Spoonful of Sugar Free

Registered Dietitian

Dessert

Bite-Sized Makes Everything Better

By

It is true. Whenever something is small and cute, it is more fun to eat! Take for example mini muffins, finger sandwiches, baby carrots, or even mini quiches. It’s just fun.

So to cure insane bite-sized craving, here is the best dessert/snack recipe that is quick and easy to make. Not to mention undeniably scrumptious.

 

If Elvis Liked Chocolate Bites (aka Chocolate, peanut butter, and banana balls-no bake!)

~These bites are vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, and of course, sugar-free!

Ingredients

  • 1 overripe banana, mashed
  • 4 Tablespoons peanut butter
  • 1 oz unsweetened chocolate bar, chopped (I used Baker’s)
  • 4 Tablespoons rolled oats
  • optional: 2 Tablespoons peanuts

You can use whatever measurements you like as long as the dough sticks together.

Mix together all ingredients and roll into balls. Sometimes the dough is easier to roll when cold, so feel free to stick it in the fridge for a few minutes before rolling. Then, you can either place them in the freezer for ten minutes (I like to do this because it makes them extra chewy!), or eat away! Enjoy!

Chomp!

Health Benefits

  • Peanuts: This legume is a protein power house with 7g of protein per oz. It also has a great monounsaturated fat content that can help lower cholesterol and keep your skin beautiful! It is also a good source of Coenzyme Q10 which protects the heart during periods of lack of oxygen. It is also a good source of fiber and antioxidants.
  • 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!
  • Chocolate: Read a post about the benefits of chocolate HERE.

If you want this delectable combo in other variations try the Alex Granola Bar or these great pancakes.

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

Are you a fan of Elvis Presley?

Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever really listened to his songs before. I’ve listened to a few, but I am not a maniac about him. Maybe I should, though. Are you crazy for the king? However, even if I don’t like his songs. I love his sense of taste 😉

 

Happy Valentine’s Day!

By

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! I hope you all have a great day with your loved ones 🙂

Here are some great recipes to surprise your special someone with:

Grain-Free Fudge Brownies
Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal
Heart-Shaped Poached Eggs
Napoleon Cheesecake "Surprise!"
Grain-Free Bitter Chocolate Cake with Vegan Strawberry Cream
Chocolate-Dipped Strawberry Smoothie

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

How are you spending your Valentine’s Day?

Love=Chocolate

By

Not only is chocolate good for you, but it tastes good, too!

I finally created a healthy sugar-free brownie recipe, and it is just in time for Valentine’s Day!

Print
Grain-Free Fudge Brownies

Yield: 12 brownies

Calories per serving: 100 per brownie

Grain-Free Fudge Brownies

~These brownies are gluten-free (grain-free), dairy-free, nut-free, soy-free, and of course, sugar-free!

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup coconut flour
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 Tablespoons ground flax or chia (optional. I added it for extra nutrition)
  • 2 eggs
  • 5 dates
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1/3 cup water or milk-substitute (I used unsweetened chocolate almond milk)
  • optional: 1/2 cup chopped nuts or chopped unsweetened chocolate.

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375*.
  2. First, blend the dates into a paste.
  3. In a separate bowl combine all dry ingredients. Then add wet. Stir until well combined. A
  4. dd the date paste and mix very thoroughly to ensure there aren't any date chunks. The dates are the natural sweetness in the recipe. Feel free to add more dates if needed to suite your sweet tooth 😉
  5. Lightly grease a 8x8 baking dish (I used coconut oil). Pour batter into dish. The batter should be thick.
  6. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
https://www.spoonfulofsugarfree.com/2011/02/11/lovechocolate/

It is completely black because I used Hershey's Extra Dark cocoa powder....mmmmm...

Health Benefits (Yes! The brownie actually helps your body!)

  • Chocolate: Click HERE for a post I wrote earlier about the health 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. This means that the body has no opportunity to store the medium-chain as fat. Coconut is also a great source of dietary fiber with a whopping 5 grams per oz.!
  • Dates: A laxative food with a high-fiber content, so it can help those suffering from constipation. They are digested quite easily and are great for when you need quick energy. Also, regular consumption of dates has been found to help the growth of friendly bacteria in the intestines.

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

When you went to Elementary school, did you have Valentine’s Day parties?

I had one every year at my school. I made a giant sweet-heart container to hold my Valentines. We always brought Valentine’s cards and candy for the whole class and dropped them into everyone’s containers, and then we had a party! When I got home from school, my sister and I would sort through our Valentine cards and candies 🙂 Then get sugar-high ;)Blech!

Rings on my Fingers and Bells on my Toes

By

Ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross
To see a fine lady upon a white horse
With rings on her fingers and bells on her toes
She shall have music wherever she goes…

 

These were the rings I made as gifts for all my female friends and family for Christmas. I made them with wire and beads. What do you think? Would you wear one? Maybe I could giveaway one….hmmm….

Anyways, here is a recipe I have been keeping in my photos folder for a long time.

Baked Coconut Forbidden Rice Pudding

~This rice pudding is dairy-free, gluten-free, and, of course, sugar-free!

Serves 6

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups coconut milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup cooked forbidden rice (also known as black rice)
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut
  • optional: 1/2 cup chopped dates or raisins
  • optional: 1/4 tsp nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350*. First, whisk together the eggs, milk, and vanilla. Then, mix in the rice, coconut, and dried fruit and nutmeg (if using). Pour mix in a 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Put this dish into a 2 qt baking dish, and pour hot water in the 2 quart dish. Bake for 30 minutes, or until knife comes out clean. Serve warm or chilled.

Health Benefits:

  • 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 has no opportunity to store the medium-chain as fat. Coconut is also a great source of dietary fiber with a whopping 5 grams per oz.!
  • Forbidden Rice-Forbidden rice is a black rice that turns slightly purple when cooked. This gives the short-grain rice a rich, nutty flavor. It has 5x more flavonoids than regular white rice, and is a great source of anthocyanin antioxidants. It is an anti-aging agent, and has 10g protein and 4g fiber per 1/2 cup.

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

When you were a child, what was your favorite comfort dessert your parents or guardians made you?

My favorite comfort dessert was always a stovetop pudding. I loved it when my mom surprised me with a homemade chocolate pudding, rice pudding, or tapioca. I loved skimming the film of the top of the pot, and curling up under a blanket while I watched my favorite cartoons. The perfect comfort food for winter, and when I was feeling under the weather.

 

 


2-Ingredient Macaroons

By

I swooned when I created this Macaroon, an I hope you do, too!

2-Ingredient Coconut Macaroons

~These macaroons are vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, and, of course, sugar-free!

  • Dried, Unsweetened Coconut Shavings
  • butternut squash puree (or another mild-tasting squash puree)

Take a spoonful of squash in a bowl, and mix with a whole lot of coconut! Mix together with your hands, and roll into balls. Add more coconut to the batter if it isn’t “coconutty” enough or if it doesn’t stick together.

These little gems taste extremely good, even if it lacks ingredients.

Health Benefits:

  • 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 has no opportunity to store the medium-chain as fat. Coconut is also a great source of dietary fiber with a whopping 5 grams per oz.!
  • Butternut Squash: Butternut Squash, like most squashes, is a great source of Vitamin A. With 457% of your daily value per cup, the butternut squash will help you form and maintain healthy teeth and skin. Vitamin A will help you keep go sugar od eyesight, too!
  • Also, these Macaroons are the perfect alternative to the sugar-loaded, artery-clogging macaroons we usually eat. These are a lot easier to make, and they can be thrown into a bag for a healthy afternoon treat.

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

I’m a little stuck on what to write or make. What recipe would you like to see “healthifed?” Are there any foods that you would like me to make and share with you?

Do you have any questions for me? Any health questions, personal questions, athletics questions, school questions, art questions? A lot of these are off-topic, but I love answering questions!

Do you have any challenges for me? I love a challenge!

New Year’s Resolution-Cut Back on Sugar

By

Happy New Year!!!

Did you all have a great holiday season and New Year’s celebration? It is 2011! Can you believe it? Time flies…

Many people make their New Year’s resolution to be a healthier person or to lose x amount of pounds. Which are both great resolutions! To aid in these resolutions why not try cutting back on sugar or even going sugar-free? There have been a few people I know who have made this resolution already!

A couple people have asked me for some tips on reducing sugar-intake, so I have compiled a list below.

How to Reduce Your Sugar Consumption

  • Don’t go “cold-turkey” if you are used to eating a lot of sugar. Try reducing your sugar-intake in levels. For example, if you drink your tea with 1 teaspoon of sugar daily, try drinking it with 1/2 teaspoon. Slowly reduce this amount until you can completely eliminate sugar from your tea.

  • Replace refined sugars with natural sugars like honey, real maple syrup, or real molasses. Then, reduce the amount you use in recipes by halving the sugar-content slowly until you reach a point where you do not need sugar in the recipe.

  • Omit sugar in recipes that don’t really need sugar. Breads, pancakes, and savory recipes don’t really need that extra two Tablespoons of sugar. For example, instead of adding sugar into the pancakes, try topping the pancakes with lots of fresh fruit to get that naturally-sweet flavor.

  • Try some of my Recipes. All of them contain no added sugar!
Pick-a-Fruit Crisp
Chocolate-Peanut Truffles
Grain-Free Pumpkin Spice Bread

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

What are your New Year’s resolutions? Is cutting back on sugar one of them?

Try taking the “sugar-free for a week” challenge that Kayla is hosting at Little Miss Healthify! Can you handle no sugar for a week?