Gifts That Give

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It’s the time of year we’re all putting together gift lists—a roasting pan for Aunt Dottie, iTunes bucks for your favorite nephew. But consider, too, gifts that give to others as we give to those we love. Here are some ideas:

gifts-giveGIVE A FREE GIFT

Good Search. What a brilliant concept to do good while doing your holiday shopping online. Choose your cause and Good Search makes a donation every time you search. You can even download a Good Search toolbar (powered by Yahoo).

Let’s Say Thanks. An excellent idea by Xerox and absolutely free. Choose a card design, add a greeting and the card will be printed and sent to a member of the US military stationed overseas (you can’t specify who they go to). A great way to brighten a deserving person’s day during the holidays.

FEED SOMEONE

Feeding America. For a donation as low as $35, Feeding America will send you up to five Honor cards to send to family or friends that read “A gift has been made in your honor to FEEDING AMERICA.” Feeding America is the nation’s largest charitable hunger relief organization, rallying action through community both online and off, and advocating on behalf of 49 million hungry Americans.

Share Our Strength. One out of six children worry about when their next meal will come. Buy and send a few e-cards from Share Our Strength and help feed children across the country.

BUY GOOD FOOD

Order Cookies, Fight Cancer for Kids. The organization Cookies for Kids’ Cancer gained momentum raising money through bake sales. Now, they’ve partnered with a 25-year old family bakery in California to offer cute packages of cookies in flavors like Triple Chocolate Chunk and Chewy Oatmeal Raisin (with no preservatives or trans fats) with 100% of the profits go towards funding pediatric cancer research.

Baking For Good. Don’t feel like baking? Shop this online bakery that uses organic, local and seasonal ingredients in concocting goodies like cinnamon blondies and caramel corn, then choose a cause you’d like to support at checkout. Baking for Good will donate 15% of your purchase to the organization you picked.

HELP A FAMILY

Common Hope. This amazing organization is close to our heart for many reasons. Browse their Gift Catalog to purchase a stove, doctor’s visits, textbooks, etc. for Guatemalan families involved in the program.

Save the Children. Choose gifts from their holiday catalog ranging from education to livestock to health care and Save the Children will send a personalized holiday card to your honoree for free.

SHOP FOR A CAUSE

Global Goods Partners. Very cool handmade wares–from jewelry to bags to dolls–from this non-profit organization promoting fair trade, sustainable livelihoods and social justice.

Menu for Hope. Brought to us by Chez Pim and now in its sixth year, Menu for Hope features an array of food and wine related gifts to bid on, with proceeds going towards the Purchase for Progress initiative of the World Food Program.

Do you know of other gifts that give? Let us know here in this Mindful Meals conversation.

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Ruby-Studded Meringue Buttons

These little meringue buttons studded with cranberry and cherry “rubies” and slivered almonds are light as air. They make gorgeous gifts, and are great as little nibbles amid the rich fare of the holidays.

ruby-studded-meringue-recipe

8 large egg whites, at room temperature
Sea salt
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup dried cherries and cranberries, finely chopped
1/2 cup blanched and slivered almonds, lightly toasted

Preheat oven to 175 degrees F and arrange racks in top and bottom thirds of the oven. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.

In a clean metal bowl, beat egg whites and a pinch of salt in a stand mixer with a whisk attachment on high speed (or use a handheld mixer fitted with whisk attachments) to just beyond when they hold soft peaks (about a minute). Add sugar gradually, continuing to beat until all the sugar is incorporated and the mixture makes stiff peaks. Add the almond extract and continue beating a bit longer until peaks turn shiny. Total beating time will be about 2-1/2 minutes.

Scoop mixture into a pastry bag (you may have to do this in two batches, depending on the size of your pastry bag) fitted with a mid-sized fluted tip and pipe 1-inch mounds, leaving a finger-width of space in between each. Continue piping until mixture is used up and both sheets are filled.

Carefully sprinkle the fruit and almonds onto the meringues. Bake for 2 hours, swapping the cookie sheets half way through. Turn off the oven and let the meringues cool in the oven for 30 minutes.

Makes 100

  • http://www.jamieliving.blogspot.com Jamie G. Dougherty (JAMIE|LIVING)

    Fantastic list! When I tried to forward it with the twitter button, it came up as a blank page and wouldn’t forward. Just FYI. THANKS!

  • http://nourishnetwork.com/members/liahuber/ Lia Huber

    Glad you like, Jamie! And thanks for the heads-up on the Twitter button . . . we’re aware of the glitch and waiting on our developer to take care of it. Thanks!

  • http://nourishnetwork.com/members/mountainrn/ mountainrn

    Thanks so much for this list. We are short on $$ and needed some ideas for meaningful gifts for our adult kids. My mother-in-law makes up laundry baskets full of her home canning (dilly beans are a big hit) and raspberry oatmeal bars (my oldest boys love these) so I think the meringue buttons are a great idea! Again, thanks.

    steph

  • http://nourishnetwork.com/members/liahuber/ Lia Huber

    You’re so very welcome, Steph. Those sound like great ideas too! I’ll have to get that recipe for the dilly beans . . .