Nutrition

Some Kind of Herb…

March 16, 2011 By Alex@Spoonful of Sugar Free

Hello hello! How are you on this lovely day?

I had so much fun reading everyone’s guesses to the mystery side dish! Pretty much everyone guessed that it was either butternut squash or sweet potato. Everyone guessed the spinach 🙂 Most people saw the wild rice, but no one guessed the secret herb!

I would have to say that the reader, Molly, guessed the closest with her guess of:

“i’ll have to go with roasted sweet potato, wild rice, spinach, thyme, white pepper perhaps, and some kind of oil”

What is the Secret Herb?

Rosemary!

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Wild Rice

~This dish is extremely easy to make, but it is very delicious. I make it a lot for Thanksgiving, or for a quick lunch. Vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, soy-free, and, of course, sugar-free!

Serves 6

Ingredients

4 medium-sized sweet potatoes
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup fresh rosemary, or 2 Tablespoons dried
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
3/4 cup wild rice
optional: spinach, lemon juice

I don’t really measure when I make this dish, but I simply drizzle as much olive oil as I need, chop as many sweet potatoes I need, and sprinkle as many herbs as I need. However, here are the measurements if you need them.

Preheat oven to 450*. Scrub the sweet potatoes’ skins until clean, and keep the skins on. The skin gives the potatoes a nice chewy edge when roasted, not to mention a good amount of healthy fiber. Chop into bite-sized pieces, and lay them in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Drizzle olive oil on the potatoes and sprinkle the herbs. Lightly stir so they are evenly coated. Bake for 40 minutes or until they are slightly browned.

In the meantime, cook the wild rice. In a large saucepan, boil 1 1/2 cups water. Add the rice, and turn down the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 30 minutes. For this dish, I like the wild rice a bit crunchier than usual, and not completely cooked.

When the rice and sweet potatoes are done, toss them together until evenly mixed. Either serve plain or on top of a bed of spinach drizzled with lemon juice.

Health Benefits

Sweet Potatoes: Click HERE for a post about the benefits of sweet potatoes.
Wild Rice: This rich, nutty short grain rice has 5x more flavonoids than regular white rice, and is a great source of anthocyanin antioxidants. It is also an anti-aging agent, and has 7g protein and 3g fiber per cup.
Rosemary: Rosemary is rich in calcium, magnesium and potassium. It has good amount of phosphorus, sodium and iron with small amount of zinc, copper, manganese and selenium. It is also useful in increasing blood circulation, improving concentration and digestion. It stimulates the immune system, reduces the severity of asthma attacks and helps prevent breast cancer.
Olive Oil: Full of monounsaturated fats and antioxidant, olive oil can protect against heart disease by controlling LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels while raising HDL (the “good” cholesterol) levels. Make sure you buy Extra Virgin Olive Oil because it is least processed. Also, don’t keep your oil too long because it can go bad quickly, and keep it in a cool, dark place.

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

What is your favorite board game as a kid?

When I was little I LOVED Shoots and Latters, and Sorry! I have two younger siblings, so I always had someone to play with. I was also a big fan of Monopoly and Clue because I loved gathering the money and being the “Banker” or solving mysteries.

There’s Peanut Butter on My Chocolate!

March 11, 2011 By Alex@Spoonful of Sugar Free

Hello everyone! Did you all have a fantastic week? Can you believe it is Friday already?!

And you know what Friday means…..Cupcakes!

Well, it doesn’t actually mean cupcakes, but who doesn’t like a good baking day to relieve any stress built up from the week? These are the cupcakes I tempted you with last week.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

~These cupcakes are based off of my Grain-Free Fudge Brownie Recipe. Gluten-free (grain-free), dairy-free, soy-free, and, of course, sugar-free!

Chocolate Cupcakes

3/4 cup coconut flour***
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
5 dates
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup milk or milk-substitute (I used coconut milk)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar

***If you don’t eat grains or you cannot find coconut flour, oat flour can be substituted. To make oat flour, grind oats in a food processor or blender until flour-like.

Preheat oven to 375*. In a bowl, whisk the vinegar and milk together. Let sit for 5 minutes. In the meantime, mix together dry ingredients.

Blend the dates into a paste in a strong blender or food processor. Add the milk and eggs into the blender and blend until smooth. You may either mix the dry into the wet by hand or blend until smooth.

Lightly grease your muffin tin or line with paper, and pour the batter into each muffin space 3/4 full. Bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool on rack.

Peanut Butter Frosting

~This frosting is very simple and smooth. If you like it sweet, add the date. Personally, I like the peanut butter frosting to be more rich and savory, so I omit the date.

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup milk substitute
optional: 1 date ground into paste

Either mix the frosting by hand, or place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Psst! Or try Katie’s wonderful Banana Butter to make it a banana-chocolate-peanut butter cupcake! You all know how much I like that combo 😉

Assemble

Pipe the Peanut Butter Frosting onto the Chocolate Cupcakes in any way you wish. I didn’t have any fancy tips, so I simply placed my frosting in a ziplock bag and cut a hole in it. Then, I topped it with shaved, unsweetened chocolate and placed a peanut half on top.

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.

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

If you celebrate lent, did you give up anything?

I’m not Catholic, but I do think it is a great idea to give up something that you love. I usually don’t give up anything, but I decided to give up something this year…..Peanuts! You heard right. This Peanut-Loving girl can’t have any peanuts or peanut butter for the next 40 days. These cupcake pictures are leaving me in agony…

Heart Stopping Chicken Salad

March 9, 2011 By Alex@Spoonful of Sugar Free

Your heart won’t stop because of this delicious, healthy chicken salad recipe, but it might stop because it is so darn delicious! It tastes just like regular chicken salad (if not better), and it’s healthy.

Healthified Chicken Salad

~While usual chicken salad recipes contain bad-for-your-heart mayonnaise, this recipe has good-for-your-heart avocado! Gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, soy-free, and, of course, sugar-free!

Serves 2, but feel free to halve, double, or triple recipe.

Ingredients

1 cup cooked, diced or shredded chicken
1 stalk celery
1/2 apple
1 carrot
1 green onion/scallion
1/2 avocado
1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tsp lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon capers
optional: 1 tsp fresh dill

Chop the carrots, celery, and apple and mix with the chicken and capers. Then, squish the avocado until smooth and mix into the veggie-chicken mix. Add the mustard, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and serve over a bed of spinach or on your favorite whole grain bread.

Health Benefits

Avocado: Avocados are high in monounsaturated fats that help the skin stay clear and protect your brain. It is also a good source of the carotenoid lutein. Lutein protects against macular degeneration and cataracts, two disabling age-related eye diseases. Avocado, like olive oil, is high in oleic acid, which has been shown to prevent breast cancer in numerous studies.
Chicken: Chicken’s high protein content can help protect against bone loss and help build muscles. It is also a very good source of the cancer-protective B vitamin, niacin. Components of DNA require niacin, and a deficiency of niacin (as well as other B-complex vitamins) has been directly linked to genetic (DNA) damage. The B vitamins in chicken can help prevent Alzheimer’s, boost energy, and help your heart stay strong!
Apples: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away!” One large apple contains 30% of your daily value of fiber, and it helps aid in digestion and those suffering from constipation. A flavanoid called phloridzin that is found only in apples may protect post-menopausal women from osteoporosis and may also increase bone density. Boron, another ingredient in apples, also strengthens bones. It can also help lower cholesterol.

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

Describe your perfect picnic. Is it on the beach? By the lake? Under a tree? What kind of food would you serve? What kinds of activities would you do?

My perfect picnic would be on top of a grassy hill underneath a huge tree. 75* and sunny with blue skies. I would sit right in the grass on a huge blanket, and drink sparkling water. My picnic basket would be full of traditional picnic food: chicken salad, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables and hummus, and grain-free fudge brownies for dessert!

Chocolate, Banana, and Peanut Butter.

March 7, 2011 By Alex@Spoonful of Sugar Free

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 😉

7th Heaven in 7 Layers

March 2, 2011 By Alex@Spoonful of Sugar Free

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

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

Preheat oven to 375*.
Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking pan and line with parchment paper or foil to help lift the bars out of the pan.
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.
Then sprinkle the walnuts in a layer, chocolate chunks, carob chips, fruit (if using), and coconut shavings on top.
Pour the coconut milk evenly over the dish.
Bake for 25 minutes or until the coconut is golden brown.
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/

100_1522 — 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 😉