My friends are like my workouts, some are rather spicy and others are quite sweet. So you know what I’m making for them for Christmas gifts? Sweet and Spicy Spice mixes straight from the Fitness & Spice test kitchen.

Let’s start with…

Sweetness & Spice Mix

• 5 T Sugar or Sugar Substitute
• 2 T Ground Cinnamon
• 1 T Ground Nutmeg
• 1 T Ground Coriander
• 1/2 t Ground Ginger (If you’re not a fan, skip it, or use ground cloves instead, in fact, do that.)

Mix all ingredients together and spoon into spice jars. Sprinkle on oatmeal, into baked goods or a cup of hot tea, on top of a baked sweet potato or a piece of toast, or into a protein shake, of course.

And now for the…

Hot & Spicy Spice Mix

• 3 T Brown Sugar (I use Splenda’s brown sugar blend)
• 1 1/2 T Sea Salt
• 1 1/2 T Ground Cinnamon
• 1 t Ground Coriander
• 1/2 t Chipotle Powder

Mix all ingredients together and spoon into spice jars. Sprinkle into chili, or into some sweet potato or cauliflower mash, but not into a protein shake.

A few (very obvious) rules:

• Label your spice bottles (I found the bottles pictured here at Whole Foods)
• Give them as a set or individually (or with a bottle of homemade vanilla extract)
• Keep some for yourself
• Customize your own blends

Now I really must go before I bust out a Vanilla-Spice joke, baby.