Spoonful of Sugar Free

Registered Dietitian

baking

New Year’s Resolution-Cut Back on Sugar

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Happy New Year!!!

Did you all have a great holiday season and New Year’s celebration? It is 2011! Can you believe it? Time flies…

Many people make their New Year’s resolution to be a healthier person or to lose x amount of pounds. Which are both great resolutions! To aid in these resolutions why not try cutting back on sugar or even going sugar-free? There have been a few people I know who have made this resolution already!

A couple people have asked me for some tips on reducing sugar-intake, so I have compiled a list below.

How to Reduce Your Sugar Consumption

  • Don’t go “cold-turkey” if you are used to eating a lot of sugar. Try reducing your sugar-intake in levels. For example, if you drink your tea with 1 teaspoon of sugar daily, try drinking it with 1/2 teaspoon. Slowly reduce this amount until you can completely eliminate sugar from your tea.

  • Replace refined sugars with natural sugars like honey, real maple syrup, or real molasses. Then, reduce the amount you use in recipes by halving the sugar-content slowly until you reach a point where you do not need sugar in the recipe.

  • Omit sugar in recipes that don’t really need sugar. Breads, pancakes, and savory recipes don’t really need that extra two Tablespoons of sugar. For example, instead of adding sugar into the pancakes, try topping the pancakes with lots of fresh fruit to get that naturally-sweet flavor.

  • Try some of my Recipes. All of them contain no added sugar!
Pick-a-Fruit Crisp
Chocolate-Peanut Truffles
Grain-Free Pumpkin Spice Bread

Thought-provoking, mind-prodding question of the day:

What are your New Year’s resolutions? Is cutting back on sugar one of them?

Try taking the “sugar-free for a week” challenge that Kayla is hosting at Little Miss Healthify! Can you handle no sugar for a week?

 

Bitter Chocolate Love

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Wow! I am amazed by the number of people who enjoyed my Grain Free Bitter Chocolate Cake for One! Thank you to all of you who “manned up” to the bitter chocolate cake (and actually liked it!).

Katie from Faith Food & Fitness
Kristi from Lighter Portions
Heather from Heather Eats Almond Butter
Jen from The Grocery Goddess

Alison from Mama's Weeds
Natalie from Lil Runner
The Lovely Locavore Ladies of Boston

Now, here is another idea for the chocolate cake batter:

Grain Free Bitter Chocolate Pancake Stack

~Using the recipe from the Bitter Chocolate Cake, you can make your own Bitter Chocolate Pancakes!

  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 2 Tablespoons of squash puree, like pumpkin, sweet potato, or butternut squash
  • splash of vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
  • water

Mix all ingredients thoroughly and add a dash of water to make the right consistency. The batter should be thick. Make pancakes by pouring the batter onto a greased pan on medium heat. Flip when the pancakes get bubbly. Layer with chocolate mousse (recipe below) and top with cacao nibs!

Bitter Chocolate Mousse

  • 1/2 cup milk substitute (like almond milk)
  • 1 Tbs cocoa powder
  • pinch xanthan gum
  • ice

Blend ingredients together.

Alternatively, make Agar mousse. Recipe HERE.

Thought-provoking, mind-prodding question of the day:

Have you tried bitter chocolate yet?? If not, get on it!

What chocolate recipe would you like me to make next?

 

Eat the Rainbow-in Potatoes

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Remember when I said I ate a purple sweet potato?

Well, here is my lovely new friend:

Purple Sweet Potato smothered with almond butter!

Potatoes sometimes get a bad rep for being full of carbs, but they have good benefits, too!

  • They are full of fiber and are extremely filling (1 large potato contains 7 grams of fiber)
  • The carbohydrates are a great source of energy
  • Contain vitamins B and C-complex to help aid in the absorption of the carbohydrates
  • Contains good amounts of potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc
  • It can help relieve inflammation of the digestive track

Sweet Potatoes are also great! Personally, I think they taste better, too!

  • One of the best sources of Beta-Carotene. This pre-vitamin to vitamin A prevent night blindness and other eye problems, skin disorders, enhance immunity, protects against toxins and cancer formations, colds, flu, and infections. It is an antioxidant and protector of the cells while slowing the aging process.
  • A great source of vitamin C, manganese, potassium, and copper.
  • Only 100 calories for a medium sweet potato, 4 grams of fiber, and 2 grams of protein.

Above all, potatoes are Cheap! You can buy a whole bag of potatoes for only a few dollars. What a great source of inexpensive energy!

Potatoes don’t only come in white, though, they come in all sorts of rainbow colors!

Red


Orange


Yellow


Green


Blue


Purple

There are so many things you can make with potatoes, too:

  • Mashed Potatoes (Boil potatoes until soft, and then mash with fork and add butter and milk)
  • Twice Baked Potatoes
  • Potato Chips (Slice Thinly and bake on sheet at 375*)
  • Latkes
  • Gnocci

Thought-provoking, mind-prodding question of the day:

What is your favorite way to eat potatoes? Also, do you prefer sweet potatoes or regular potatoes? I love all potatoes, but sweet potatoes are my favorite. My crazy little brother doesn’t like potatoes! Can you believe that boy?

Also, how do you remember the colors of the rainbow? There are so many rhymes out there, but I remember it by the song I sang in my elementary music class, “Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple makes the rainbow bright! Bright! Bright!” Of course, ROY G BIV helps me, too!

Shout out to my potato-loving friend, Kelsey:

She ate 7 potatoes in one sitting! You go, girl!

 

Raw Christmas Cookies

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Hello everybody! Christmas is only four days away, so that means it is time to bake Christmas cookies!

Or should I saw it is time to “unbake” Christmas cookies?

Raw Cookies and a glass of almond milk for Santa! Santa might be losing some of his belly this year...

Santa Clause will love these little gems, and so will all of your friends and family members! I am making a huge batch to give to close friends.

This picture is stolen from Katie...Sorry, Katie, but your picture is just too cute! Also, I ate all of my cookies before pictures were taken, and then I ran out of almonds to make more 🙁

Raw Gingerbread Men or Ginger Snaps

  • 5 dates
  • 1 cup almonds
  • 1/4 tsp ground or minced ginger (fresh or powdered)
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
  • pinch of salt

Place all in a food processor or strong blender and blend until smooth. I usually don’t measure the ingredients and just taste test until I find the right flavor, so feel free to add more or less of what I stated above. Shape the dough into cookies or roll out on parchment paper and stamp gingerbread men out. I find that it is easier to work with the dough when it is chilled, so you may want to refrigerate the dough for ten minutes before shaping it. I also think it tastes better chilled, too 🙂

Remember Girl Scouts cookies? My favorite was the thin mint! Well, these taste just like raw thin mints!

Raw Mint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

  • 5 dates
  • 1 cup walnuts
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/8-1/4 tsp peppermint extract
  • pinch of salt

Place all ingredients in a food processor or strong blender and process until smooth. I like the walnuts to stay a bit chunky, but this is up to you. SHape the dough into balls or cookies and enjoy!

Thought-provoking, mind-prodding question of the day:

What is your favorite Christmas cookie? I don’t necessarily have a favorite, but I do like making sugar cookies to decorate. I love making cookies, just not eating them.

Also, did you set out cookies for Santa when you were a kid? We always did (do!). We make set out cookies, milk, and a note for Santa. Then we sprinkle oatmeal, sparkles, and carrots in the front yard for the reindeer.

Personal Note: I am going to spend Christmas with my grandparents in Arizona! I am leaving the 23rd and will be there for a week. Therefore, I might not be able to reply to my comments until I get back (I will be having too much fun to sit on a computer!). However, please comment away! I will get to them when I come back home. Also, I have posts set up throughout the week for you all to read! There will be a couple of recipes, and Christmas story (remixed).


Sugar-Free “Bread” Pudding

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First off, the randomly chosen Winner of the Agar Agar Powder giveaway is…

Elaine!

Congratulations, Elaine! You will receive an email from me shortly. I hope you enjoy your Agar!

Bread Pudding is a great, traditional holiday treat. For those on gluten-free diets or calorie-restrictions, however, it could be a nightmare! This baked bread pudding uses rice cakes in place of the bread. No expensive gluten-free breads required! It is also an innovative way to transform the plain, boring rice cakes into something festive. For under 100 calories per serving, who wouldn’t love this dessert?

Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free “Bread” Pudding with Almond Cream Sauce

Ingredients

  • 5 rice cakes
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cups milk or milk substitute (like coconut, almond, or rice milk)
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon grated orange peel
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ cup dried fruit pieces (like raisins, dates, cherries, or a mix)
  • 1 recipe of Almond Cream Sauce (Recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350°. In a bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, vanilla, orange peel, and cinnamon. Next, break the rice cakes into small pieces and place in a 2-quart square baking dish. Toss the rice cake pieces with the dried fruit, and pour the egg mixture over the top.

Bake in the oven for 45 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean. Serve warm, and if desired, drizzle the almond cream sauce on top before serving. Makes 8 servings

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 98 calories, 3.5 g fat, 12.5 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 4 g protein

More Ideas: Try substituting some juice or juice concentrate for some of the milk. This will give the pudding a more fruit flavor, and add a bit of sweetness. Also, try adding in some chopped nuts before baking. For those who wish to sweeten the dessert a bit more, try mixing a small drizzle of honey or a few drops of liquid stevia to the egg mixture before baking.

Almond Cream Sauce:

~This optional cream sauce compliments the bread puddings flavor. The almond extract gives the sauce an excellent taste, and the yogurt gives it great nutritional value.

  • 1 cup plain yogurt (Make your own dairy-free yogurt with THIS RECIPE)
  • ¼ cup milk or milk substitute
  • ¼-½ teaspoon almond extract

Whisk ingredients in a saucepan until well combined. Heat over medium heat until warm.

Benefits

  • Rice-A Whole Grain full of Fiber and low in calories. It is fast energy that contains a good source of Vitamin B1, Vitamin D, Calcium, and iron. Other benefits include skin care, resistance to high blood pressure, dysentery and heart diseases.
  • Yogurt-Has natural probiotics that help aid in digestion.
  • Cinnamon-Studies have shown that it can help lower LDL cholesterol, help regulate blood sugar levels, has anti-clotting effect on blood, and it can boost cognitive function and memory.
  • Orange Peel-Contains lots of antioxidants, and the scent can help people feel more awake.

Thought-provoking, mind-prodding question of the day:

For those who have made “restrictions” in your diet (dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan, sugar-free, exc.), is there a food that you miss?

I have to say that I really miss Hot Chocolate with marshmallows and eggnog during the Holiday Season. It is always a great holiday memory coming home from sledding in the freezing cold to put your frozen toes up by the fire and sip some nice hot cocoa!

 


Twelve Days of Christmas Recipes

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I present to you “The Twelve Days of Christmas” by Alex.

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me:

Twelve Pick-a-Fruit Crisps,

Eleven Grain-Free Pumpkin Spice Breads,

Ten Baked Banana Oatmeals,

Nine Raw Coconut-Iced Barks,

Eight Sugar-Free Monsters,

Seven Peanut-Chocolate Truffles,

Six Healthy Pumpkin Rolls,

Five Leftover Salsa Bowls,

Four Apple Pies in Bowls,

Three Hobo Dinners,

Two Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes,

And a Grain-Free Bitter Chocolate Cake for One!

Thought-provoking, mind-prodding question of the day:

Do you have any recipes planned for the Holidays yet? I actually have a lot more Christmas-y recipes to post, so I better get them up before the Holidays pass by!

What is your favorite Holiday song? There are so many of them, but I think I would have to choose Greensleeves! It is my favorite one to sing!

P.S. Don’t forget to enter my Agar Agar giveaway! Today is the last day to enter!