Spoonful of Sugar Free

Registered Dietitian

Gluten Free

The Way to Every Person’s Heart…

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Make Customizable Pancakes!!!

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One Size Fits All Pancakes

One Size Fits All Pancakes

~These pancakes can be made into anything you want them to be! Gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and, of course, sugar-free!

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups brown rice flour (whole wheat flour works well, too)
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/4 cups milk or milk substitute
  • 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 egg or egg substitute (like a flax egg or chia egg)
  • 3 tablespoons oil or applesauce (omitting this is fine)
  • Optional: Add ins like the variations listed below.

Instructions

  1. First, whisk the milk and apple cider vinegar together and let sit for a few minutes to create a "buttermilk."
  2. Then, mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl.
  3. Add the wet ingredients together and mix well. It is better if batter is a little lumpy.
  4. Pour pancakes on a lightly greased pan heated on medium heat.
  5. Flip them when the batter starts to bubble.
  6. Enjoy with toppings of choice (suggestions below).
https://www.spoonfulofsugarfree.com/2011/01/10/the-way-to-every-persons-heart/

Makes a lot of pancakes. Probably feeds 6, but I usually eat about 2-3 servings worth 😉 Make ’em as big or as small as you like!

Sugar-Free Ideas:

Berry Cakes-a classic. Add blueberries, strawberries, etc.
Carmelized Cinnamon and Banana—Sprinkle some cinnamon into the batter. While the pancakes cook, slice bananas onto the top before flipping. The bananas should caramelize on the pancakes! Yummy!
Chocolate Pancakes—Mix in a few spoonfuls of cocoa powder to the batter. To make it even more chocolatey, chop up some unsweetened chocolate for the batter!
Pumpkin Pie Pancake Stacks
Mix Cinnamon into the batter, and layer pancakes with pumpkin. Garnish with more cinnamon. For those who don’t like the taste of plain pumpkin, mix a nut butter with the pumpkin and some pumpkin pie spice.
Grain-Free Bitter Chocolate Stack (Click on Picture for recipe)
Open-Faced Chocolate, Banana, and Peanut Butter (Click on Link for Recipe)

Someone once asked me how I replace America’s beloved topping to pancakes: maple syrup. The answer: I don’t replace! I fill my cakes with scrumptious fillings (lots of fruit and nuts), and top it with nut butters, fruit, and any other random topping  might keep in my pantry!

Ideas:

  • Pina Colada Cakes: Make batter with pineapple and coconut. Top with more pineapple and coconut!
  • Mocha Cakes: Mix cocoa powder and instant coffee into batter.
  • Granola Cakes: Mix dried fruit, oats, and nuts into batter.
  • Reeses Cakes: Mix peanut butter and unsweetened chocolate into batter.

Great Pancake Ideas from other Bloggers:

24-Carrot Cake Pancakes from Chocolate Covered Katie
Brownie Batter Protein Pancakes from Snacking Squirrel
Tiramasu Pancakes from Pure2Raw
Pizza Pancakes from Heather Eats Almond Butter

 

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

What are your favorite pancake recipes? Do you like to top yours with a bunch of stuff, or fill ’em up? Or maybe you like them plain?

Banana Bread Bonanza!

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Yes, I did it again.

Many people have asked for more grain-free recipes after the Grain-Free Sugar-Free Pumpkin Spice Bread, so, of course, I had to get to work and create another recipe for all of you!

This recipe uses 3 over-ripe bananas, so it is the perfect go-to recipe when you have too many brown bananas to deal with.

Grain-Free Sugar-Free Banana Bread

~This recipe is gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, and of course, sugar-free!

Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients

  • 3 ripe bananas
  • 1/2 cup almond butter
  • 3 eggs
  • 3 Tablespoons Ground flax
  • 3 Tablespoons Chia Gel (For each tablespoon of chia, mix 2-3 tablespoons of water and let sit for 15-20 minutes. The chia seeds will puff into a gel)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Optional: 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or dried fruit

Preheat oven to 350*. First, mash the bananas. Then, mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Pour batter into a lightly greased bread pan-or even try a muffin tin! Bake for one hour, or until toothpick comes out clean.

The bread will rise while in the oven, but will sink when taken out. Let the bread cool for fifteen minutes in the pan (this is necessary for the bread to set since it has no flour in it), and then plop it onto a plate or cutting board and enjoy!

 

 

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

What are your favorite ways to use up all of those overripe bananas? Usually, I freeze them to make banana ice cream or smoothies, but this bread recipe is now my favorite!

I started collecting recipes for overripe bananas a couple years ago because I thought a book title, “101 Ways to Use Overripe Bananas” would be great! Because this happens to all chefs and non-chefs across America-what to do with all those brown bananas? What do you think? Would you read a recipe book like that? What recipes would you put in it?

****Also, are you sticking to the sugar-free New Year’s Resolution??

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?

 

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!

 


Healthy Twisted Pumpkin Roll

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Another Pumpkin Recipe! Yay!

Don’t you just love pumpkin? One cup of pumpkin has 7 grams fiber, 2650 IU Vitamin A, 564 mg potassium! It also boasts a truckload of antioxidants like Alpha-carotene and Beta-carotene. What a wonderful winter fruit. Yes, science defines seed-carrying pumpkins as fruit. Not vegetables.

As a variation of my savory flourless-free crepe from Heather, I created a Healthy Pumpkin Roll!

Inspired by the back of a can of Libby’s Pumpkin:

Not-Your-Ordinary Pumpkin Roll

~This pumpkin roll can be used as a breakfast or dessert! It would be a perfect breakfast to impress guests during the Holidays. The recipe is flour-free, grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, and of course, sugar-free!

Ingredients

Serves 1

  • 2 eggs
  • pinch baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon, plus more for garnish
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
  • Optional: chopped nuts

First, lightly grease a pan for the stove. I used a cast-iron skillet. Next, turn the stove on medium heat. Whisk the eggs, baking powder, and cinnamon in a small bowl, and pour the mix into the skillet. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes or until it is cooked through. There is no need to flip the crepe. Remove the crepe carefully from the burner and place on a plate:

Next, spread the pumpkin on the crepe. If you wish, you can heat up the pumpkin before spreading it. If you wish to add chopped nuts to the pumpkin, add some now.

Then, roll the crepe, and garnish with an extra scoop of pumpkin, cinnamon, and nuts (if using):

Delicious!

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

Have you made plans for Christmas, or Hanukkah, or another holiday you celebrate yet?

I am so excited to visit my aunt and grandparents in Arizona this Christmas. I haven’t seen them in two years, and am very excited to see them! I’m making them all gifts. I would tell you what they were, but I am afraid they might be reading this! Let me keep it a surprise!

Do you like surprises?

My sister is a big surprise person! She will not let anyone tell her what her gift is, and she will not tell anyone what she made/bought them. It is actually quite fun to tease her with this 😉