Spoonful of Sugar Free

Registered Dietitian

Archives for May 2011

Quick Vegan Milkshake

By

Hello Everyone!

I am still on the road, but here is a great, quick Vegan milkshake that tastes creamy and rich. I have posted this recipe before on a guest post on Whole Wheat or Bust, but here it is again for those of you who missed it.

Healthy Vegan Chocolate Milkshake

~This milkshake is dairy-free, sugar-free, vegan, and is a wonderful treat for summer!

Serves 1

  • 1/3 cup raw cashews
  • 1 heaping Tablespoon cocoa powder
  • 1 frozen banana
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla (optional)

First, blend the cashews with equal parts water until it is smooth and makes a thick nut milk. Then, add banana, cocoa powder, and vanilla (if using), and blend until smooth. Add more water to create desired consistency. (I like my milkshakes nice and thick, so I don’t usually add much more water.) Enjoy!

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

What is your favorite milkshake flavor?

Right now, I LOVE Katie’s Chocolate Chip Mint Milkshake.  I am the BIGGEST fan of chocolate mint-combo.

Don’t Forget:

Sign up for the Sugar-Free Challenge HERE. I hope a whole bunch of you try the challenge of going sugar-free for 10 days!

On the Road…

By

Hello everyone! I am on the road, so I don’t have time to write a post yet. Once I get to my destination, I will make sure to give you some updates. It’s going to be a LONG trip-3 whole days of driving. So, of course, I had to pack a whole bunch of food:

All of this is going in a big cooler. Apples, bananas, peanut butter (a whole jar!), raw crinkle cookies, Homemade Apple-Walnut-Cinnamon Instant Oats, pistachios, Smacaroons, Nuts, V8, and a loaf of bread for the rest of the family. I also packed a huge water bottle to help stay hydrated.

Book to read:

And I just downloaded some new podcasts off of Itunes. This was my first time downloading a podcast, and I am really excited to listen to it! There are so many out there.

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

Do you listen to podcasts? If so, which ones do you recommend?

Don’t Forget:

Sign up for the Sugar-Free Challenge HERE. I hope a whole bunch of you try the challenge of going sugar-free for 10 days!

10 Ways to Kick Sugar’s Butt

By

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

    By

    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!

    By

    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!