When choosing end-of-year gifts for clients, put some thought into it. Every year, we focus on a theme. In addition to our signature clothing, books, DVDs, and supplements, we’ve given some great holiday gifts over the years.
One year, it was a ceramic aroma diffuser with various aromatherapy oils. Another year, a signature mug with a selection of herbal teas and organic cinnamon sticks. A few years ago, we gifted a ceramic grinder with a variety of sea salts and bath salts. For a full list of gift ideas, check out Principle 7 of The Business of Personal Training: 20 Principles to Success.
The theme for 2014 was coconuts. Our clients received a basket of assorted coconut-based goodies, including expeller-pressed coconut oil, toasted coconut flakes, coconut milk, coconut butter, coconut flour, and the book The Coconut Oil Miracle by Bruce Fife. The coconut butter was a huge hit! We get ours from Real Raw Food—it’s the best on the market.
Attached to the gift was this banana muffin recipe (made with coconut flour):
Banana Muffins with Coconut Flour
Here’s a simple muffin recipe I use to make healthy snacks for the kids. If you’re new to baking with coconut flour, don’t be alarmed by the small amount—it absorbs a lot of liquid. Makes 12 regular-size muffins.
Ingredients:
- 3 ripe bananas (mashed)
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup coconut oil
- 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp coconut flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup dark chocolate (finely chopped) or Enjoy Life chocolate chips
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line 12 muffin tins with parchment paper liners.
- Blend bananas, eggs, vanilla extract, and coconut oil in a blender or Magic Bullet. Pour into a bowl.
- Sift the dry ingredients into the wet mixture.
- Add apple cider vinegar.
- Fold in dark chocolate, if using. Mix with a spatula.
- Let the batter sit for at least 5 minutes.
- Use a 1/4-cup scoop to fill each muffin tin.
- Bake for 40 minutes until tops are golden and slightly firm to the touch.
- Allow muffins to cool, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Show your clients you appreciate their business with a thoughtful holiday gift. Plan ahead—sourcing the right items and assembling them takes time. Start early, and your clients will recognize the effort.
