SANTA PAULA, CA – Thanksgiving may already be in our rearview mirror, but the holiday season is just heating up. For those consumers that find themselves in hosting mode for much of the month of December, a few helpful tips and tricks can help ease the holiday planning headache.

Here to save the day once again is Limoneira spokesperson and Healthy Grocery Girl’s Megan Roosevelt, with a wide array of her favorite holiday entertaining recipes and décor ideas, as well as Simply Quinoa Founder Alyssa Rimmer with a yummy, healthy holiday treat of her own. For a helpful demonstration, watch Megan create the following recipes in the video below, or continue further down to see the full instructions!

Now take a look at this month’s recipes and décor tips!

Cinnamon Orange Hot Coco

A deliciously sweet treat, sure to chase any winter blues away.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh squeezed Limoneira orange juice
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 cups non-dairy milk
• 3 tbsp raw cacao powder
• 3 tbsp real maple syrup
• 1 pinch sea salt

Directions: Juice a Limoneira navel orange. Add cinnamon sticks and orange juice to a small pot and simmer for 5 minutes. Then remove the cinnamon sticks, and add the milk, maple syrup, cacao powder, and just a pinch of sea salt. Whisk everything together until the hot cocoa is silky smooth. Finally, place back on the stove and heat until bubbling. Pour into mugs, top with just a couple of marshmallows (to taste) or even a cinnamon stick, and just a dash of navel orange zest as a finishing touch. Serve and enjoy!

Citrus Garland

Easy to make and lovely to look at—a holiday classic with a citrusy twist!

You’ll need:

• Garland greenery
• Dried Limoneira orange slices
• Ornament hooks

Directions: Take dried oranges (or lemons, for that matter) and an ornament hook (green is ideal, as they’re nearly invisible within the garland) and attach to each citrus slice. Use hooks to hang garland in the chosen location, and then hang citrus slices from the garland for a festive, totally D-I-Y décor piece—perfect for stair railings, mantles, or any flat surface where the citrus can hang.

GUEST VLOGGER RECIPE: Alyssa from Simply Quinoa's Vegan Lemon Protein Bites

Easy, delicious, and nutritionally-balanced, these are the perfect addition to the pre-dinner appetizer spread, or can be wrapped for a yummy present.

Ingredients:

• 12 medjool dates
• 1 cup brazil nuts
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• 1 tbsp maca powder
• 1 tbsp Limoneira lemon zest
• 1 tbsp cashew butter
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp water

Directions: Blend dates and brazil nuts in a food processor. Blend until a crumbly, dough-like texture forms. Add in remaining ingredients and blend until the dough becomes sticky. Use hands to roll into bite sized pieces – if it is too dry, add additional water or coconut oil to bring the ingredients together. Once rolled into balls, store in fridge or freezer until it’s time to enjoy them.

Want more Megan Roosevelt? Each month, Megan will be featuring another wonderful facet of citrus living. Don’t forget to subscribe to Limoneira’s Youtube channel for more information on the many ways this endlessly versatile fruit can improve life inside the home and beyond. Videos with more recipes, tips, and tricks not detailed in this release will be added to the channel each Friday throughout the month.

Limoneira