Orange Cinnamon Cranberry Dip

I think cranberries are so pretty, I've always thought it was a shame that you can't eat them right out of a bowl like grapes! ;) But, simmer them down with just a few festive ingredients, and they're good to go! 

This Orange Cinnamon Cranberry Dip takes minutes to make and you have an instant appetizer that tastes just like Christmas! Watching cranberries "pop" in a pan on the stove is actually really fun too. :) The cranberries, orange and cinnamon make the perfect combination for holiday festivities!

You will need:

1 12 oz bag of fresh cranberries

1 1/2 cups sugar

Juice of 1 orange

1/2-1 tsp orange zest

2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cloves

Dash of nutmeg

1 8 oz pkg cream cheese

Crackers of choice

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, combine cranberries, sugar, orange, zest, and spices. Cut the orange and half and squeeze the juice out of each half with a citrus squeezer into the pan. 

2. Simmer on medium heat stirring often until all cranberries are cooked and sugar is dissolved. About 15 min. The cranberries will pop as they cook. Using a wooden spoon, gently squash them slightly a couple times while cooking. The goal is not to mash them but just help the juice out. 

3. Mixture will bubble. Turn off heat and stir. Allow to cool a few minutes or until no longer bubbling. 

4. Place a block of cold cream cheese onto a platter. Pour the cranberry mixture while still warm on top of the cream cheese. Serve with crackers immediately. 

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Healthier Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles

It's that time of year where there are literally cookies and desserts everywhere! It's so hard to resist. I fully  plan on indulging on some favorites here and there, but having few healthier options along the way can help keep the holiday bloat and sugar crashes from getting out of hand! ;) My favorite holiday treat is chocolate peanut butter truffles. They are just so delicious and small and way too easy to eat like 10 at once, so I decided to try a healthier version. 

I know chocolate isn't exactly healthy, but these aren't loaded with powdered sugar like many truffles, so they are not too high on the sugar scale. :)

Josy decided to taste test these while I was taking photos, so we rolled with it. Don't mind the smudged truffle, she tried to help herself to seconds haha! Don't worry, I did not let my baby eat a whole chocolate truffle! ;) Although, they were approved by her little taste buds!

Ingredients

1 Cup Pitted Medjool Dates

1/4 Cup Creamy Natural Peanut Butter (We use Skippy Natural)

1 Tsp Vanilla Extract

3/4 Cup Dark Chocolate Chips

1 Tsp Coconut Oil

1.  Grind dates, peanut butter, and vanilla together in a food processor. This is a very sticky combination, so it may take a few minutes to get everything smooth. I stopped the processor a few times to stir the mixture and I also used both the "chop" and "grind" settings on my processor. The goal is to chop the dates as finely as possible with minimal chunks. 

2. Line a small cookie sheet with wax paper. Roll tablespoon sized balls of the peanut butter mixture and lay an inch apart onto the cookie sheet. Refrigerate the balls for at least 2 hours. 

3. Microwave the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a microwavable bowl for 30 seconds. Stir and microwave for an additional 30 seconds. Remove from microwave and stir until smooth. 

4. Using a fork and spoon, dip the peanut butter balls into the melted chocolate while the balls are cold. The spoon can help cover the whole ball in chocolate. Life the ball out of the chocolate while its on the fork letting excess chocolate drain back into the bowl. 

5. Lay each chocolate covered ball back onto the wax paper spread an inch apart. Place the cookie sheet back into the fridge for 30 minutes. 

6. Once the chocolate has hardened, the truffles are ready to enjoy! We drizzled melted peanut butter on ours to spruce them up! Store in the fridge to keep from melting. Makes 12-15 truffles. 

Her face, I don't think she wanted to give it up! ;)