Spoonful of Sugar Free

Registered Dietitian

Chocolate

Faux Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Larabars

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My family has been really enjoying the new Peanut Butter Chocolate chip Larabars lately. 

They like them so much so that we go through a costco sized pack of them every few days! Their favorite is the peanut Butter Chocolate Chip. But at the rate my little brother and sister snack on these little bars, the money can really add up (even when we buy them at costco’s discounts). Usually they are around $1.50-$2.00 each, just in case you wanted to know 😉

Solution: make my own Peanut Butter Chocolate Larabars! Simple enough, since there are only four ingredients: Dates, Peanuts, Chocolate Chips (unsweetened chocolate, sugar, cocoa butter and vanilla), and Salt. Also, when I made my own I can eliminate the unnecessary sugar from the chocolate chips.

By the way, I love that the Larabars try their best to have fair-trade certified ingredients, and high-quality bars with minimal ingredients. What they do is great, and the bars are a perfect snack when you are on the road.

But, back to my Larabars!

I knew I could make my own larabars, after all, Katie makes her Fudge Babies, and Angela has made a plethora of different larabars, too!

If they can do it, I can do it!

Soooo….I did do it! And I am so glad I did!

Chocolate-Peanut Truffles

~This is a recipe I made on my Bake Night. The truffles are vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and of course, sugar free! Try to restrain yourself from eating too many, though, because if you are like me, you can get a sugar high from the dates!

Ingredients

Makes about 2 dozen truffles

How-To Picture Tutorial:

 

Ingredients

 

Using a food processor (I have also had success with a magic bullet), chop the dates first into a date-paste. Then add nuts and chop. Finally, add cocoa powder and mix. If the dough is too powdery, add a small dash of water. If it is too sweet, add more peanuts. If it is not sweet enough, add more dates. The recipe is extremely versatile. Note: It is best when the peanuts are chunky, so don’t over-chop the peanuts!

 

Finally, roll into balls and enjoy!

I served these to some of my tennis friends, and they were a hit!

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

Have you ever tried a larabar? I’ve tried them, but I can’t really eat them. I think the date:nut proportion favors the dates too much. They are too sweet for me! I also can’t bring myself to buy a bar for $2 when I know I can make my own for less than 50 cents. (My brother and sister can, though!)

 

Attack of the (Sugar Free) Monsters

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Hey all, remember when I told you all about my Bake Night a few days ago?

Well, remember the Chocolate Chunk Monster cookies I told you about?

No? Well, here’s the recipe anyway. These cookies are extremely delicious, and naturally sweet!

Teenage Health Freak had suggested that I try this recipe before. Well, I finally did (and added a few changes, of course). Boy am I glad I finally tried them 🙂

 

Well...Not the prettiest cookies, but definitely one of the tastiest!

 

Chocolate Chunk Monster Cookies

~This recipe can be gluten-free if using gluten-free oats. It is also vegan, dairy-free, and of course, sugar-free! Makes about 30-35 cookies

Ingredients

  • 3 very ripe bananas
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 Tablespoons coconut oil (or olive oil works, too)
  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 3/4 cup finely chopped almonds
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 4-5 ounces 100% dark chocolate bar (Found in the baking section in the grocery store. I suggest Baker’s chocolate or Ghiradelli unsweetened)

Preheat oven to 350*. Mash the bananas, and mix in the other wet ingredients. Then add the dry ingredients and mix until well-incorporated. Next, chop the chocolate bar into small chunks and mix into batter. Drop Tablespoons-full of dough onto a cookie-sheet about 1/2 inch apart. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the bottoms of the cookies are golden brown.

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

Have you tried unsweetened chocolate yet????

Healthy Puppy Chow!

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Yes, you heard right. That lovable childhood treat can be healthy!

I used to love puppy chow-the way the peanut butter and chocolate flavor bursted in your mouth as your fingers got sticky from the powdery-white sugar. Yum.

"Real" Puppy Chow

Unfortunately, “real” puppy chow is made with chocolate chips, peanut butter, butter, and powdered sugar. This racks up to be 16 grams of sugar per serving (according to Chex.com Recipes). But who ever sticks to that measly 1/2-cup serving anyway? It’s too good to not have seconds (or thirds….or fourths)!

Enter…My Puppy Chow:

Under-a-Minute Healthy Puppy Chow

~This puppy chow takes less than a minute to make, and is the perfect snack for those days when you are in a rush. The recipe is vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and of course, sugar-free!

Ingredients

Serves 1

  • 1 cup rice chex (or other cereal of choice)
  • 1-2 Tablespoons peanut butter
  • 1-2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
  • optional add-ins: peanuts, cacao nibs, dried fruit, be creative!

Mix the peanut butter and cocoa powder together in a bowl. Add a little bit of water if it gets to sticky. Then, add the chex cereal and add-ins (if using), and stir together until well-incorporated.

Enjoy while watching a movie! Like Julie & Julia (one of my favorites!)

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

What is your favorite movie?

Also, what is your favorite movie snack? I always bring my own popcorn to the movies, because i am a Huge fan of my popcorn! (not to brag or anything) I make mine on the stove-top 🙂

Coffee or Tea?

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Tea or Coffee? The question that haunts many, many people in the morning.

Personally, I am a fan of both. They both have great, intense, rich, and sometimes delicate flavors.

Tipu’s Chai, a chai tea company based out of Montana, contacted me a few weeks ago and asked if I would like to try some free samples.

Free food? Of course I would!

They were so kind and sent me a package of their instant chai tea “with no preservatives, no sugar and no artificial sweeteners.” I learned that most instant chais do contain these three things, so I was very happy to learn that it didn’t!  It would be great for the lactose intolerant and diabetic.

The directions say to simply add it to warm milk, but I added it to warm almond milk. It was very good!! A little bit of this stuff goes a long way!

My mom, who is a big chai fan, loved the tea because it was rich and full-bodied. She said, “It is not like the chai that you get in a coffee shop with the sugar and milk and froth. Instead, it tastes very authentic. Just like the Indians make.” She should know because she has an Indian friend who makes her own chai tea.

Thanks again, Tipu!

Now onto coffee. Mocha to be more specific.

I have always been a big fan of iced mochas. When I was about 8 years old, my mom bought me a mocha mix to make my own mocha shakes. They were so good, yet they were filled to the brim with sugar. On average, a small mocha purchased at a coffee house has atleast 30 grams of sugar. Some of them having as much as 50 grams. Sheesh, that’s a lot of refined carbs.

Alas, I craved a mocha one morning…

My solution: Mocha Oatmeal!

Mocha Oatmeal

~This is a great substitute for those high-sugar drinks. It also fills you up, and keeps you satisfied!

Serves 1

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup oats
  • 1 cup milk or milk substitute (or water, but the milk makes it super creamy. I used almond milk)
  • 1 Tablespoon cocoa powder
  • 1 Tablespoon instant coffee mix (I actually cheated here and used Caffix, a decaf instant “coffee” made from barley…)
  • Toppings: sliced almonds, chocolate shavings, or even whipped cream. Be creative!

Heat milk and oats in saucepan until it begins to boil. Turn down to medium heat, and stir until oats are cooked. While stirring, add the cocoa powder and coffee.

Serve in a bowl, or a coffee mug and top with your toppings of choice!

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

Are you a coffee person or a tea person??


The Benefits of a Chocolate Addiction

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Chocolate tastes good. In fact, chocolate tastes heavenly!

But no worries-chocolate is good for you! Pure dark chocolate is chock full of antioxidants that protect the body from free radicals that can cause damage and lead to heart disease and wrinkles (eww!). These flavonoids help relax the blood pressure through the production of nitric acid, balance certain hormones in the body, and lower cholesterol. Chocolate does all this, and tastes good, too!

Chocolate also makes us feel good!

  • Stimulates endorphin production (the “feel-good” chemicals)
  • contains serotonin, an anti-depressant
  • contains stimulants like caffeine and theobromine

And it makes our skin smooth and soft because of the healthy fats:

  • Oleic Acid: healthy monounsaturated fat found also in olive oil
  • Stearic Acid: Saturated fat that has a neutralizing effect on cholesterol

Ok, you may be thinking, “Alex, why in the world are you talking about chocolate on a sugar-free blog? I thought you couldn’t eat chocolate!”

That’s true, but real chocolate doesn’t start out with sugar in it. It starts out as a mere cacao bean, naturally unsweetened.

Cacao was named Theobroma by Linnaeus, which means “food of the gods.” The trees are grown mostly in Africa, Mexico, Latin America, the Caribbean, and parts of Asia and South America. Within the cacao pod, there are about 25 beans that make the chocolate we know in the United States.

I like to eat the cacao nibs, which are not sweetened. At first taste, they can be very bitter, but take the second bite! think about it. You might grow to love it! I love putting it in my exotic oatmeal, on top magic banana ice cream, or simply on top of a scoop of peanut butter. These can be found at some health food stores, or you can by them online at my shop.

I have also found that 100% dark chocolate bars taste heavenly! I like Baker’s chocolate squares, and Ghiradelli baking chocolate. They can be found in the baking section of most grocery stores. Like with the unsweetened cacao nibs, try a couple bites to get the full taste! Roll it around in your mouth, and think about it. You might find that you like it better than sweetened chocolate because of its intense, rich flavor.

If you still can’t handle the unsweetened chocolate; go for the chocolate that is as dark as you can handle, and you can still reap the benefits!

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

How dark is the chocolate you eat? Do you eat it a lot, or just occasionally?

I have been experimenting with it a lot. My most recent success was adding 100% chocolate chunks to my banana muffins-oh so good!

Psst-looking for my giveaway? Click here.