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Do you ever get in a salad slump? Bored with your current go-to dressing, or bored of your go-to veggies?

This happens to me every once in a while. Instead of grabbing a piece of Baker’s chocolate and calling it a day, I flipped through a random cookbook and saw a Berry Dressing. This dressing, however, contained a whopping 1/2 cup of sugar! Who needs added sugar in a recipe with naturally-sweet berries?

[Read more…] about Orange and Berry Salad

Ever found a tasty looking recipe, but the ingredients are all listed in ounces and grams?

Yes! This has happened to me before, and I was always disappointed because I had no way to measure the ingredients. With this 5-pound digital scale, though, I am now able to make those recipes! If only I can remember what the recipes were…

You can even use the scale to measure your packages to send in the mail. Or you can use the scale to measure the ingredients in a muffin and then send the muffins in the mail!

Oxo 5-lb Food Scale Giveaway

This Giveaway is now Closed. Thanks to all who entered!

One winner will receive the 5-lb Digital Food Scale courtesy of Oxo. U.S. residents only, please, and no P.O. boxes-sorry! 

How to Enter:

There are multiple ways to win. Please leave a separate comment below for each entry.

1. Answer this question: What would you use the food scale for? (links welcome)
2. Subscribe to Spoonful of Sugar Free by entering your email address in the “Subscribe” box on the right. Or follow by RSS, google reader, etc.
3. Like me on facebook.
4. Follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway. Can be something like, “I want to win @oxo food scale @SugarFreeAlex  http://www.spoonfulofsugarfree.com/2012/04/18/oxo-food-scale-giveaway/ ”
5. Follow me on Pinterestand Pin something of mine.
6. Blog about this giveaway on your blog.

Giveaway ends Wednesday, April 25th at Midnight.

Chocolate pudding was one of my favorite comfort foods. My mom used to make homemade stove-top pudding from scratch. Milk, sugar, egg yolks, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and  a whole bunch of stirring. I used to love it when it was warm, but slightly cooled so that a film formed on the top. Put a dollop of cool whip on top, and hunker down to watch a movie. When I was really little, these “movie and pudding” nights consisted of my siblings and I filling laundry baskets with pillows and blankets to sit in. Oh how I wish I could sit in a laundry basket again while watching movies!

[Read more…] about Chocolate Chia Pudding

To my sister-

Who is a great cake-baker…

A magnificent artist…

Puts up with my crazy cooking experiments…sort of…

And will eat an entire artichoke with lemon juice with me while watching movies…

I love you! 

Happy Birthday, Sista!!!

I have to be honest. I’m not a big ketchup fan. Some may dip everything from fries to eggs to their fingers in the stuff, but not me.

I’m a mustard girl.

I’ve been getting so many requests for a sugar-free ketchup recipe, though, that I finally just buckled down and made the darn ketchup!

This is for you, Celeste, and all the other ketchup-lovers who challenged me to create this recipe.

[Read more…] about Homemade Sugar-Free Ketchup

I’ve been on a granola kick lately. Glass jars fill my counter space with different ingredients: nuts, fruits, spices, and oats.

It’s been a great way to start my morning the past week. A bowl of crunchy granola with a drizzle of almond or coconut milk. Sometimes I’ll add a bit of fresh fruit to the bowl, too.

For this granola, I decided to use bananas to add a gentle sweetness. I didn’t want it to taste too much like banana bread, so I added some dried coconut to make it more tropical. Add a bit of fresh pineapple to your bowl and drizzle with coconut milk, and you are off to the tropics!

This recipe is linked to Allergy Free Wednesdays 04/11/12.

Health Benefits:

• Oats: Oats contain loads of vitamins and minerals to keep you full and energized throughout the day. They can lower cholesterol, burn fat, reduce risk of type 2 diabetes, regulate bowel movements, reduce blood pressure, reduce risks of cancer because of oat’s phytochemical, and reduce the risk of heart disease.
• 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. This means that the body is less likely to store the medium-chain as fat. Coconut is also a great source of dietary fiber with a whopping 5 grams per oz!
• 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!
• Cinnamon: Studies have shown that it can help lower LDL cholesterol, help regulate blood sugar levels, has anti-clotting effect on blood, and it can boost cognitive function and memory.

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

Are you a granola muncher? If so, what is your favorite flavor?

Psst! Still in the mood for more granola? Try my Pumpkin Spice Latte Granola!