Grace Mortimer – one of our BePure Holistic Health Consultants, showered the office in festivity by creating a beautiful Christmas cake that packed full of nutrients, and gentle on the blood sugar roller coaster.

A lot of Christmas cakes are laden with sugar which, alongside every other seasonal treat, adds to the blood sugar rollercoaster our poor bodies have to go through at this time of year. This cake is sweetened through natural fruit and coconut sugar which contain essential vitamins and minerals. 

Nuts and seeds contain proteins and fats which help to slow the release of glucose/sugar into our bloodstream.

Christmas is supposed to be a fun time of the year to celebrate and spend time with loved ones, it can also be a very stressful time. By still nourishing and caring for our bodies, we can keep levels of inflammation low. And as we know, inflammation in the body also means inflammation in the brain. Meaning that when our bodies aren't stressed from a physiological stand point, it's easier to avoid emotional stress making it easier to relax and just enjoy ourselves.

Meaning that when our bodies aren't stressed from a physiological stand point, it's easier to avoid emotional stress making it easier to relax and just enjoy ourselves.

In summary, our one tip for enjoying a very merry Christmas, is to nourish yourself first to ensure that your body is getting the essential nutrients it needs to operate happily – load up on the beautiful fresh veggies, some protein, and healthy fats before sampling some of the festive treats!

Ingredients

• 200g of craisins

• 200g of raisins

• 2 Tbsp honey

• ¼ cup goji berries

• Zest and juice of 1 orange

• Juice of 1 lemon

• ½ apple, grated

• 1 tsp of mixed spice

• ½ tsp vanilla extract

• 100g of butter/coconut oil, softened

• ½ cup plain greek yoghurt/coconut yoghurt

• ½ cup coconut sugar

• 2 eggs

• 1 cup blanched almonds

• ¾ cup whole brazil nuts

• ¾ cup whole walnuts

• 150g whole apricots

• 150g dried figs

• 75g lemon and orange peel cooked in 1 Tbsp of honey*

• ½ cup sunflower seeds

• ½ tsp baking powder

• ½ cup almond meal

*Bought citrus peel can be laden with sugar and is very easy to make yourself. Dice up the peel from an orange and lemon. Cook this in a pan over a medium heat with 1 Tbsp of honey. Cook until sticky and no liquid remains.

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 150ºC degrees. Prepare a 20cm round bundt cake tin with baking paper.

2. Combine the first group of ingredients and let them sit for at least an hour.

3. Beat the softened butter, yoghurt and coconut sugar. Then beat in the 2 eggs, one at a time. Add this mixture to the soaked fruit. Fold through the remaining ingredients.

4. Pack the mixture into the prepared cake tin. Bake for 2 ¼ - 2 ½ hours until a skewer comes out clean. Cover the cake with foil and allow to cool in the tin.

Learn more about our 
BePure Holistic and Scientific Health Clinic