No Bacon of the Month Club here. Just 10 ideas for delicious gifts that promote heart health. These are my top picks – things I would be happy to get myself (hint, hint, family members!)
During tangerine season, I do a very non-locavore thing: I order 10 pounds of organic satsumas from California. And I don’t regret it for a minute! These things put regular old tangerines to shame. Plus, a recent study revealed that tangerines contain a flavonoid that can help protect against atherosclerosis.
Mushrooms are a natural source of lovastatin, which can help limit cholesterol production. But the real reason to get this cool-ass mushroom kit is because it’s, well, cool-ass. You just mist this thing every day and amazing oyster mushrooms start growing out of it. You’ll really blow people away with this gift.
3. Olio Nuovo
We all know that olive oil is heart healthy. But freshly-harvested olio nuovo – which is released in December – has the highest concentration of heart-healthy antioxidants. It’s also the freshest, most intense olive oil you will ever taste. Lucero is one of many good California producers. Be sure to use it up within 3 or 4 months.
4. Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi
Every time I open this vegetarian cookbook, I get lost in the truly unusual Mediterranean-influenced recipes and the stunning photography. Love the cool padded cover, too. Some of the recipes include dairy, but I’ve hard good luck using nonfat yogurt, etc. And there are plenty of vegan options.
Everybody knows that dark chocolate is heart-healthy. And everybody’s happy when they get amazing dark chocolate for a gift. Lagusta’s Luscious was quite a discovery for me. Where else can you find a “Smoky Corn on the Cob” chocolate bar? And it’s all vegan. Yay.
Beans for a gift? Um, yeah, definitely. Rancho Gordo heirloom beans are an addiction for me, and I’m sure my cardiologist is happy about that! This gift box is a must for any budding beanhead.
7. Nuts
Nuts are a heart health super food. I eat them every day – they are my favorite cholesterol-lowering medicine. Fastachi nuts are particularly fresh and delicious. Anyone who is used to eating only supermarket nuts – which can be really old and stale – will go crazy for these. I may order some myself, to make my soon-to-be-famous spicy nut mix. (Recipe coming shortly!)
Wild salmon is the best choice, but it’s not available fresh during the winter months. This smoked salmon gift pack from Vital Choice is a great mid-winter treat. Their smoked wild Alaskan salmon is not only sustainably harvested, it’s also up to 50% lower in sodium than standard brands.
9. Molcajete
The unusual make-up of the fat in avocados is said to help lower cholesterol and reduce inflammation. So I always include a bowl of guacamole at my parties, along with baked tortilla chips. And when you make and serve the guacamole in an authentic molcajete, it makes this healthy snack look impressive.
10. Homemade Pumpkin Cranberry Bread
If you want to give a homemade gift of food, I highly recommend my pumpkin cranberry bread. To say it’s one of the best vegan baked goods ever doesn’t do it justice – it’s great even compared to similar, butter-filled breads. Wrap it up pretty and get ready for the raves.
Happy healthy holiday shopping,
Cathy
Enjoyed this post… beautiful ift ideas. I am considering gifting myself with the book ‘Plenty’
Great gift ideas for the ones we love. Thanks. I’ve just recently found your blog but I’ve been enjoying it a lot. I made the roasted veggie soup already, loved it.
Perfect timing, thanks! I love the idea of the Rancho Gordo beans – think I’ll go to the store to pick some up today along with a few other goodies and start making my own gift baskets!
Great post. You’ve turned me on to lots of things right up my alley here!
I totally loved this post. The gift ideas are fantastic and I know it’s way past the holidays now but the first website for organic produce is priceless & perfect for birthdays. Also, thanks for turning me onto Lagusta’s chocolates! I adore your blog.
Thanks, Kelley. Glad you liked the gift ideas!