Spoonful of Sugar Free

Registered Dietitian

Alex@Spoonful of Sugar Free

Chocolate, Banana, and Peanut Butter.

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Enough said.

Those of you who read my blog regularly have probably noticed my obsession for the chocolate, banana, peanut butter combo.

For you new readers, welcome to the Chocolate, Banana, Peanut Butter Club!

 

Chocolate Banana Cream Pie with Chocolate Peanut Butter Crust

~This pie is very easy to make, and it has a great contrast between the chewy crust and creamy center. It can be made raw if you use raw cacao powder instead of cocoa powder, and substitute the peanuts for a different raw nut. Vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and, of course, sugar-free!

Serves 8

Crust Ingredients

  • 1 cup peanuts
  • 3 large dates
  • 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
  • pinch of salt (if peanuts aren’t already salted)

In a food processor or strong blender, blend all ingredients until thoroughly mixed. The mixture should stick together. If it doesn’t add a splash of water. Press the mix into a pie dish, and freeze while making the pie filling.

 

Filling Ingredients

  • 4 frozen bananas
  • 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder

Blend the bananas and cocoa powder in a food processor or strong blender until the bananas have a “custardy” texture like Magic Banana Ice Cream. Put the filling on top of the pie crust and freeze for at least 2 hours.

 

Thaw the pie for about 10 minutes before eating. The pie should be set but not rock-solid. Who likes rock-solid pie?

Decorate if you wish. I topped mine with sliced bananas, a blob of peanut butter whipped with almond milk, chopped peanuts, and unsweetened chocolate shavings.

 

My slice. Do you see the peanut butter bleeding into the chocolate? So delightful.

 

Health Benefits

  • Chocolate: Click HERE for a post I did about all the benefits of chocolate.
  • Peanuts: These legumes are full of protein with 7g per ounce. They also have a great monounsaturated fat content that helps your heart and brain. Peanut is a good source of Coenzyme Q10 which protects the heart during the period of lack of oxygen example high altitudes and clogged arteries. It also has a high antioxidant and high niacin content that helps in the recovery of cell damage and provides protection against Alzheimer’s disease and age-related cognitive problem.
  • Bananas: Rich in potassium, bananas help the body’s circulatory system deliver oxygen to the brain. This also helps maintain a regular heartbeat and a proper balance of water in the body. It also contains tryptophan to help relax you and lift your spirits!

 

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

If you were to make a club, what would it be called, and what would you do?

Like I said earlier, join the Chocolate, Banana, Peanut Butter Club! We create hundreds of great recipes with our favorite combo 😉

 

A Sugar-Free Birthday

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Thanks for all the Birthday wishes!!! I had such a great day…

I woke up and had a great Birthday breakfast!

Veggie Omelet, decaf coffee, and fresh blueberries and bananas!

My fabulous birthday hat and fabulous 'sugar-free' cupcake mug!

Then I made yummy treats for the day…

Sugar-free Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

Bringing cupcakes to elementary school tennis is a must!

I went about my day as usual, but had a great birthday dinner!

Anthony’s Coal Fired Wings (THE BEST! Grilled instead of basted in a yucky sauce and topped with rosemary), a big salad, Grilled potatoes, homemade gluten-free crackers, Vegan (soy-free, dairy-free, nut-free) spinach artichoke dip, and…..

Raw Chocolate Banana Cream Pie with Chocolate Peanut Butter Crust!!!!

It was such a great day, and I had a lot of fun making new recipes. I have a lot of new recipes to share with you…

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

Did you bring treats on your birthday to school?

It was always a big deal with my elementary school. Cupcakes, donuts, candy, brownies, cookies……sugar crash!

Also, what recipes do you want me to give you first???

 

7th Heaven in 7 Layers

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I am so glad you all liked “A Day in the Life of a Sugar-Free Girl” post! You all had some great questions, and I tried to answer them to the best of my ability. There were a few people who requested me to do a post about my vitamins and supplements, and I think it is a great idea! I will get to work on writing a post about this.

Also, here is the Sugar-Free 7 Layer Bar recipe I taunted you all with on Monday!

It started out with me buying a bag of unsweetened carob. I don’t why I didn’t try this sooner! I thought I didn’t like carob, but I was so wrong! This stuff is amazing, and extremely sweet naturally (I can only handle a few pieces before I get a sugar-headache). However, I think it tastes more like butterscotch rather than chocolate.

 

Here is a breakdown of the seven layers of a regular 7-Layer bar and my healthy 7-layer bar:

Regular 7-Layer Bar: ***************************My Healthy 7-Layer Bar:

1. Graham Cracker crust                                                 1. Oatmeal Crust

2. Chopped walnuts                                                         2. Chopped Walnuts or Pecans

3. Chocolate chips                                                            3. Unsweetened Chocolate Chunks

4. White Chocolate chips                                                4.  Dried Fruit

5. Butterscotch chips                                                       5. Unsweetened Carob Chips

6. Sweetened Shredded Coconut                                   6. Unsweetened Shredded Coconut

7. Sweetened condensed milk                                       7. Coconut milk

 

Print
7th Heaven in 7 Layers

Serving Size: 18 bars

7th Heaven in 7 Layers

~These 7-Layer bars (or Magic Bars) are gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free, and, of course, sugar-free!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup oats
  • 1/2 cup oat flour (blend oats in blender until smooth)
  • 1/2 cup chia gel (mix 1 tablespoon of chia seeds with 1/2 cup water and let sit for 20 minutes, or until they "puff up")
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
  • 1/2 cup chopped unsweetened chocolate (I used Baker's bars)
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened carob chips
  • 1/2 cup chopped dried fruit (like dates, apricots, raisins, or cherries. Optional. They taste fine without the fruit, too!)
  • 1 cup shredded coconut
  • 1 (14 oz) can of coconut milk

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375*.
  2. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking pan and line with parchment paper or foil to help lift the bars out of the pan.
  3. Mix the oats, oat flour, and chia gel together and spread on bottom of pan. Bake for 10 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  4. Then sprinkle the walnuts in a layer, chocolate chunks, carob chips, fruit (if using), and coconut shavings on top.
  5. Pour the coconut milk evenly over the dish.
  6. Bake for 25 minutes or until the coconut is golden brown.
  7. Let the bars cool at room temperature for 2 hours (or in the fridge for less). If you try to cut the bars before they cool, they will crumble. Once they are done cooling, cut the bars and serve to hungry people 🙂
https://www.spoonfulofsugarfree.com/2011/03/02/7th-heaven-in-7-layers/

In the pan cooling....the agony of having to wait! Ugh!

 

Health Benefits:

  • Carob: Unlike chocolate, carob contains no caffeine and it contains a number of nutrients, including vitamins A, B, B2, B3, and D. It contains a good dose of Pectin that helps to eliminate toxins from the body.
  • Chocolate: Click HERE for a post I wrote on all the benefits of Chocolate.
  • Coconut: Coconut is widely misunderstood because of it’s high fat content; however, coconut’s saturated fat is made up of medium-chain fatty acids. These medium-chains are easy to absorb and digest, and are converted quickly into energy. Coconut is also a great source of dietary fiber with a whopping 5 grams per oz.!
  • Oats: Click HERE for a post I wrote on al the benefits of Oats.

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

What was your most memorable birthday dessert as a kid?

I remember my mom making me a birthday cake shaped like a jewelry box! It was my absolute favorite! It had candy necklaces, gold coins, and ring pops in it. It also had a beautiful ballerina on top that I got to keep. I wasn’t always sugar-free 😉


A Day in the Life of a Sugar Free Girl

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By popular request, I am going to take you through a day in a life of me 🙂

Around 7:30 I wake up and wander into the kitchen to mix myself my morning drink:

Glutamine Power, Vitality C, Perfect Greens mixed in water

 

I get dressed for the day (or not, sometimes I spend the morning in pj’s), and spend about 30 minutes lifting weights (this is after a nice warm-up, of course. Never lift weights when your body is cold!)


Breakfast Time! Today’s breakfast was some grain-free bitter chocolate pancakes with thawed frozen strawberries.


And a cup of decaf hazelnut coffee to drink throughout the morning.

And my vitamins!

Vitamin D, Raw one Multivitamin for Women, and MAP (Master Amino Acid Pattern)

 

Then I sit down to the computer to work. Homework, blogging, blah, blah, blah…

My sweet doggy comes to say hello! So I give him some love…

My gosh he is getting some white whiskers! But look at that smile...

11:30 Lunch! Finally! I usually eat a veggie-protein stir-fry or leftovers from dinner the day before. Today happened to be a eggplant-tempeh mix with indian spices.

Then I’m off to tennis practice. I leave at 12:30 and arrive around 1:15. I spend the 45 minute car ride reading.

I'm reading Sense and Sensibility now. Have you read this before?

 

Tennis for 2 hours (This changes throughout the week. Sometimes I do 2 hours of tennis+1 hour speed and weight training. And sometimes I do just 4 hours of tennis.)

Me hitting a serve...

 

And 30 minutes of speed training with leg strengthening.

Post-workout snack:

A V8 and an Alex Bar (unpictured). Did you know that V8s have great levels of potassium?

 

4:30. My late afternoons and nights vary greatly from day to day. Sometimes I have to string a racquet, work on more homework, or whatever errands I need to do!

This is actually my brother's racquet...but you get the idea 😉

 

Shower and Dinner. After sweating so much throughout the day, I finally rinse off. Then I eat dinner. Something is usually waiting in the crockpot. Tonight’s diner was a big spinach salad with quinoa, tomatoes, chicken, avocado, heart of palms, and olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Monday night is choir night for me. From 6-8 I sing my heart out!

Here is a picture of me in my choir attire. This picture was taken last year in Los Angeles for a choir competition-that we won!

 

I’m hungry again, so I have a little dessert…

A Sugar-free 7-Layer Bar! OoOoOoOoOo...Recipe coming soon!

 

Then I settle down with a good book 🙂 And drink my nightly drink before bed:

Magnesium "Natural Calm," Glutamine powder, L Tryptophan, and probiotics.

 

10:00-Lights out! Night, night…Don’t let the bedbugs bite!

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

Do you like to keep schedules?

I always like to schedule my day out the night before or else I get lost the next day and don’t know what to do! I find that I always get more done when I schedule everything out.



I Love Food!

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And apparently, so does everyone else! Here is the long overdue Food Lovin’ Post!

Food Lovin’ Around the World:

Kelsey, from the Snacking Squirrel, loves her Starbuck’s coffee…

And her favorite egg salad sandwich from The Red Brick Cafe in Sidney B.C. (which is also one of her favorite cafes).

Lea from the Healthy Coconut loves her Coconut sticky rice with mango.

Krissie loves her homemade Nasi Goreng Pedas (Spicy Fried Rice).

Haley from Teen on a Mission loves the tamale and guacamole plate from “The Stand” in Laguna Beach, California.

Ann from Annie’s Simple Life loves her favorite summer sorbet, a mix of frozen bananas and blueberries. Click on picture for recipe.

Kathleen from Kat’s Health Corner loves her Pumpkin Cranberry Nutty Cookies. Click on Picture for recipe!

Carrie from Moves n’ Munchies loves her oatmeal. (Who could blame her? She makes the best bowls in town!)

Erika from FoodFitnessFun LOVES nut butters!

Dianna loves THESE kabocha squash scones.

Heather loves persimmons!

Maija loves roasted chestnuts…

…and fresh black mission figs!

Thanks to everyone who submitted pictures! It was so much fun to look at all of them. There are definitely a few more foods I want to try now 🙂

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

For those who didn’t get a chance to send a picture, what is your favorite food?



Chia: The Seed of Champions!

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Not only is chia seed great for chia pets…

Given to me by my little brother for Christmas! Thanks lil bro!

But it makes the easiest, most delicious pudding!

Chocolate Banana Pudding Parfait

~This parfait is a perfect dessert for special occasions, but it can also be a quick and delicious breakfast! Raw, Dairy-free, vegan, gluten-free, and, of course, sugar-free!

Ingredients

  • 1 serving Magic Banana Ice Cream
  • 3 Tablespoons chia seed
  • 1/2 cup milk substitute (like almond milk or coconut milk)
  • 1 Tablespoon Cocoa powder (cacao powder for a raw treat)
  • Optional Toppings: cacao nibs, unsweetened coconut shavings, coconut cream, chopped peanuts, banana slices

Mix together the chia, milk, and cocoa powder. Let sit in the fridge for about 20 minutes or until the chia seeds puff up into a pudding. While the chia pudding sets, make the Magic Banana Ice Cream.

Now, take a glass jar, bowl, or cup and layer the banana ice cream with the chocolate pudding. Top with whatever toppings you choose!

Usually I will make a huge batch of chia pudding, and keep it in the fridge for whenever I want to make a parfait, eat it plain, or mix into my oatmeal!

Benefits of Chia Seeds

The ancient Aztecs and Mayans used to carry this beloved seed with them on long journeys to increase their strength and endurance. Chia seeds can absorb up to 12 times it’s weight in water, so it is also a great hydrator. It can help electrolyte imbalances by maintaining fluid balances. When I play long tennis matches in the hot Florida summer heat, I will put a few tablespoons of chia into my water jug to help me last through the match.

Chia seed is also a great source of fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants. It can also help balance blood-sugar levels, so it is great for diabetics. It helps blood sugar levels by slowing the conversion of carbohydrates into sugar. I keep a jar of chia gel handy in my fridge at all times and will pour a little bit into my water throughout the day. I also use this gel to put in baked goods as an egg replacement. It is the best egg replacer I have found yet, and I highly recommend it to vegans and those allergic to eggs. 1/4 cup chia gel=1 egg.

Other great recipes with chia and chia eggs:

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

Have you tried chia yet? If so, what are your favorite ways to use it.

Also, do you like parfaits? I just love parfaits. My sister and I used to always surprise our parents with breakfast in bed for their birthdays. We would always make yogurt parfaits with fruit and grape-nuts 🙂

P.S. For those Vegans who wanted to try my Grain-Free Banana Bread and Pumpkin Spice Bread, Kelsey substituted the eggs with tofu. It was a success! Check it out HERE.