Spoonful of Sugar Free

Registered Dietitian

Snacks

Big Thanks With Muffins

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Wow! I can’t believe all of the wonderful feedback I received from my last post about McDonald’s “Real” Fruit Smoothies. If anyone needs anymore ideas for smoothies, just look at the plethora of comments from yesterday’s post! Thank you so much to everyone who helped spread the word, and to those who provided great insight! I loved reading every single one of your comments, and tried to reply to as many of you as I could. If you didn’t receive a reply and would like to, please just send me an email or leave another comment. I’d be happy to chat with you!

Also, thank you WordPress for featuring me on your homepage, Freshly Pressed. I am extremely honored!

Now, to all of my new readers, I’d like to know what you want to read on my blog.

  • More revealing products and reviews
  • More sugar-free recipes
  • Tips on eating Sugar-free at the store, restaurants, or other places
  • More health facts about food items
  • Other: Leave a comment telling me what you want to see!

To say thank you, I leave you all with a recipe I promised.

Print
Carrot-Apple Bran Muffins

Yield: 18 muffins

Carrot-Apple Bran Muffins

~These muffins are optionally vegan, dairy-free, high-fiber, whole grain, and of course, sugar-free!

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1 1/2 cups bran
  • 1 1/2 cups milk or milk substitute (I used almond milk)
  • 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil (this can be omitted for those watching their fat intake)
  • 1 egg or egg substitute (I used a chia egg. which is 1 tablespoon of chia seed mixed with 3 tablespoons of water-let sit for 20 minutes before using)
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1 chopped apple (I kept the skin on)
  • 2 carrots-chopped or blended
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract (or more vanilla)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400*.
  2. First, whisk the apple cider vinegar with the milk to create a buttermilk. Let sit for 5 minutes.
  3. In the meantime, Stir together all of the dry ingredients. Next, add wet ingredients and fold in the apples, walnuts, and carrots until well-incorporated.
  4. Grease the muffin tins, or add muffin liners. Then, pour the batter into each cup until it reaches the top without over-flowing (the muffins will rise to create that nice muffin-top look).
  5. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
https://www.spoonfulofsugarfree.com/2010/09/11/big-thanks-with-muffins/

 

 

I was very excited when I made this recipe, because they were so good! I think I ate 6 in one day ๐Ÿ˜› Good for breakfast and snacks! They also have a good amount of fiber in them. I calculated about 4.25 grams of fiber per muffin!

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

What do you want to see me write more of? I truly value your opinion!

McDonald’s “Real” Fruit Smoothies

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Are McDonald’s Real Fruit Smoothies really made out of real fruit?

The Short answer: Yes

The Long and more complicated answer:

Even though fruit is in the ingredient list-sugar is, too. The smoothies are made by adding ice and low fat yogurt to a fruit blend. McDonald’s sells two different kinds of smoothies: Wild Berry and Strawberry Banana. Here’s the ingredient list for each fruit blend:

Strawberry Banana Fruit Blend
Strawberry puree, banana puree, water, sugar, concentrated apple juice, contains less than 1% of the following: Cellulose powder, natural (botanical source) and artificial flavors, xanthan gum, citric acid, colored with fruit and vegetable juice, pectin.

–

Wild Berry Fruit Blend
Strawberry puree, water, sugar, blackberry puree, blueberry puree, concentrated pineapple juice, concentrated apple juice, contains less than 1% of the following: Cellulose powder, xanthan gum, colored with fruit and vegetable juice, natural (botanical source) and artificial flavors, pectin, citric acid.

Low Fat Yogurt (Added to both smoothies)
Cultured Grade A reduced fat milk, sugar, whey protein concentrate, fructose, corn starch, kosher gelatin. Contains active yogurt cultures.

The FDA requires the ingredient list to be written from greatest to least. This means that Strawberry Puree is the most added of the ingredients, and citric acid is the least (for the wild berry smoothie). With this rule in mind, Sugar is the 3rd ingredient on the Wild Berry Smoothie’s list. That means that a large portion of the smoothie is made of plain ol’ sugar.

Also, McDonald’s adds concentrated apple and pineapple juice to the smoothies. Juice concentrate is made by taking away the water from the juice, leaving the flavor and a lot of sugar left. On top of this, the low fat yogurt uses 2 more sugar ingredients: sugar and fructose. The sugar, concentrated juice, and fructose makes the smoothie one sugar-high drink. Look at the stats for proof:

Strawberry Banana-Small (12 oz.)

Calories: 210, Fat: .5 g, Sodium: 35 mg, Carbohydrates: 49 g, Sugar: 44 g, Fiber: 2 g, Protein: 2 g

Wild Berry-Small (12 0z.)

Calories: 210, Fat: .5 g, Sodium: 30 mg, Carbohydrates: 48 g,ย Sugar: 44 g, Fiber: 3 g, Protein: 2 g

But, if you should choose to order the large smoothie, the sugar content jumps up to 70 grams!

These smoothies contain a lot of sugar in them! If you were to drink one of these, expect your blood sugar levels to spike! Compare this 12 oz. smoothie to 12 oz. of mountain dew: mountain dew tops the smoothies’ sugar levels by a mere 2 grams! (46g grams in 12 oz. mountain dew)

In conclusion, why buy a small smoothie at McDonald’s for $2.29 when you can just as easily make one at home for cheaper? At home, you can also control what you put into the smoothie, making it healthier and yummier!

Smoothie Ideas:

~I love making smoothies all the time! They are quick and easy to bring. Just throw the ingredients in a blender, and take it to go in a cup! I make mine by putting frozen fruit (or fresh) in the blender, fill it with juice, water, milk substitute, and add other miscellaneous items like spices, extracts, or protein powder

  • PiNa Colada: coconut milk, pineapple, banana
  • Chocolate-Dipped Strawberry
  • Strawberry Mango
  • Chocolate Peanut Butter: cocoa powder (or chocolate protein powder), milk, peanut butter, banana
  • All the fruit in your pantry smoothie: and add milk and juice!
  • Peachy: peaches, papaya, mango, orange juice
  • Orange julius: orange juice, ice, milk
  • Chai smoothie: banana, milk, cinnamon, chilled chai tea

The possibilities are endless!

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

What is your favorite Smoothie? Do you make them at home, or but them somewhere? Do you drink them almost everyday (like me in the summer)?

(Psst! This Post is featured on WordPress Freshly Pressed-One of the best posts of the day! Yipee!)



 

Edward’s and Sons Co.

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Yay! The super nice Joanna sent me samples to review from Edward’s and Sons Co:

Organic Croutons, Miso soup, coconut water, brown rice snaps, canned peaches, and a whole bunch of flyers and recipes!

In 1978, Edward’s and Sons started with the Miso Cup. From there, they have grown into quite a large company that tries to accommodate many different special diets like gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and kosher. However, the company is foremost a vegetarian company that does not include any meat or fish in their products. Edwards ad Sons includes the following brands: Edward & Sonsโ„ข, Native Forestยฎ, Let’s Do…Organicยฎ, The Wizard’sยฎ, Premier Japanยฎ, Let’s Doโ€ฆยฎ, and Road’s End Organicsยฎ.

Reviews:

  • Brown Rice Snaps: They sent the vegetable flavored, but the company makes many other flavors, too. Ingredients: Organic Brown Rice Flour, Organic White Rice Flour, Organic Expeller-Pressed Safflower Oil, Carrots, Garlic, Onions, Red Bell Peppers, Tomatoes, Salt, Citric Acid, Green Bell Peppers.

Wow! No sugar, whole grain, and real vegetables in it! It tastes crunchy, and the flavor of garlic is nice and light. My whole family enjoyed these.

  • Miso Cup: This soup was very easy to make. It is like the healthy version of Ramen Noodles-just add hot water and enjoy! The soup is just a miso base with freeze dried tofu, seaweed, and green onions. I liked it because I am a miso soup-lover, and because it tasted just like my miso soup. So if you like miso soup, you will like this portable packet. I took it on the road with me, and enjoyed it at my destination.
  • Organic Croutons: Ingredients: Organic Wheat Flour, Yeast, Salt, Organic Onion Powder, Organic Garlic Powder,Organic Parsley, Organic Oregano, Organic Basil.

Simple, organic, and made with wheat flour! I like how they were nice and bite-sized. They were a good addition to my salad (shown at right).

  • Sliced Peaches: It is very hard to find canned fruit that isn’t soaked in syrup, but this one is. Plus, it has the added bonus of being organic! It is soaked in fruit juice and water instead of syrup. Yay! I used to love canned peaches during my elementary school lunches. These tasted exactly the same: soft, plump, sweet, and juicy!
  • Coconut Water: I actually have been drinking coconut water for the past year now. During and after my tennis matches, I hydrate with it because it is high in electrolytes and potassium. I ย like the delicate, smooth taste of the young coconut. It is best when the juice is chilled.

Edward’s and Sons Co. is really a great company that sells a variety of different items. I really love how they like to keep everything simple and organic-what a relief from the many other main-stream companies out there!

Thanks again, Edward’s and Sons, for this fantastic opportunity to review your products!

On another note, Happy Birthday Katie! I hope you have a chocolaty-filled, special day! Also, I hope you are all having a nice and relaxing Labor Day!

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

Have you ever seen or tried Edward’s and Sons products? What was it?

Also, what did you do for labor day? Or what are you planning on doing?

Why I Love Muffins

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First off, I know that I have left you in suspense for the winner of my Namaste giveaway…But now that I have finally settled down I can announce who it is! Using random.org, I RANDOMLY selected the winner…..#42! Congratulations Erin! I hope you enjoy your gluten-free goodies ๐Ÿ™‚
Now, onto what’s important, Muffins! Lately, I have been experimenting with different recipes, and also enjoying many of the results. I have a few of these sugar free recipes coming (like apple-carrot bran!).
Why I Love Muffins
  • They are super versatile
  • They can be made extremely healthy
  • Easy to bring on picnics, to lunch, during work or school, when you’re in a hurry, while you’re hiking…
  • They taste like dessert!
Whole Wheat Banana Muffins
  • I can smear some coconut butter “frosting” on a carrot cake muffin and eat it like dessert!
  • I can bring them on the plane for an easy breakfast
  • I can eat them for lunch with a smoothie
  • I can eat them before I work out for some energy
  • Adding protein powder is easy, and tastes good

  • Whole wheat, bran, chia, flax, are all high fiber add-ins that make them powerful muffins!
  • I can eat them for any taste I’m looking for (blueberry, carrot cake, nutty, poppyseed, chocolate…)
  • They are fun to make with family
  • They make great gifts! Just put them in a cute basket and tie them with a bow ๐Ÿ™‚
  • They can provide servings of veggies and fruit!
  • They smell good in the oven
  • I like to share them with friends
  • They taste good!

Why do you love muffins? Or do you love muffins?

Also, check out this giveaway for Artisana butters at Gluten Free Muse!

Crunchmaster Review

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Robin, from Crunchmaster, was oh so generous to send me a HUGE box of crackers to try an review! Thank you, Robin!

The Multi-Seed Crackers come in Original, Roasted Garlic, Rosemary & Olive Oil and Sweet Onion. Here are the stats for the original flavor:

I Love these ingredients! ย What other cracker have you seen has these kinds of exotic grains like quinoa and amaranth? Plus, these are all gluten-free!

Note: The flavored multi-seed crackers each contain a small amount of sugar in them, about 1 gram per serving. They also contain dairy. But other than that, they are same as the orignal with a few extra seasonings.

My Reviews of Multi-Seed Crackers

  • Original: These were actually my favorite of the multi-seeds. Call me boring, but I liked the flavor of the seeds alone (with just a hint of salt). They were earthy, crunchy, and nutty!
  • Rosemary and Olive Oil: I was so excited to try these, but they ended up being my least-favorite ๐Ÿ™ ย I love rosemary, but I didn’t taste the rosemary flavor at all in the powdery coating. I wish that there were little specks of the herb cooked into the actual cracker instead of powdered on the top.
  • Roasted Garlic: This was good, but it tasted like the original crackers with a garlic-y aftertaste. Which is fine, but I would have preferred a more strong garlic flavor.
  • Sweet Onion: This was fine, too. It had a light onion flavor, but they were a bit sweet for me. (Well, my tastes are a bit different than the average person’s sweet tooth. hehe)

They also sell a sea salt Multi-Grain cracker. It contains Brown Rice Flour, Whole Grain Yellow Corn, Potato Starch, Safflower oil, Oat Fiber, Evaporated Cane Juice, Sesame Seeds, Flax Seeds, Millet, Sea Salt, Quinoa Seeds. It has 120 calories per 16 crackers, and two grams of sugar.

I liked these Multi-Grain crackers. They went really well with salsa because they had that extra corn flavor in it. It had a lighter taste than the Multi-seeds.

Baked Rice Crispers

Ingredients of Salt and Pepper: Brown Rice Flour, White Rice Flour, Whole Grain Yellow Corn Flour, Yellow Corn Masa, Safflower Oil, Evaporated Cane Juice, Sea Salt, Toasted Dehydrated Onion Powder, Salt & Pepper Seasoning (Sea Salt, Black Pepper Powder, Coconut Oil, Extractives of Black Pepper), Garlic Powder, Torula Yeast.

The Stats for you label-readers (don’t worry, I’m one of them…hehe…)

Calories 120 Sodium 230 mg
Total Fat 3 g Potassium 0 mg
Saturated 0 g Total Carbs 22 g
Polyunsaturated 0 g Dietary Fiber 1 g
Monounsaturated 0 g Sugars 2 g
Trans 0 g Protein 2 g
Cholesterol 0 mg

This is for 37 chips salt and pepper chips. That’s right, 37! I love the fact that the serving size is so large! The other flavors are about the same, only with different flavors added. Note: the other flavors have dairy products in them.

My Reviews of Mr. Krisper’s Baked Rice Krispers:

  • Sour Cream and Onion: These were the first ones I tried because I used to be a big fan of sour cream and onion chips. OH my gosh! The love is back! My picky little brother even said, “Oh my gosh, these are good!” They taste just like regular sour cream and onion chips, but they don’t have that greasy flavor and are very light.
  • Sea Salt and Pepper: My mom and I loved these (my lil bro and sis didn’t, but that’s just because they don’t like black pepper. pshh). I actually added a bit more salt and pepper to it because I love a strong salt and pepper flavor.
  • Nacho: Again, wow. They taste a bit like cheesey chips, only light and not greasy. My sister really enjoyed them-she even ate them during breakfast one morning!
  • Barbeque: Good, but not really a smoky barbecue flavor. I’d rather call them hot sauce chips instead because they got some heat!

Overall: I love Crunchmaster’s products! The multi-seeds are really good with dips like hummus and salsa. They would also go beautifully at a party with a plate of fancy cheeses (for you dairy-eaters).

The Mr. Krispers excited me the most, though, because they taste just like potato chips without the greasy-ness. You should defiently reach for these when you get a potato-chip craving!

Thanks so much Crunchmaster!

(P.S. if you want to give their product a go, you can get a coupon for $1 off by going to their website. Click the link above)

Pancakes and Peanut Butter.

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Hey Guys! This is a super short post today because I want you to check out my first guest post on Lauren’s blog, Whole Wheat or Bust. Check it out! I talk about some sugar-substitutes and a yummy sugar-free recipe at the end ๐Ÿ™‚

But here are some of my eats the past couple days…I’ll give recipes to some of them later. If I don’t and you want the recipe, just yell at me!

Protein Berry Soft Serve
Afternoon came and I wanted pancakes( and peanut butter of course), so I whipped out a batch in 5 minutes(without a mix!)you guys are totally getting the recipe.
Carrot Cake Oatmeal
Mondo Salad
Sausage, veggies, and noodles

So… What do you think?