HOW SWEET IT IS
For most of us, a birthday just wouldn't be a celebration without a
sweet treat. But who wants a dozen toddlers running around their
house jacked up on sugar? So try these tasty recipes using natural
sweeteners.
Brown rice trail bars
From the Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook by Alissa Segersten and Tom
Malterre, MS, CN
Ingredients
2 tablespoons coconut oil, plus more for greasing the pan
1 cup brown rice syrup or coconut nectar
? cup almond butter or peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 cups Erewhon Brown Rice Crispy Cereal (gluten-free)
? cup sesame seeds
? cup pumpkin or sunflower seeds
? cup chopped nuts, optional
? cup raisins or dried cranberries
Directions
Grease a 9x13-inch glass baking pan with coconut oil and set
aside.
Heat coconut oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the
brown rice syrup and nut butter and heat until tiny bubbles form,
stirring constantly, but gently, with a wire whisk. Immediately
take the pan off the heat and stir in the vanilla.
Place remaining ingredients into a large bowl. Pour the hot syrup
mixture over it and immediately mix together with a wooden spoon.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and press the mixture flat
with a rubber spatula.
Almond cookies
From Dr. Virginia Shapiro
Ingredients
1? cups raw almonds (organic are best)
? teaspoon sea salt
? teaspoon baking powder
? cup cocoa powder, optional
? cup maple syrup
Directions
Blend almonds in a food processor into a thick paste (this takes
time, so be patient).
Blend in the salt, baking powder and cocoa. Add maple syrup and a
ball of dough will form in the processor. Remove the dough and
finish mixing by hand, if needed.
Form 1" balls, flatten well and place on a baking sheet that has
been greased with coconut oil.
Bake at 350°F about 10-13 minutes. Move to a wire rack to
cool.
Chocolate banana "ice cream"
From the Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook by Alissa Segersten and Tom
Malterre, MS, CN
Ingredients
? cup raw cashews
2 tablespoons water
3-4 tablespoons pure maple syrup
3 large frozen bananas, sliced
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
Directions
Process cashews, water and maple syrup in a food processor until
creamy and smooth. Add frozen banana slices and the cacao powder
and process until smooth, thick and creamy.
Serve immediately or freeze for later use.
4-6 servings
Let them eat cake!
If you're making a birthday cake, cut calories and reduce fat with
these healthy substitutions.
Applesauce instead of oil. Substitute 1/4 cup of the oil in your
favorite cake recipe with the same amount of applesauce and you
will remove 490 calories without cutting the flavor.
Cream cheese instead of shortening. For a healthier frosting simply
substitute cream cheese or whipped cream-based frosting for fattier
shortening-based ones. Dairy-based spreads can cut 1,000 calories
or more from a recipe while also lowering the fat. And, as a bonus,
you'll be getting some protein, which helps balance out the blood
sugar. It's like getting a present from your cake!
The hierarchy of sweeteners
When choosing a sweetener, consider these options listed in order
from best to worst:
(graphic)
A note about alcohol sugars (xylitol, erythritol): The primary
issue with alcohol sugars, often found in "sugar-free" foods, is
that they are hard on the gastrointestinal tract. They cause
indigestion in most people and can disturb the microbiome. They
should be consumed in small amounts intermittently-not in
substantial amounts or used daily in any amount.
Recipes and content provided by First Alternative Co-op
(https://firstalt.coop).
For most of us, a birthday just wouldn't be a celebration
without a sweet treat. But who wants a dozen toddlers running
around their house jacked up on sugar? So try these tasty recipes
using natural sweeteners.
Brown rice trail bars
From the Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook by Alissa Segersten
and Tom Malterre, MS, CN
Ingredients
2 tablespoons coconut oil, plus more
for greasing the pan
1 cup brown rice syrup or coconut
nectar
3/4 cup almond butter or peanut
butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 cups Erewhon Brown Rice Crispy
Cereal (gluten-free)
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup pumpkin or sunflower
seeds
1/2 cup chopped nuts, optional
3/4 cup raisins or dried
cranberries
Directions
Grease a 9x13-inch glass baking pan with coconut oil and set
aside.
Heat coconut oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the
brown rice syrup and nut butter and heat until tiny bubbles form,
stirring constantly, but gently, with a wire whisk. Immediately
take the pan off the heat and stir in the vanilla.
Place remaining ingredients into a large bowl. Pour the hot
syrup mixture over it and immediately mix together with a wooden
spoon. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and press the mixture
flat with a rubber spatula.
Almond cookies
From Dr. Virginia Shapiro
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups raw almonds (organic are
best)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup cocoa powder, optional
1/4 cup maple syrup
Directions
Blend almonds in a food processor into a thick paste (this takes
time, so be patient).
Blend in the salt, baking powder and cocoa. Add maple syrup and
a ball of dough will form in the processor. Remove the dough and
finish mixing by hand, if needed.
Form 1" balls, flatten well and place on a baking sheet that has
been greased with coconut oil.
Bake at 350°F about 10-13 minutes. Move to a wire rack to
cool.
Chocolate banana "ice cream"
From the Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook by Alissa Segersten
and Tom Malterre, MS, CN
Ingredients
1/2 cup raw cashews
2 tablespoons water
3-4 tablespoons pure maple syrup
3 large frozen bananas, sliced
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
Directions
Process cashews, water and maple syrup in a food processor until
creamy and smooth. Add frozen banana slices and the cacao powder
and process until smooth, thick and creamy.
Serve immediately or freeze for later use.
4-6 servings
Let them eat cake!
If you're making a birthday cake, cut calories and reduce fat
with these healthy substitutions.
Applesauce instead of oil. Substitute 1/4 cup
of the oil in your favorite cake recipe with the same amount of
applesauce and you will remove 490 calories without cutting the
flavor.
Cream cheese instead of shortening. For a
healthier frosting simply substitute cream cheese or whipped
cream-based frosting for fattier shortening-based ones. Dairy-based
spreads can cut 1,000 calories or more from a recipe while also
lowering the fat. And, as a bonus, you'll be getting some protein,
which helps balance out the blood sugar. It's like getting a
present from your cake!
The hierarchy of sweeteners
When choosing a sweetener, consider these options listed in
order from best to worst:
A note about alcohol sugars (xylitol, erythritol): The primary
issue with alcohol sugars, often found in "sugar-free" foods, is
that they are hard on the gastrointestinal tract. They cause
indigestion in most people and can disturb the microbiome. They
should be consumed in small amounts intermittently-not in
substantial amounts or used daily in any amount.
Recipes and content provided by First Alternative Co-op
(https://firstalt.coop).