Spoonful of Sugar Free

Registered Dietitian

Food

Chia: The Seed of Champions!

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Not only is chia seed great for chia pets…

Given to me by my little brother for Christmas! Thanks lil bro!

But it makes the easiest, most delicious pudding!

Chocolate Banana Pudding Parfait

~This parfait is a perfect dessert for special occasions, but it can also be a quick and delicious breakfast! Raw, Dairy-free, vegan, gluten-free, and, of course, sugar-free!

Ingredients

  • 1 serving Magic Banana Ice Cream
  • 3 Tablespoons chia seed
  • 1/2 cup milk substitute (like almond milk or coconut milk)
  • 1 Tablespoon Cocoa powder (cacao powder for a raw treat)
  • Optional Toppings: cacao nibs, unsweetened coconut shavings, coconut cream, chopped peanuts, banana slices

Mix together the chia, milk, and cocoa powder. Let sit in the fridge for about 20 minutes or until the chia seeds puff up into a pudding. While the chia pudding sets, make the Magic Banana Ice Cream.

Now, take a glass jar, bowl, or cup and layer the banana ice cream with the chocolate pudding. Top with whatever toppings you choose!

Usually I will make a huge batch of chia pudding, and keep it in the fridge for whenever I want to make a parfait, eat it plain, or mix into my oatmeal!

Benefits of Chia Seeds

The ancient Aztecs and Mayans used to carry this beloved seed with them on long journeys to increase their strength and endurance. Chia seeds can absorb up to 12 times it’s weight in water, so it is also a great hydrator. It can help electrolyte imbalances by maintaining fluid balances. When I play long tennis matches in the hot Florida summer heat, I will put a few tablespoons of chia into my water jug to help me last through the match.

Chia seed is also a great source of fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants. It can also help balance blood-sugar levels, so it is great for diabetics. It helps blood sugar levels by slowing the conversion of carbohydrates into sugar. I keep a jar of chia gel handy in my fridge at all times and will pour a little bit into my water throughout the day. I also use this gel to put in baked goods as an egg replacement. It is the best egg replacer I have found yet, and I highly recommend it to vegans and those allergic to eggs. 1/4 cup chia gel=1 egg.

Other great recipes with chia and chia eggs:

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

Have you tried chia yet? If so, what are your favorite ways to use it.

Also, do you like parfaits? I just love parfaits. My sister and I used to always surprise our parents with breakfast in bed for their birthdays. We would always make yogurt parfaits with fruit and grape-nuts 🙂

P.S. For those Vegans who wanted to try my Grain-Free Banana Bread and Pumpkin Spice Bread, Kelsey substituted the eggs with tofu. It was a success! Check it out HERE.

Bite-Sized Makes Everything Better

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It is true. Whenever something is small and cute, it is more fun to eat! Take for example mini muffins, finger sandwiches, baby carrots, or even mini quiches. It’s just fun.

So to cure insane bite-sized craving, here is the best dessert/snack recipe that is quick and easy to make. Not to mention undeniably scrumptious.

 

If Elvis Liked Chocolate Bites (aka Chocolate, peanut butter, and banana balls-no bake!)

~These bites are vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, and of course, sugar-free!

Ingredients

  • 1 overripe banana, mashed
  • 4 Tablespoons peanut butter
  • 1 oz unsweetened chocolate bar, chopped (I used Baker’s)
  • 4 Tablespoons rolled oats
  • optional: 2 Tablespoons peanuts

You can use whatever measurements you like as long as the dough sticks together.

Mix together all ingredients and roll into balls. Sometimes the dough is easier to roll when cold, so feel free to stick it in the fridge for a few minutes before rolling. Then, you can either place them in the freezer for ten minutes (I like to do this because it makes them extra chewy!), or eat away! Enjoy!

Chomp!

Health Benefits

  • Peanuts: This legume is a protein power house with 7g of protein per oz. It also has a great monounsaturated fat content that can help lower cholesterol and keep your skin beautiful! It is also a good source of Coenzyme Q10 which protects the heart during periods of lack of oxygen. It is also a good source of fiber and antioxidants.
  • Bananas: Rich in potassium, bananas help the body’s circulatory system deliver oxygen to the brain. This also helps maintain a regular heartbeat and a proper balance of water in the body. It also contains tryptophan to help relax you and lift your spirits!
  • Chocolate: Read a post about the benefits of chocolate HERE.

If you want this delectable combo in other variations try the Alex Granola Bar or these great pancakes.

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

Are you a fan of Elvis Presley?

Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever really listened to his songs before. I’ve listened to a few, but I am not a maniac about him. Maybe I should, though. Are you crazy for the king? However, even if I don’t like his songs. I love his sense of taste 😉

 

Your Dinner Tonight

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Have you tried Socca?

I have made it a few times thanks to the Pure2Raw Twins, and have loved it plain and as a sandwich. Then one night I wondered, “Why not make it into a pizza?”

Oh my goodness! I am so glad I did! It was the best dinner I had all month! The pizza was extremely filling, but oh so satisfying. I only had one slice, and I was stuffed!

 

Pesto Socca Pizza with Grilled Veggies and Chicken Sausages

~The pizza can be made vegan/vegetarian by simply omitting the sausage. Dairy-free, gluten-free,  and of course, sugar-free!

Serves 6

Ingredients

Socca:

  • 1 cup garbanzo bean flour
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil

Preheat oven to 425*. Mix all ingredients together except the olive oil. Batter will be thin. Spread the olive oil on a 10-12 inch round pan (I used a cast iron) and place in hot oven for a few minutes. Then pour the batter into the pan and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the socca is brown on the underside. Flip the socca carefully onto a dish you can put back into the oven (you will be broiling it later).

NOTE: I’ve seen socca made many ways. Some bake it, some broil it, some flip it half way through. This is up to you! If you like it extra crispy-try broiling it. If you like it soft-bake it. Pure2Twins have many different recipes HERE.

 

Vegan Pesto

~This pesto is vegan, raw, dairy-free, gluten-free, and of course, sugar-free!

  • 1 large bunch of basil (about 2 cups loosely packed)
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1/2 cup walnuts
  • 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
  • 4 Tablespoons of olive oil
  • 2 Tablespoons Nutritional Yeast

Place all ingredients except olive oil in a food processor or strong blender (I used my magic bullet). Process until finely ground. Then add the olive oil a tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.

The nutritional yeast and walnuts give it a creamy taste without the dairy. It keeps in the fridge for 5 days. I didn’t use quite all of it on my pizza. You can use the leftovers on sandwiches, pasta, and as a dip for crackers.

Pizza Toppings

~You can use whatever topping you like! Omit the sausage for a vegan/vegetarian pizza.

  • 2 cups spinach
  • 1/2 green bell pepper
  • 1/4 onion
  • 5 artichoke hearts
  • 2 Tablespoons capers
  • 2 chicken sausages
  • 1 clove garlic

First, boil the sausages in a pan for about 10 minutes, covered. Then, slice them and brown them on a pan slightly coated in olive oil. Remove. Chop the onions, bell pepper, and garlic and saute in olive oil. Add the spinach and cook until slightly wilted.

 

Assemble Pizza

Spread the pesto on the socca in an even layer. Then add the sauteed veggies and the artichoke hearts, capers, and sausages. Broil on High for 3 minutes or until the tips of the veggie and socca brown.

Let cool for a couple minutes and serve hot! Bon Appetit!

 

 

 

Health Benefts

  • Garbanzo Bean Flour: Also known as chickpeas, these beans are protein power houses with 10g per 1/4 cup. They contain an amazing amount of fiber with 8g per 1/4 cup. An excellent source of the trace mineral molybdenum, garbanzo beans help in the process of detoxification of sulfites. This mineral is an important component of the enzyme sulfite oxidase, which is involved in this detoxification process.
  • Leafy Greens: Our parents always told us to “eat our greens,” and for good reason, too! Leafy greens contain a lot of Vitamin K which protect our bones, regulate blood-clotting, and help prevent diabetes. Lutein and zeaxanthin are carotenoids found in dark-green leafy vegetables that are concentrated in the eye lens and macular region of the retina. The carotenoids play a protective role in the eye.
  • Basil: This herb has been used for centuries to help cure colds, coughs, and sore throats. It is also known as an anti-stress agent, and can help reduce blood cholesterol.
  • Nutritional Yeast: Nutritional yeast is full of nutrients (hence the name). It contains 18 amino acids and 15 minerals that are all good for you. Especially known for its vitamin B content, it helps maintain ideal intestine ecology, improve blood production, maintain cholesterol levels, and improve liver function.

 

 

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

What is your favorite meal of the day?

Mine is Breakfast. I could seriously eat “breakfast food” all day long! Sometimes I do…

 

Happy Valentine’s Day!

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Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! I hope you all have a great day with your loved ones 🙂

Here are some great recipes to surprise your special someone with:

Grain-Free Fudge Brownies
Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal
Heart-Shaped Poached Eggs
Napoleon Cheesecake "Surprise!"
Grain-Free Bitter Chocolate Cake with Vegan Strawberry Cream
Chocolate-Dipped Strawberry Smoothie

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

How are you spending your Valentine’s Day?

Love=Chocolate

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Not only is chocolate good for you, but it tastes good, too!

I finally created a healthy sugar-free brownie recipe, and it is just in time for Valentine’s Day!

Print
Grain-Free Fudge Brownies

Yield: 12 brownies

Calories per serving: 100 per brownie

Grain-Free Fudge Brownies

~These brownies are gluten-free (grain-free), dairy-free, nut-free, soy-free, and of course, sugar-free!

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup coconut flour
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 Tablespoons ground flax or chia (optional. I added it for extra nutrition)
  • 2 eggs
  • 5 dates
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1/3 cup water or milk-substitute (I used unsweetened chocolate almond milk)
  • optional: 1/2 cup chopped nuts or chopped unsweetened chocolate.

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375*.
  2. First, blend the dates into a paste.
  3. In a separate bowl combine all dry ingredients. Then add wet. Stir until well combined. A
  4. dd the date paste and mix very thoroughly to ensure there aren't any date chunks. The dates are the natural sweetness in the recipe. Feel free to add more dates if needed to suite your sweet tooth 😉
  5. Lightly grease a 8x8 baking dish (I used coconut oil). Pour batter into dish. The batter should be thick.
  6. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
https://www.spoonfulofsugarfree.com/2011/02/11/lovechocolate/

It is completely black because I used Hershey's Extra Dark cocoa powder....mmmmm...

Health Benefits (Yes! The brownie actually helps your body!)

  • Chocolate: Click HERE for a post I wrote earlier about the health benefits of chocolate.
  • Coconut: Coconut is widely misunderstood because of it’s high fat content; however, coconut’s saturated fat is made up of medium-chain fatty acids. These medium-chains are easy to absorb and digest, and are converted quickly into energy. This means that the body has no opportunity to store the medium-chain as fat. Coconut is also a great source of dietary fiber with a whopping 5 grams per oz.!
  • Dates: A laxative food with a high-fiber content, so it can help those suffering from constipation. They are digested quite easily and are great for when you need quick energy. Also, regular consumption of dates has been found to help the growth of friendly bacteria in the intestines.

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

When you went to Elementary school, did you have Valentine’s Day parties?

I had one every year at my school. I made a giant sweet-heart container to hold my Valentines. We always brought Valentine’s cards and candy for the whole class and dropped them into everyone’s containers, and then we had a party! When I got home from school, my sister and I would sort through our Valentine cards and candies 🙂 Then get sugar-high ;)Blech!

Breakfast Cakes On-the-Go

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First off, I’d like to announce the randomly chosen winner of the CSN giveaway. Congratulations…

Ashley from QuasiChick!

You will be receiving an email from me shortly with the $35 CSN gift code. Thanks to everyone who entered! I would love to give all of you gift cards 🙂

Now, here is an easy recipe for Breakfast cakes. You can make a huge batch of them and save them for the week, but they are so quick and easy to make that you can make them the morning-of, too.

Breakfast Oat Cakes

~These little cakes can are completely versatile and can be made into any flavor you want! Vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free (make sure you use gluten-free oats), and of course, Sugar-free!

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup oat flour (simply blend oats in blender to make oat flour)
  • 1/2 cup chia gel (mix 1 tablespoon of chia seeds with 1/2 cup water and let sit for 20 minutes, or until they “puff up”)
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • Extra: you may add any nuts, fruit, or spices you like. My favorite add-in lately is cinnamon, walnuts, and raisins. It tastes like a oatmeal raisin cookie!

Preheat oven to 375*. In a mixing bowl, mix all ingredients. The dough should be thick and stick together. Adjust liquid amount if needed to create muffins, cookies, or biscuit cakes. If you feel like muffins, add more chia gel. A little less gel for cookies, and even less for biscuit cakes.

Roll into balls, plop dough with a spoon, shape into biscuits on a cookies sheet, or fill a muffin pan. Bake for 10 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Makes 12 breakfast cakes. (But why keep this recipe just for breakfast? They are perfect any time of day! Especially snack time or tea time 😉 )

Health Benefits:

  • Oats: Full of both soluble and insoluble fiber, oats are known to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. For more information about this amazing grain, click HERE for a post I wrote last year.
  • Chia: Because of this little seed’s extraordinary ability to retain water, it is great for hydration. The ancient Aztecs and Mayans used to carry it with them on long journeys to increase their strength and endurance. It also helps balance blood sugar levels. Chia seeds are great sources of fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants.

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

Are you a morning person or a night person?

I am definitely a morning person. I can never sleep in, and I love going to bed early. Like Benjamin Franklin said, “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” 😉