Do you have fond memories of time spent in the kitchen making gingerbread cookies while snow fell lightly outside? Perhaps you’ve never baked in your life, or you have a dear family member with various dietary restrictions, or maybe you just want to make healthier treats. Whatever the reason, we’ve got a list of key ingredients that will make baking healthy and tasty.

Spice and something nice  

When I was growing up, I loved to help my mom and grandma make cookies. I remember reaching for the bottle of vanilla extract and taking a big whiff of the sweet aroma. I realized that my favourite baking ingredient was a total fraud when I got older! It was nothing more than water, sugar and artificial flavour. Now that I’m old enough to bake all by myself, I use natural,organic vanilla extract by Simply Organic. Their organic spices are great too! Unfortunately, conventional spices from the grocery store are often irradiated, a food safety practice that can cause food to lose valuable nutrients and flavour. I’m happy to say Simply Organic does not irradiate any of their organic dried herbs or spices. 

Allergy-friendly chocolate 

Chocolate is a baking staple but isn’t always allergy-friendly or health-conscious.  We’ve talked about the challenges aroundallergies and sensitivities duringHalloween, but this can be just as frustrating during the holiday season. Many desserts contain chocolate made with or contain traces of dairy, soy and other common allergens. Kardish offers many chocolate alternatives made without dairy, gluten, soy, and more. So head to your nearest Kardish for your allergy-friendly chocolate baking needs. 

Butter without the dairy 

Many beloved baked treats call for butter and lots of it. But what if you are lactose intolerant, vegan, or simply avoid dairy products? Sometimes coconut oil can do the trick, but recipes like pie crust and cookies don’t always work with it as a substitute. We likeEarth Balance Spreads because they can easily replace butter in your favourite recipes. It spreads smoothly like margarine, but don’t worry because it contains no hydrogenated oil. It can be used to make a rich caramel sauce, moist cookies and even frosting for cakes and squares!

Local ingredients 

Eggs are a staple in many traditional recipes. Beking’s is a family-run farm in eastern Ontario that has been producing eggs for over 40 years. What makes Beking’s special is their dedication to natural farming methods; their hens are not fed antibiotics or hormones and are cage-free. At Kardish, these eggs are a popular purchase throughout the entire year! Don’t eat eggs? You can always whip up a vegan alternative using ground flax or chia. It’s simple; just whisk together 1 tablespoon of either flax or chia with 3 tablespoons of warm water. Let the mixture sit for a minute, and you’ve got an excellent replacement for one whole egg.