Spoonful of Sugar Free

Registered Dietitian

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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.

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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 😛 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!

Two Cans and a Potato

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People think that eating healthy is always time consuming, expensive, and difficult. To you people: HA!

I am going to be driving back to Florida on Tuesday (3 day drive 🙁 ), so that means I have to get rid of everything in he fridge so it doesn’t spoil. Well…..it is almost all gone. I barely have anything left in the fridge! So for dinner, I made use of a potato and two canned foods.

The result:

Oh wait....I guess we had some leftover steamed spinach and black olives that I used as well, but they are not required! The best thing about potatoes is that they are so versatile!

Hobo Dinner

  • 1 potato wrapped in aluminum foil
  • 1 can tomatoes (chopped, whole, pureed, doesn’t really matter)
  • 1 can beans (I used black beans, but garbanzo, pinto, kidney, ex. would work, too)
  • leftover toppings of choice, spices for vegetarian chili (I used a versatile chili powder)

Scrub potato thoroughly because the skins are good to eat. A lot of the fiber and nutrients come in the potato’s skin. Wrap the potato in aluminum foil and bake for 45 min+ (depends on size of potato) at 425*.

While the potato bakes, heat the tomatoes and beans in a saucepan with the spices (if using).

When the potato is done, simply pour some of that homemade vegetarian chili on top, and eat it right out of the foil-hobo style!

2-can hobo chili

Scrumptious, filling, inexpensive, easy, quick, and fun to eat!

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

What is your favorite inexpensive food or meal? I know that oatmeal is pretty cheap, but it is chock full of nutrients!

NOTE: Since I will be on the road for a few days, I will not be by my computer. So…The Namaste Giveaway winner will be announced when I get back! Sorry to leave you all in anticipation! (There is still time to enter, though! Click on the link above for more details)

Also, the Food Lovin’ Post is still available for those who want to be included. Don’t be shy! Love your favorite food, be proud of it, and share it with the world!

Before Summer Ends…

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I want to share this Gazpacho recipe with you!

Fresh Summer Gazpacho

~This recipe is raw, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and of course, sugar-free!

This is very refreshing, and is best when served cold. My sister even likes to dip her tortilla chips into it!

Ingredients

  • 4-6 large tomatoes
  • 1 medium cucumber
  • 1 bell pepper of any color
  • 1/2 yellow onion
  • 1 clove garlic
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • small bunch of fresh cilantro
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper (add to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon salt (add to taste)

Thoroughly wash all veggies first. Then, place the tomatoes in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Then chop the rest of the veggies in the blender/food processor or by hand and add to tomatoes. Finally, stir the veggies with the salt and pepper and lemon juice.

For best results, chill in the fridge for at least one hour before serving. This allows the flavors to mingle with each other nicely.

Again, don’t forget to send in or blog about your favorite food for the Food Loving Post!! August is almost up!

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

What have you been wanting to do this summer, but haven’t gotten around to? I’ve been wanting to go to the beach…but that has not been done….

I can’t believe sumer is almost over! In Iowa, the breeze has started to blow, ad the temperature as dropped! Before you know it, the leaves will drop, too!

Psst! Looking for my Namaste Giveaway? Click HERE.

Namaste Review and Giveaway!

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Yay! The lovely Sally from Namaste Foods (Cool name, huh?) was so kind and sent me some baking mixes to try and review!

Sugar free Waffle and Pancake Mix, Sugar free Muffin Mix, and some fantastic recipe cards!

Sally was so generous and helpful! She sent me a hand-written note and various papers with sticknotes that shared her thoughts about the company which specializes in Gluten-free baking. Sally (and I) encourage you to visit the FAQ section of their website to learn more about how the company is trying to make gluten-free foods more accessible to those with Celiacs Disease.

Namaste is a small company based out of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Is it a coincidence that my little cousin who has Celiacs lives very close by? Anyway, according to the company, The word “Namaste” (pronounced “Naa-Maa-Stay”) is an ancient Sanskrit word with no literal translation. They say it means, “The Spirit within me honors and respects the Spirit within you.” The word “Spirit” in this context has no particular religious connotation. You could substitute the word “Heart” or “Soul” if you like. The essence of the phrase is simply that the best part of me wishes you well. And we do wish you well. In seeking to offer you delicious allergen-free foods, we nourish the body. In nourishing the body, we hope to help nourish the mind and the spirit so you can enjoy optimum health.

First, I decided to try the waffle and pancake mix because I had been craving pancakes the last couple weeks.

Sizzling on my cast-iron skillet

What can be better than a big stack of piping hot, fresh pancakes?
My pretty plate with cherries
Ha! Forget the Pretty! I'm smothering mine in homemade applesauce!

The pancakes were super easy to make. Just add some water, a tad bit of oil, and an egg (or egg substitute). Stir and Voila! I made some plain (for my picky little brother), some blueberry, and some cinnamon blueberry. The package makes two batches, and the picture shown above is just one batch (That is a whole lotta pancakes!)

But how did they taste? When my dad, the harsh food critic, says the pancakes are really good; then the pancakes must be good! And in my opinion, they definitely are! I couldn’t even tell that they were gluten-free! Great Job, Namaste!

Next up, the muffins.

Close up and smeared with butter

I had been craving poppyseed muffins lately, so I decided to go with my craving and stir some poppyseed to the mix. The mix was once again easy to make with the same oil, water, egg requirements. They add fresh vanilla bean to the mix, so I can see little black specks of the vanilla, how sweet is that? It made 12 muffins (six of which I made lemon poppyseed, and the other six almond poppyseed. This was so by adding orange juice and lemon peel to one batch, and almond extract to another).

How did they taste? My mom and I both liked them. It was a denser muffin and reminded me a lot of brown rice mochi because it had a kind of sticky inside. I loved it smeared with almond butter, and it was perfect to pack for breakfast the next day (which I spent on the airplane). They did not crumble in the little plastic bag I brought them in, nor did they crumble while I sat on the plane.

Verdict: Namaste is such a great company! It is perfect for those with celiacs disease, but still incredulously yummy for those who do not have gluten allergies. My dad couldn’t even tell that they were gluten free!

And to show how they can be even more kind and generous, they offered to give away a Namaste package to one lucky reader! (Within the United States, please, due to shipping costs. Sorry!) The giveaway would contain a Namaste Tote with perhaps a pasta mix and a baking mix, coupons, literature and assorted goodies.

To win this wonderful assortment, there are multiple ways to win:

  1. Blog about this giveaway, and link back here to tell me you did so.
  2. Follow me on Google Reader, and comment here to tell me you did so. (If you already follow me, then comment as well, and you will get an entry!)
  3. Tweet, facebook, or do whatever else (sorry I’m don’t know all of the social networkings out there!) about this giveaway, and comment back here to tell me you did so.
  4. Lastly, leave a comment here telling me about your favorite pancake, waffle, or muffin add-in. (Mine has to be blueberries right now!)

Each of the above will give you one entry into the contest. So, if you do all four bullet points, you will be entered four times! The giveaway will end one week from now, and I will post the winner’s name (and email him/her), so that they can receive their reward! Good Luck!

Once again, thanks so much, Namaste, for allowing me to do this!

P.S. Don’t forget to send in a Picture or blog about your favorite food for the Food Lovin‘ Post! August is almost up!

I’m Ba-ack!

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Don’t worry, I didn’t have too much fun while I was away from you guys…just driving…

My family and I drove from Florida to Iowa which is about 3 days full of driving. Ugh!!!! My butt is so sore from sitting!

Anyway, I just thought I’d pop in for a little bit to let you know I’m still here. I just haven’t had a chance to sit down at the computer yet (And I don’t really want to sit anymore!)

Ok. On our way up from Florida, we stopped in Georgia for a couple days for my sister to play in a tennis tournament. We stayed at a place called the Wyndham, and let me tell you it has the BEST Breakfast buffet EVER!!! I was in heaven 🙂 It’s usually $16 (AH!), but since my sis was in the tournament, they gave us a discount (phew!)

The minute I stepped into the room full of food, I was in aw! My family kept telling me to calm down because I was just so excited to try all the yummy delicacies!

Let me take you down memory lane…

The Continental half of the dining room was the first thing to meet my eyes, and a waiter in a black and white tux stood before us smiling, “Good morning, how many people will be joining us today?”

“Five”, we responded.

As he escorted us to the table, I couldn’t help but smile. I felt like a child staring at all the unopened gifts on Christmas morning.

Once we were seated, he took our drink orders, and I ran to the plates. Fruits of all shapes and sizes were laying before, nestled in between decorative greens. A poster of the human body was color-coded to reveal which foods were best for what part of the body: Muscles, Brain, Nerves, Bones.

With my plate in hand, I slowly walked down the aisle, and contemplated what foods I should try first. Yellow watermelon, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, grapefruit, apples, and a banana smoothie beautifully poured into a champaign glass and topped off with a slice of fresh lime. Oh my.

After I passed on the donuts, pastries, and dried cereal, my eyes met up with another line of fruit: plums, pineapple, kiwi, cherries, and raspberries just to name a few. Then a beautiful arrangement of lox and capers met my eyes. ‘I’ve never tried lox before,” I thought as I placed a few slices on my plate.

I almost dropped my plate with the next thing I saw: a full hot oatmeal bar! Any imaginable dried fruit laid perfectly still in white porcelain bowls: dates, cranberries, figs, mango, papaya. And nuts: flax, almonds, walnuts, pecans… Quickly, I grabbed a bowl and filled my oatmeal to the rim with figs, flax, nuts, and blueberries.

After setting my plate down at my table, I wondered over to the Hot Section. The usual shiny silver containers sat there, hiding their treasures within. I looked through the silver containers to find the usual bacon, breakfast potatoes, biscuits and gravy, and sausage. But something was missing. Where were the eggs?

Ah-ha! I whipped around and stood in front of a man wearing an impressively-tall chef’s hat. In front of him, three skillets stood ready to be put to work.

“What kind of eggs do you want? Or what do you want in your omelet?” The friendly man in the white hat asked. I ordered a veggie omelet with spinach, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, and peppers. Quickly, he sauteed in the veggies in oil, and then ladled pre-whisked eggs into the skillet. As it cooked, he prodded the eggs with a spatula until he felt like they were ready. Once ready, he flicked the omelet into the air. As the eggs and veggies soared, the chef stood ready to catch them. Bingo! They landed perfectly onto the skillet and cooked thoroughly the rest of the way.

I thanked the man for his good-dead, and complimented him on his handiwork as I spooned fresh guacamole and pico de gallo onto the omelet. Happlily, I walked passed the fresh whipped cream, butter and syrup waiting to be spooned onto freshly-made belgium waffles, and took a seat next to my family.

I slowly devoured my breakfast, enjoying every minute of it. I decided it was the best omelet I’d ever had, and decided that I really loved “fig newton” oatmeal. I also decided that I didn’t like raw salmon much, and vowed to stick to my cooked fish. Another thing I figured out was that I loved a certain yellow fruit that looked like kiwi on the inside, but didn’t taste like it. What was this sweet, yellow delicacy?

Plate upon plate, I went back for seconds, thirds, and fourths. I needed to try a little bit of everything. Satisfied, I smiled and declared it was the best breakfast I’d ever had.


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

What was the best breakfast you’ve ever had? Also, how do you eat healthy at a hotel breakfast buffet or on the road?

My Favorite Food is…

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Ok, I know you all have something that you totally enjoy and cherish-food wise. There must be something that you love! Whether its a McDonald’s cheeseburger, a piece of celery, or your grandma’s chocolate cake; there must be something that you cherish.

Be proud of what you love! And show it off! That’s why I am going to be having the month of August be Food Loving Month!

That’s right, for one month I am going to be celebrating our favorite foods and indulgences. So, please send me pictures (or links to pictures on a blog) of you and your favorite food or recipe or restaurant. If you don’t want to be in the picture, no problem! We will still love to see your favorite food! Send as many as you want, because I know it is hard to choose just one favorite. There are so many out there!

Simply send me a picture or link to my email: spoonfulofsugarfree@gmail.com

I will compile a big Food Lovin’ post at the end of the week. I can’t wait to see your favorite foods! Here’s one of mine:

A Big ol' juicy summer watermelon

So, start taking those pictures and lovin’ those foods!