3 Gifts for the Hostess with the Mostest

When I get invited to dinners I like to bring a little something special with me for the Hostess and while a bottle of wine is ALWAYS a winner (in my books, anyway) it’s also fun to get a little more creative AND personal with your hostess gifts! So today I’m sharing three different hostesss gifts you can bring along to your next dinner date that will surely knock their socks off!

1. For the Coffee Lover: What’s better than some fresh coffee beans, cute new mugs, and HOMEMADE coffee cream?! Ummmm pretty much nothing!! LOL! If you know a friend who LOVES coffee OR is in the middle of moving, this is the perfect gift to keep their cooking and/or packing energy last!

• Vegan Almond / Hazelnut coffee cream (recipe below)
• Enamel mugs
• Antique spoons tied with ribbon (you can find these at any antique local store!)
• Fresh cherries in a bowl (use whatever is in season!)
• Tea towel
• Bag of favourite / local coffee
• Bud Vase for fresh flowers

Almond Cream Recipe
Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup raw almonds
• 1/2 cup raw hazelnuts
• 2 Medjool Dates
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 2 cups filtered water

Directions:

1. Soak almonds and hazelnuts overnight or for at least 8 hours.
2. Rinse thoroughly in strainer and place in a high-speed blender along with the dates, cinnamon, vanilla and sea salt and water. Blend on high for 2 two minutes. Strain through nut milking bag.
3. Strain through nut milking bag.  Alternatively, you can use cheesecloth or an old dish towel!
4. Store in airtight container for up to 4 days.

2. For the Brunch Babe: Bringing wine over for a dinner party is awesome… but sometimes it’s nice for the host not to have to worry about breakfast the next morning!!! Waking up to fresh berries, vegan yogurt, and homemade granola to make homemade breakfast parfaits after one too many glasses of wine the night before is a sweet gesture that goes a long way! Hosting dinner parties is a LOT of work and involves a ton of cleanup, so it’s nice for your host to have one less thing to worry about the following morning. Assemble your basket using your favourite breakfast items, and write a handwritten thank you note with the granola recipe for an added touch… trust me… your dinner host will LOVE you!!!

• Homemade granola (recipe below)
• Local fresh fruit or berries (use whatever’s in season!!)
• Vegan yogurt (Yoso is great, or homemade if you have the time … try this recipe from Minimalist Baker! )
• Fresh flowers in a bud vase
• Jar of local honey (we used Nude Bee Honey but ANY local honey will do!)
• Wood honey dipper stick
• A sweet note or tag
• Tea Towel

• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 3/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 3 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 2 cups crisp rice cereal
• 1/2 cup walnuts (or other nut/seed)
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 3 tbsp chia seeds (or flax, hemp etc.)

Directions:

3. For the Parent: Buying gifts for new parents can be tough, especially when you’re unsure of what they actually NEED. Buying practical, functional (and not to mention CUTE!) items from local small shops or your favourite store is the perfect way to celebrate their new addition and help a mama out. Includes all essentials a new mom could possibly need, including granola bars for those late night feeds!

In this basket we included:

• Granola Bars (recipe below)
• Building blocks
• Teether (The teether we included is from Otherware!)
• Baby book
• Mini mocs (These are from Freshly Picked!)
• Baby blanket
• Gingham romper (This is from Thimble Collection)
• Toy

• 1 cup pitted dates
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 2 tbsp melted coconut oil
• 1/3 cup peanut butter (sub sunflower seed butter for nut-free version!)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

Directions:

1. Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Place dates in a food processor and process until the dates are finely chopped and form a ball.
3. Add the oats and process for a few seconds until finely chopped. Add the coconut, coconut oil, peanut butter, vanilla and sea salt. Process until mixture is fully combined.
4. Scoop mixture into 8×8 pan and fresh down firmly and evenly until the mixture is compact and smooth.
5. Place the pan in the freezer for about 10 minutes.
6. Remove pan from freezer and slice the bars. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to one month.

photo credit

Want to buy the perfect gift for your nautical lover? Check out these wood maps of the great lakes.

There you have it! Aren’t these adorable ideas?! I know if someone brought this to me I would be over the moon!!! What do you think?? If you have some ideas of your own, make sure to share them with us below!

xo

Jilly