Spoonful of Sugar Free

Registered Dietitian

Nutrition

Don’t be Shy!

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Sign up for the Sugar-Free Challenge! Today is the last day to sign up because tomorrow the Challenge Begins! So…SIGN UP!

Don’t be scared! It really isn’t that hard. It is only 10 days, and it will be a fun challenge! You may even find that you like being sugar-free??

Not sure what to eat for breakfast tomorrow? How about some Breakfast Oat Cakes?

Breakfast Oat Cakes

You can make them tonight so that they are ready tomorrow. Top ’em or fill ’em with anything you like!

Still not sure if you want to join? Check out these posts:

Besides, you will not be alone! We have a lot of great people already signed up HERE. We will all work together to have an awesome time being sugar-free!

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

Have you signed up yet? If you are doing the challenge, are you excited, worried, or scared?

If you are not doing the challenge, well, what’s wrong with you?! Just do it!

 

Sugar-Free Recipe Ideas

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First off, thank you to all the brave soldiers who gave their lives fighting for our country. I hope you are all have a great Memorial Day, too. If you are barbecuing for Memorial Day, are you using this sugar-free BBQ sauce?

Secondly-Recipes!

The Sugar-Free Challenge is only two days away! Click HERE to sign up if you have not already done so. Are you stuck on ideas for what to eat during the challenge? All of my recipes in the Recipe tab above are sugar-free. Also, just try sticking to these main food groups: fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, whole grains, and meat (unless you are a vegetarian).

I am not the only one who posts sugar-free recipes, though. There are so many great bloggers out there who have great sugar-free, recipes, too! Here are some you will want to try:

Whole Wheat or Bust’s Sweet Potato-Quinoa-Pecan Tamales.

Happy Healthy Mama’s Mango and Avocado Coleslaw

Chocolate Covered Katie’s Raw Chocolate Mint (Spinach) Ice Cream

She also has a whole section of her blog dedicated to sugar-free recipes. Check it out HERE.

Little Miss Healthify’s Oat Flour Muffins

Choosing Raw’s Wall of Green Soup

Heather Eats Almond Butter’s Unsweetened Chocolate Oaties

Healthful Pursuit’s Comforting Baked Mac n’ Cheese with Bacon (Dairy & Gluten-Free)

Kat’s Health Corner’s Single Lady Banana Cream Pie

Snacking Squirrel’s Pumpkin Millet Crackers 

Pure2Raw’s Raw Carob Crepes

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

Do you know any other great sugar-free recipes? Please include a link to your favorites in the comment section below!

Beware of the BBQ

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Sugar lurks in the most unlikely places, and it is everywhere! It’s like playing I-Spy in the ingredient list because it hides everywhere and disguises itself in many different names. Here is a list of all the names of “sugar” so that you can look for them on ingredient lists:

Agave nectarBarbados Sugar

Barley malt

Beet sugar

Blackstrap molasses

Brown sugar

Buttered syrup

Cane crystals

Cane juice crystals

Cane sugar

Caramel

 Carob syrupCastorsugar

Confectioner’s sugar

Corn syrup

Corn sweetener

Corn syrup solids

Corn Sugar

Crystalline fructose

Date sugar

Demerara Sugar

Dextrin

 DextranDextrose

Diastatic malt

Diatase

D-mannose

Evaporated cane juice

Ethyl maltol

Florida Crystals

Free Flowing

Fructose

Galactose
GlucoseGlucose solids

Golden sugar

Golden syrup

Granulated sugar

Grape sugar

HFCS

High-fructose corn Syrup

Honey

Icing sugar

Invert sugar

 LactoseMalt syrup

Maltodextrin

Maltose

Mannitol

Powdered sugar

Raw sugar

Refiner’s syrup

Rice Syrup

Maple syrup

Molasses

 Muscovado sugarOrganic raw sugar

Panocha

Sorbitol

Sucrose

Sugar

Syrup

Table sugar

Treacle

Turbinado sugar

Yellow sugar

So many names! You don’t have to memorize all of them, though. Just use look for any kind of “sugar,” “syrup,” or anything that ends in “-ose,” and then stay away from it.

Here are some surprising foods sugar lurks in:

Condiments: 

Ketchup is a major culprit. There are about 4 grams of sugar per tablespoon of ketchup. That is about a teaspoon of sugar per serving. It’s like someone put sugar in the salt shaker, and you are pouring it all over your burger! Most brands use high fructose corn syrup, too. I have yet to find a brand that adds no sugar. Thankfully, I don’t like the taste of ketchup anyway. Stick to the already sugar-free mustard if you need something to dip your fries in.

Pickles and Relish. Bread and Butter, Sweet relish, and sometimes even dill pickles have sugar. Check the ingredients, or make your own! There are lots of recipes out there, but you basically just soak your cucumbers in vinegar and any other spice you want: dill, onions, pepper, garlic, jalepenos…

Jam and Jelly. All pre-made, regular jams add sugar. Look for jars that say “just fruit.” Then check the ingredient list to see if it only has fruit in it. You can always use whole fruit to top your toast or peanut butter sandwich. Try slicing fresh bananas, strawberries, or apples.

Nuts and Nutbutters. Many nutbutters contain sugar, and some nuts are roasted sugar. Look at the ingredients. It should say just “nut and salt.”

Soy Sauce. All regular soy sauces I look at contain sugar. My favorite is liquid aminos because t is not only sugar-free, but wheat-free, too.

Yogurt

I do not eat dairy, but many of you like yogurt. Beware of all of the flavored yogurts. They all contain sugar. Your best bet is buying plain yogurt and mixing it with your own fruit. Caution: “Vanilla” is not “Plain.”

Cereal

Obviously, sugar cereals like Honey-Nut Cheerios, Lucky Charms, Cookie Crisps, and Frosted Wheeties have sugar, but did you know most plain cereals contain sugar, too? Regular Cheerios, Corn Flakes, Special K, Chex, and even the so-called healthy healthy cereals like granola contain sugar. Check the ingredients, or make oatmeal 🙂

Canned Goods

Soups, veggies, fruit, or sauces. It hides everywhere. Check the ingredients.

Sports Drinks and Bars

All sports bar and all sports drinks have sugar. I have yet to find one that doesn’t. Also, watch out for protein powders.

Pre-Packaged Meals

T.V. Dinners, meats, frozen pizza.

Baked Goods and Breads

Tortillas, Breads, Muffins, Pancake Mixes, Crackers.

Miscellaneous 

Dried Fruit. Chewing Gum and Mints. Extracts.

Check the Ingredients!!!

I cannot stress this enough! It hides everywhere. Also, products that say they are “sugar-free” are almost always sweetened with sugar-substitutes like maltitol, xylitol, splenda, or aspartame. Check, check, check the ingredients! It takes 10 seconds. You will be surprised at what you find.

Make your own!

When all your favorite foods have sugar in it, what are you supposed to do? Make it without sugar. This is one reason way I created this website, to show you all that you can make foods sugar-free.

Here is a recipe for sugar-free Barbeque Sauce. Most barbeque sauces contain all sorts of sugars. Just like ketchup, it has about 4 grams of sugar per Tablespoon. That is a teaspoon of sugar per serving.

Barbecue Sauce

Homemade Sugar-Free Barbeque Sauce

~This barbeque sauce is vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, dairy-free, an, of course, sugar-free! 

Ingredients

  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • 3 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder (or 1 cove minced garlic)
  • 1 Tablespoon Paprika (I suggest using smoked paprika)
  •  2 Tablespoons Chili Powder
  • optional: 1 teaspoon hot sauce
Stir together thoroughly. Serve hot or cold on your favorite meat, bean, burger, or even as a dipping sauce for fries!
BBQ Sauce and Chicken
Served on shredded chicken breast with sweet potato fries and green peas. Extra BBQ sauce and mustard for fry – dipping. Watermelon would be a perfect dessert for this meal. Just sayin’.
BBQ Sauce

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

What foods are you surprised by that contain sugar? When I first went sugar-free, I was surprised by almost everything. Everywhere I turned I saw Sugar.

Is it hot in your neck of the woods? Sheesh it is hot in Florida. It is humid and mid nineties everyday now. All I want are smoothies, salads, and iced tea (or coffee).

10 Ways to Kick Sugar’s Butt

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Amanda over at Run to the Finish requested I write a post on ways to prepare to be Sugar-Free. It was such a great idea that I had to oblige. Also, I am going to be starting a sugar-free challenge on my blog. Click HERE to do the challenge!

Kick Sugar’s Butt!

  1. Clear your mind. De-stress yourself. Think of all the great things you can do for your body when you eliminate sugar. You will feel refreshed and alive. Put your whole mind and body into being sugar-free, and do it because you love yourself! 
  2. Get rid of the sugar in your house. Throw away (or donate?) your cane sugar, honey, artificial sweeteners, candy, cake, soda, and any other sugar that might be hiding in your pantry. You don’t need them anymore. Also, check your breads, condiments, cereals, protein/breakfast bars, flavored yogurts, salad dressings, and pasta sauces to see if sugar is lurking in there. 
  3. Stock your kitchen with good food. Buy lots of fresh produce: fruits and veggies. If you can eat nuts, stock up on nuts (best bought in bulk because they are less expensive) and nut butters. When buying nut butters, make sure the only ingredients are nuts and salt (or no salt). Most peanut butter add extra sugar and hydrogenated oils. Buy whole grains like oats, brown rice, and quinoa. Buy protein like meat, fish, eggs, or beans (if buying canned, check to make sure there is no added sugar). Buy healthy fats like extra virgin coconut oil and olive oil.

    Lots of hydrogenated oils and sugar.
  4. Check the ingredients. I’ve mentioned some places where sugar hides above. Sugar hides in the most unexpected places, so check the ingredients before you buy (or place it in your mouth!).

  • Encourage others to join you! See the challenge below. If you live with anyone, encourage him/her to support you and join in on the sugar-free fun! It is much easier to be sugar-free when the person you live with support you.
    Pesto Socca Pizza with Grilled Veggies and Chicken Sausages
  • Eat Savory. When you eat savory foods, you crave less sugar.

    Healthy 7-Layer Bars
  • Eat Sugar-Free Desserts. When those dessert cravings do hit, make a sugar-free, healthy dessert! Check out my Dessert Recipes and Snack Recipes for ideas. 
  • Get Plenty of Sleep. You crave more sugar when you are tired because your body wants that quick energy from sweets. Don’t let yourself get tired by getting a good night sleep. If you do need carbs to wake you up, though, go for fresh fruit. 
  • Stay Hydrated. Same concept as Number 8 above. You crave less sugar when you keep your body hydrated. 
  • Just do it. It really isn’t that hard. Don’t think about what you are missing, but think about what you are gaining!

    • Click here to read about the Sugar-Free Challenge. I hope you join! 

    Mush Tastes Good

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    This is one of my favorite recipes that my whole family enjoys. The inspiration for this came from my Grandma who made the best goulash. I remember sitting in her little kitchen and taking big helpings of this delightful tomato, beef, noodle mix from her yellow French Oven Le Creuset. Straight up comfort food.

    Grandma’s Goulash-Healthified

    ~This goulash is gluten-free, dairy-free, yeast-free, nut-free, and, of course, sugar-free! 

    Ingredients

    • 1 lb ground beef
    • 1 cup gluten-free elbow noodles. (I use Tinkyada brown rice noodles-they are my favorite! I they taste just like the real thing, and they are well-priced, too.)
    • 2 cups diced tomatoes (I use canned)
    • 1 large onion, chopped
    • 2 carrots, 2 zucchini both chopped
    • 2 15 oz. cans of beans of choice. (This time I used garbanzo and kidney beans)
    • 1 clove garlic, minced
    • Spices: 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon paprika, salt and pepper to taste
    ***NOTE: You can change the recipe however you like. Feel free to add any other veggies lurking in your kitchen. If you are vegan, you can omit the ground beef and just use the beans.
    In a skillet, cook the ground beef with the chopped onion on medium heat. In the meantime, cook the elbow noodles according to the package. In a large saucepan, mix the cooked noodles, chopped vegetables, beans, and spices, and then add the beef-onion mix. Simmer for 20 minutes on medium-low heat until the carrots are soft.
    I’m sorry, but it is hard to get goulash to look pretty. You are just going to have to trust me when I say this mush tastes GOOD! So please try it.
    I hope you find it as nourishing and comforting as I do.

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

    Is there a dish you remember eating as a kid that made you feel like you were home? A comfort food that you will always remember?

    In addition to goulash, my grandma made the best deviled eggs! They were amazing, and I requested that she make some for all my birthdays.

    Happy Birthday Pudder!

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    Yesterday (May Day!) Was my sweet doggy’s 10th birthday 🙂 What a big day! Therefore, I made him a cake out of his favorite ingredients: apples and peanut butter.

    Hold on Alex, I thought peanut butter was your favorite food.

    You’re right. It is. He’s a smart dog.

    Birthday Boy!

    Print
    Doggy Apple Peanut Butter Cake

    Doggy Apple Peanut Butter Cake

    ~This cake is made especially for your special pup. However, I must say it tastes pretty darn good for humans, too.

    Ingredients

    • 1 apple
    • 4 Tablespoons peanut butter
    • 1/4 cup brown rice flour (or flour of choice. I chose brown rice because there is brown rice in his dog food)
    • 1/2 tsp baking powder
    • 1/4 cup water

    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 375*.
    2. Shred the apples into tiny pieces and mix with peanut butter, flour, and baking powder. Then add water and mix.
    3. Pour batter into a lightly greased mini-loaf pan or muffin tins. Feel free to use whatever shape you want. Bake for 20 minutes or until knife comes out clean.
    4. I decorated the cake with an extra apple slice (dipped in lemon juice to prevent discoloring) cut into the shape of a bone. Then I wrote his name in more peanut butter!
    https://www.spoonfulofsugarfree.com/2011/05/02/happy-birthday-pudder/

    He attacked the cake! Literally! It was gone in 2 seconds!
     
    Happy Birthday, Pudder! I love you!

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

    Do you have pets? If so, do you feed them “human food?”

    I don’t feed Pudder human food that often, but I will give him my apple core when I am done eating my apple. He loves it. I will also fill is bone with peanut butter occasionally. He is an apple-loving, peanut butter-snarfing dog!

    ***** I am going to be out of town next week, so would any of you be interested in doing a guest post? Blogger or not, I would love to get some fresh articles on my blog while I am gone!