My Advent Calendar – 20 Dec – Stop hurrying about, breathe and take a moment to review

Workwise, things are winding down. Tomorrow will be my last trip into town (ie the central city) till the new year, so an opportunity for some last minute errands.

Today’s Xmas activity was to sit down quietly with a pad and a pen and review where things are at.

• What Xmas tasks still need to be done?
• What gifts need to be bought?
• Any more e-cards I need to send?
• What food prep still needs to happen?
• What groceries still need to be bought?
• When will I do each of these things?

Now I have a list, and a plan for the next few days. And a shopping list to take to town tomorrow.

What about you guys? How are your plans coming along?

I can’t help with what you have to do, but if you’re still stressing about what to cook, I always have ideas up my sleeve. Sometimes too many. Remember how I was toying with the idea of turkey patties for Xmas Day with Mama Frot? My mind kept tossing up a new idea, and before too long I had a list of possibilities written in my kitchen journal.

• Turkey patties with cranberry sauce on the side
• Turkey patties with cranberries inside
• Turkey meatloaf with cranberry sauce
• Turkey meatloaf stuffed with cranberry sauce
• A roulade, with, you guessed it, turkey, mozzarella and cranberry sauce inside
• Little pies with an almond cheese crust, turkey mince inside and of course, cranberry sauce on top
• A pizza with … oh by now you know what would be on top – or maybe it would be a meatza with turkey as the crust

You’re starting to get a glimpse into the sad anal, workings of my mind. Frot is my polar opposite, which is sometimes a good thing and sometimes not so much.

But my final decision is little mini meatloafs, cooked in my new star shaped silicon molds, with keto cranberry sauce on the side. Yes, it can be made keto, or so I’m told. Anyway, that’s enough about that for now – but a trial run is in order, so you’ll see how it turned out in a couple of days time.

What other ideas do I have for you? OK, we already did Xmas morning possibilities here. You probably have the main meal already organised. So let’s recap some of my recent and not-so-recent recipes for before and afters.

If you want to avoid chippies (crisps) or wheat based crackers, my almond based cheesy Xmas stars make a nice alternative. I like them with pâté, and they also go well with hummus, guacamole or a sour cream or feta dip.

I also posted a while back about some finger food I put together for a family gathering. Check it out, it may give you some ideas.

Spiced nuts are another healthier option – I posted those here

This time last year, I was trialling a low carb cream cheese cookie. It was nice, but now that I’ve discovered lakanto, I would use that as a sweetener instead.

I’ve recently posted my easy Xmas cake, and keto brownies and yesterday was all about the gingerbread.

Or try something from my range of homemade chocolates and fudges made from creamed coconut.

Ok, that’s me for the day

But if there is a particular favourite that you want to swap to low carb, low sugar or whatever you need, feel free to ask below, in case I’ve already had a crack at it.

See you tomorrow!

• Day 1 – Carol singing with the NZ Symphony Orchestra
• Day 2 – Kilbirnie Santa Parade
• Day 3 – Posting overseas Xmas cards & a Xmas themed exercise class
• Day 4 – Last minute book buying
• Day 5 – Last choir rehearsal for the year
• Day 6 – Choosing gifts for the Xmas game
• Day 7 – Xmas lunch with my exercise class
• Day 8 – Xmas spiced nuts
• Day 9 – Xmas tree time
• Day 10 – Last arthritis class for the year, and a sugar free brownie recipe
• Day 11 – A choir performance
• Day 12 – Taking marinated chicken wings to the choir Xmas party
• Day 13 – The NZ local xmas cards & some e-cards
• Day 14 – Planning the Xmas menus and best dessert ever
• Day 15 – Making gluten & sugar free Xmas cakes
• Day 16 – Xmas dinner with the Possums
• Day 17 – Cranberry smoothie & other nourishing Festive breakfasts
• Day 18 – Green Eggs & Ham
• Day 19 – Gingerbread men

Thanks for reading

Top image from Pixabay (before the text). Other photos by me.

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