:
2 cups Zenxin organic baked sweet potato
1⁄2 cup butter
1⁄4 tsp ground cinnamon
1⁄4 tsp ground nutmeg
1⁄4 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp pure vanilla essence
1⁄2 cup organic brown sugar
2 organic eggs
1⁄2 cup organic cream
1 tbsp organic self-raising flour
1⁄2 cup organic walnut pieces
230g instant shortcut pastry
9-inch flan pie tin
Topping:
2 tbsp butter
1⁄4 cup organic brown sugar
1⁄2 cup walnut pieces
A pinch of salt
Preparation:
1. Bake 4 medium-sized sweet potatoes in the oven at 180°C for approximately 70 mins. Leave to cool and then peel off the skin. The longer you bake this, the sweeter the filling will be, as the sweet potato will caramelize.
2. Butter the flan tin and cover with the pastry.
3. Measure 2 cups of sweet potato, add the butter, spices, and vanilla, and mix well.
4. Stir in the 2 eggs, brown sugar, organic cream, flour, and walnut pieces.
5. Place mixture in a flan dish and place this in the oven to bake for approximately 55 minutes. If you stick a knife into the pie and it comes out clean, it’s done.
6. While the pie is baking, prepare the topping.
7. In a low-heat saucepan, dissolve the butter and brown sugar. Wait until the mixture bubbles, then add the walnuts and a pinch of salt.
8. Stir for another 2 minutes, then remove from the heat and pour onto a marble slab to cool or leave it aside in the pan to cool. Crumble and sprinkle over the pie to finish.
You can find more recipes by Mrs Wolf here.
