Are the holidays creeping up on you? If you’re in a bit of a panic because you haven’t started yet, we’ve got you covered.

With the holidays as they are, it’s just plain busy, we all acknowledge that. Last-minute wrapping, running around, shopping and the dreaded cleaning. The list goes on.

Realistically, we can’t wrap up time – we wish! So we’ve compiled some great finds we love here at Chickapea to help you save time finding the perfect gift, so you and your loved ones can enjoy more quality holiday time. Isn’t that what the holidays are all about?

Whether you need a healthy meal to feed your family after work, an elaborate dinner or a quick method, these are some of our Chickapea picks. Then sit back and relax!

Creative Cooking

There’s nothing wrong with a few short-cuts in the kitchen, especially when Nona’s Sauces are Vegan, dairy free and gluten free sauces made with Italian old family recipes with a taste for today. Save the time and sit back and enjoy! Use these sauces over veggies, as a tasty chip or veggie dip or serve with Chickapea pasta for a completely protein and nutritious packed meal.

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Food to Your Door

Take some of the pressure off of grocery shopping. We’re talking real food, chef quality and  organic fruit and vegetable deliveries.

Cook Like a Chef with Chef’s Plate. It’s literally a chef’s meal delivered to your door for you to prepare. Whether you’re a fantastic chef too busy to shop, or someone who wants to learn, the meal kits are a perfect gift! They have gift certificates you can purchase online.

Every ingredient is measured out and included in the box with a detailed recipe card including a picture of what the dish looks like prepared. Easy meal ordering from locally sourced specialty ingredients, meats are antibiotic and hormone free and there is no waste! Sign me up.

Organic Box Deliveries

Save shopping time and get fresh, organic local foods delivered right to your door. How awesome it that? Give someone a subscription for a gift that will keep on giving.

• Organics Live [ACCOUNT SUSPENDED? BROKEN LINK?]
  This amazing company works only with 100% certified organic farms to bring you fresh and tasty products. They have a very easy ordering system so you can place your orders from home or on your cell – have to love that. And, 100% satisfaction guaranteed. You can also modify your order to suit your schedule or find you’re getting too much or too little.
• Mama Earth Organics
  Mama Earth Organics lets you trace exactly where the products in your basket come from. That ’s pretty cool! Most baskets include certified organic fruits and vegetables, though you can opt to toss in other items such as coffee or eggs. We do love the feature of the “Never Send” list because we all have that picky eater.

Savvy Cooking Equipment

The Instant Pot – The name says it all! This countertop pressure cooker has bloggers and cooks going wild. There are 7 main features but what’s so incredible is the time-saving factor. It is a slow cooker AND pressure cooker in one unit. Unlike a slow cooker, this can brown and saute meat – that’s fantastic! And you can literally get home from work and have a roast that night for dinner, because let’s face it, sometimes dinner is not your first thought at 6 am. Dishes like risotto, which takes plenty of stove time, can be made in approximately 10 minutes. And no pre-soaking beans, it’s easy to clean, and the list goes on. Over the holidays, the Instant Pot can save the busy cook plenty of time to have more time to enjoy.

This Kitchen Aid Immersion Blender is a must-have time-saver tool in the kitchen. Don’t worry, it’s not just for chefs, although you’d be hard-pressed to find a professional chef that doesn’t own one. Rather than pulling out a big blender and having to do all that cleaning, this tool can smooth out soups, sauces, salad dressings and even smoothies. Especially, for moms with picky eaters, create a delicious pasta sauce with all kinds of your favourite vegetables, then blend away! Serve over some Chickapea pasta and they’ll never know what’s in it. Then you can sit back and enjoy watching them eat all of those nutrients.

It really is an essential kitchen tool! Quick & Easy. It will be your favourite kitchen item in no time.

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Be Merry & Well over the Holidays – Give the Gift of Wellness

Goodness Me offers a diversified choice of classes that would appeal to anybody on your list. There are so many options about nutrition, wellness and lifestyle choices from kids classes, Warming Herbs for Winter, Simple Holiday Treats to Optimizing Brain Power.

View All Classes at Goodness Me

Hire a cleaning company or give the gift of cleanliness. No joke. What busy mom wouldn’t want someone to come in and get their house in top shape before the holidays? Or maybe they’d prefer it after the holidays, now there’s a thought. Imagine how much extra time you are gifting them! If they have a service, get them a pre-paid visit or check out local companies online. Referrals are always the best from friends.

How fun is this? The ultimate tea lover gift – a christmas tree with 12 festive blends – Oh Christmas Treat from DavidsTeas. Single servings like Santa’s Secret, Spiced Apple, Cardamom French Toast! What? Put this on the wish list!

Still Stumped? Read-on.

South Georgian Bay Community Cookbook – Celebrating Southern Georgian Bay is the perfect gift for any person on your list, far or near. Easy-to-follow recipes by local food businesses showcases the amazing culinary talent in our area. Share the beauty of this book and support local.

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Gift of Time Together

We often shy away from gift certificates because they can often seem impersonal but can be so thoughtful if they’re based around spending time together. Package a dinner gift certificate to your favourite restaurant with a movie, all nestled in a popcorn bucket for your movie lover on your list, or for the whole family to see a show.

Gift a Getaway

A weekend away with the family is a perfect holiday present or give the gift of some relaxing couple time. These can mostly be purchased online from the comfort of your home.

Check these sites out.

http://www.400eleven.com/ is a wealth of information for family getaways and often holds contests for decadent trips to win. We highly recommend this one.

Ontariotravel.net is also an exceptional site for finding just the right getaway gift.