The holiday is here once again. As we all know, it is easy to over indulge in everything that this season has to offer. However, there are many ways to stay healthy over the Christmas holidays and we can start from the Healthy Christmas drinks. No holiday party and celebration are completed without toasting to a classic Christmas beverage. More often than not, Christmas drinks contain ingredients that are not very healthy. Most of these drinks are traditionally made with rich, calorie and sugar-laden ingredients.
But here comes Agness with her creative healthy solutions! I discovered these fun and festive Christmas drinks that are healthy and yummy some time ago and I decided to share them with you here. I believe that there is no reason not to enjoy the holidays with these 5 healthy Christmas drinks recipes:
#1 Vegan Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate
For me, holiday indulgence is more often than not associated with hot chocolate, and this pumpkin spiced hot chocolate makes it even more special. This recipe is so versatile that I was able to transform it from a beverage to a pudding dessert by adding 2 ½ tablespoons of cornstarch, heating on the stove, and letting it set in a refrigerator. It is even better than my mocha latte recipe I shared with you some time ago!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- ½ cup pumpkin (tinned)
- 2 ½ cups non-dairy milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- Stevia or other natural sweeteners
Preparation
- Use a blender to mix up all the ingredients except for the sweetener. Use a medium speed to blend, and wait until it gets smooth.
- Add sweetener to taste.
- Heat in a saucepan or microwave until steaming before serving in mugs.
#2 Low-fat Eggnog
Eggnog is the ultimate holiday drink, and for my family, no gathering is complete without this treat. However, the traditional ingredients of eggnog are full of calories. This low-fat version that I served last Christmas is a great, delicious alternative. The best thing about it is that it only has half the calories of the regular version.
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 6 cups 1% milk
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- Stevia or other natural sweeteners to taste
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup brandy, rum, or bourbon
- ¼ cup light whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Preparation
- Simmer freshly grated nutmeg and milk in a medium saucepan. Use low heat and stir occasionally.
- In a large bowl, whisk eggs, flour, sugar, and salt until smooth. While whisking, add hot milk. Return the mixture to the saucepan.
- In a very low heat, cook the eggnog. Don’t forget to stir constantly. Stir until it is thick enough to cover the back of the spoon. This usually takes about 1 to 15 minutes, but remember that temperature must reach 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove the eggnog from heat and pour through a fine-meshed sieve into a bowl.
- Whisk in the alcohol. Place a plastic wrap on the surface. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours.
- Add cream and serve with grated nutmeg before serving.
#3 Vegan Gingerbread Cookie Smoothie
This festive drink is a perfect combination of my childhood holiday memories and healthy living. Drinking it makes me go back to the nostalgia of eating gingerbread cookies for Christmas, without the guilt of extra calories. You can add more spices depending on your taste buds.
Ingredients
- 1 frozen banana
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 1 teaspoon all spice
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon vanilla flavour
Preparation
- Mix all the ingredients in a blender.
- Taste, and adjust spices as needed.
- Pour into a glass and serve.
#4 Hot Cider with Apple Brandy and Spices
Hot cider is perfect to warm up the cold winter nights, and adding exotic spices will definitely add an aromatic twist to this classic. This drink, which I prepared in only 25 minutes, is diabetic appropriate, gluten-free, low-calorie and low-fat. If you don’t like apple cider, you can substitute with apple juice. For a more festive twist, you can use sparkling apple cider.
Ingredients
- 8 cups apple cider
- 4 whole cloves
- 4 whole allspice berries
- 4 cinnamon sticks
- 4 whole cardamom seeds
- 1 cup brandy
Preparation
- Combine apple cider and all the spices in a saucepan.
- Let it simmer for about 20 minutes, and then add the brandy.
- Serve hot in mugs.
#5 Sparkling Wine Cocktail
Nothing says holiday party than sparkling wine. If you love cranberries and cinnamon as much as I do, it is a perfect festive celebration drink for you. This is a big hit with my friends!
Ingredients
To prepare cinnamon-honey green tea syrup:
- ¾ cup water
- 6 organic green tea bags
- ¾ cup raw honey
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
To make the cocktail:
- 1 ounce of the cinnamon-honey green tea syrup
- 1 ½ ounces pure vodka
- 3 ounces chilled sparkling wine
- dried cranberries
Preparation
Step 1: making cinnamon honey-green tea syrup:
- Boil water in a saucepan and add green tea bags. Let it steep for approximately 3 minutes.
- Remove the tea bags and add some raw honey stirring very slowly.
- Let it cool and refrigerate for around 2 hours.
- Just before using, stir in cinnamon.
Step 2: making the cocktail:
- Mix 1 ounce of honey syrup, add vodka.
- Top with sparkling wine.
- Add dried cranberries.
Hope you will enjoy these delicious and healthy drinks this Christmas!
What’s your favourite yummy and healthy Christmas drink?
Mmm, these all sound delicious! I’ll take the egg nog please:-)
My favourite one! MNIAM!
As an Australian I’ve never really understood the whole thing about “pumpkin spice” flavoured things. I really must try something like your hot chocolate some time – I want to know what all the fuss is about!!
I don’t get it either, Tim, but everyone is crazy about it 😀
Lovely They are so delicious!!Merry Christmas
Thank you my dear. Hope you had a lovely Christmas this year!! 🙂
Yeah – that Gingerbread cookie smoothie is going to become my staple! I keep those ingredients on hand year round and love to wrap up the evening with a hot drink.
It was super delicious, you have to try it, Alicia!