Spoonful of Sugar Free

Registered Dietitian

Snacks

Do You Like Green Eggs in Ham?

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Yes, I like them Sam I Am!

But not as much as I like pistachio butter…

This is amazing! It may hurt your fingers, but it is definitely worth it. It is a funny green color, but I think it looks neat-o. Feel free to buy either salted, unsalted, or raw. You can even buy them without the shell, but they are usually more expensive. Therefore, I just hunkered down, watched some tv, and shelled some pistachios!

Ingredients

  • A whole bunch of pistachios, shelled-as much or as little as you like
  • optional: salt and/or pepper to taste

Just throw the pistachios into your food processor or strong blender and blend away! I used my handy dandy magic bullet, and it turned out well. Sometimes my magic bullet can’t turn the nuts into a nice, creamy nut butter without adding oil, but for someone reason the pistachios worked well. I think it’s because pistachios are softer nuts compared to most.

Say!

I like pistachio butter

I do!! I like it, Sam-I-am!

And I would eat it in a (celery) boat!


And I would eat it with a goat…

And I will eat it in the rain on a cracker.


And in the dark.

And on a train banana.


And in a car.

And in a tree apple.


It is so good so good you see!

So I will eat it in a box on a slice of grain-free banana bread .

So I will eat it in a box.

And I will eat it with a fox more bananas.



And I will eat it in a house on ants on a log.

And I will eat it with a mouse some oatmeal.

And I will eat it here and there on another banana with chocolate.

Say! I will eat it ANYWHERE!

Not only because it tastes good, but because it:

  • Has lots of good monounsaturated fat for a healthy heart
  • Decreases bad cholesterol and helps the good
  • Contains carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin that help protect the eyes
  • Contains copper to help form connective tissues
  • Contains vitamin B6 to help you have a healthy immune system
  • Lowest calorie nut! 40 pistachios are only 120 calories! And it takes longer to peel each one, so you will eat less!

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

Did you read Dr. Seuss books as a kid?

I love Dr. Seuss! I remember dressing up for his birthday in elementary school. We had green eggs and ham for lunch, and we read his books all day long. In fact…I went to Seussland this weekend…

My brother likes green eggs and ham, too!

Psst! Check out Chocolate Covered Katie’s Bake sale today! I am donating a batch of Smacaroons to help Japan!

Smacaroons

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I am not lying when I say these smacaroons are awesome. Everyone who has tried them has loved them, and they ask, “These are healthy?!”

Yes. They are extremely healthy.

I have been snacking on these like crazy! They are a great on-the-go breakfast, dessert, or snack; or for serving on a lazy Sunday brunch.

My inspiration for making these came from Heather’s fantastic Grain & Sugar-Free Scookies. You all know how much I love grain-free and sugar-free foods, and her scookies looked amazing! Seriously, Heather, you are a genius!

My little bites of goodness ended up being more like a mix between a scone and macaroon instead of a scone and cookie, so the smacaroons were born!

Scones+Macaroons=Smacaroons.

Print
Smacaroons

Yield: 18 Smacaroons

Smacaroons

~These smacaroons are grain-free, gluten-free, vegan, soy-free, peanut-free, dairy-free, and, of course, sugar-free!

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups raw almonds (or 2 cups almond flour)
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut
  • 1 cup chia gel (3 tablespoons chia seed+1 cup water. Let sit 20 minutes.)
  • 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
  • 1 banana, mashed
  • 1 Tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375*.
  2. Blend raw almonds in a food processor or strong blender until almonds turn into almond flour. Don't blend too long or else it will turn into almond butter.
  3. Mix all ingredients together until well-combined. Batter should stick together.
  4. Take an ice-cream scoop (or your hands!) and form into balls.
  5. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. I like to broil it for the last minute or so, so the macaroons get a nice crunchy edge.
https://www.spoonfulofsugarfree.com/2011/03/21/smacaroons/

 

I love the coconut+banana+chocolate combo. The coconut replaces the peanut butter in my favorite combo that I can no longer eat due to lent! The Smacaroons have a somewhat tropical taste with the banana and coconut, but it is comforting, too. They are soft and fluffy in the middle, but nice and crispy on the outside. They taste delightful straight out of the oven because the chocolate is nice and melty!

You can omit the banana if you want to make it completely sugar-free; but it tastes so good with the banana and bananas are good for you! Natural sugars are a-okay in my book!

 

Health Benefits

  • Almonds: Almonds are a major superfood, and they are full of monounsaturated, good-for-you fats. It contains many nutrients that benefit the brain, and regulate cholesterol. The monounsaturated fats and vitamin E 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. Coconut is also a great source of dietary fiber with a whopping 5 grams per oz.!
  • Chocolate: Click HERE for a post I did about all the benefits of chocolate.
  • 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!
  • Chia: Click HERE for a post I did about all the benefits of chia.

 

I calculated the nutrition facts for the smacaroons because I was interested to see the calorie content for something made out of mostly almonds. Each Smacaroon is only about 100 calories! I would take one of these over those artificial, bland, cracker-like 100-calorie packs any day!

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

Do you follow recipes?

I never follow recipes really. I always change something in my food! I may glance over the ingredient list, but I always end up throwing whatever I want into the mix. I also rarely measure my ingredients. If it is the right consistency, it is probably fine!

Spinach: The New Food Coloring

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Hello!!! How was your St. Patrick’s Day? Did you wear green? If you didn’t, then I virtually pinch you 😉

If you didn’t wear green, you can redeem yourself today by making these wonderful treats! There were so many great bloggers who made tasty treats in honor of St. Patty’s day; so I had to try a few!

Katie’s Raw Mint Chocolate Chip Milkshake.

Oh my goodness everybody. Have you tried this yet? It seriously tastes like a chocolate mint milkshake, but it is sugar-free! Aren’t bananas amazing? I have made this milkshake at least 10 times already because it is so good and easy to make. Not to mention it has 2 cups of spinach in it, and I can’t even taste it! Katie, you are a genius.

Pure2Raw’s Green Beer Socca.

I didn’t add the spirulina to make it green, but I thoroughly enjoyed this beer socca. Remember when I made this green socca pizza? Well, I think this socca would taste fabulous as a pizza, too. When I was a kid, one of my favorite foods was beer bread. I know. I was a strange child. Anyway, when I gave up gluten, I thought I would never taste beer bread again. I was wrong-o! I see a lot more gluten-free beer breads in my future…in fact, one is baking in the oven right now!

I also had a nice stack of green gluten-free pancakes. These were very easy to make. All I did was blend 2 cups of spinach with the 1 1/4 cups of milk in my One-Size Fits All Pancakes. Then I continued to make the pancakes as usual, and I added a banana to make it banana-flavored.

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

How did you celebrate St. Patty’s Day?

Honestly, the only way I celebrated it was by wearing green and making these recipes!

 

Bite-Sized Makes Everything Better

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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 😉

 

Breakfast Cakes On-the-Go

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First off, I’d like to announce the randomly chosen winner of the CSN giveaway. Congratulations…

Ashley from QuasiChick!

You will be receiving an email from me shortly with the $35 CSN gift code. Thanks to everyone who entered! I would love to give all of you gift cards 🙂

Now, here is an easy recipe for Breakfast cakes. You can make a huge batch of them and save them for the week, but they are so quick and easy to make that you can make them the morning-of, too.

Breakfast Oat Cakes

~These little cakes can are completely versatile and can be made into any flavor you want! Vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free (make sure you use gluten-free oats), and of course, Sugar-free!

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup oat flour (simply blend oats in blender to make oat flour)
  • 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”)
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • Extra: you may add any nuts, fruit, or spices you like. My favorite add-in lately is cinnamon, walnuts, and raisins. It tastes like a oatmeal raisin cookie!

Preheat oven to 375*. In a mixing bowl, mix all ingredients. The dough should be thick and stick together. Adjust liquid amount if needed to create muffins, cookies, or biscuit cakes. If you feel like muffins, add more chia gel. A little less gel for cookies, and even less for biscuit cakes.

Roll into balls, plop dough with a spoon, shape into biscuits on a cookies sheet, or fill a muffin pan. Bake for 10 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Makes 12 breakfast cakes. (But why keep this recipe just for breakfast? They are perfect any time of day! Especially snack time or tea time 😉 )

Health Benefits:

  • Oats: Full of both soluble and insoluble fiber, oats are known to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. For more information about this amazing grain, click HERE for a post I wrote last year.
  • Chia: Because of this little seed’s extraordinary ability to retain water, it is great for hydration. The ancient Aztecs and Mayans used to carry it with them on long journeys to increase their strength and endurance. It also helps balance blood sugar levels. Chia seeds are great sources of fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants.

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

Are you a morning person or a night person?

I am definitely a morning person. I can never sleep in, and I love going to bed early. Like Benjamin Franklin said, “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” 😉

A Healthy Snack for Kids of All Ages

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When I heard Foodbuzz was teaming up with Frigidaire and Jennifer Garner to help raise money for the Save the Children Foundation, I knew I had to help. They are trying to inspire families everywhere to roll up their sleeves and get cooking together. You can join Frigidaire Kids’ Cooking Academy to get great recipes, how-to videos and tips, all designed to help involve kids in the kitchen.

When you join, Frigidaire will donate $1 to Save the Children Foundation to help make sure that more children have access to healthy foods. Plus, to help spread the word, everyone who participates will be entered for a chance to win the daily prize, a kids’ apron set, and the grand prize: a new Double Oven Range from Frigidaire. http://www.maketimeforchange.com/

Also, for every blogger who publishes a post with a kid-friendly recipe, $50 will be donated to the Save the Children Foundation. This is where I (and my adorable little brother) come in!

 

Crazy Healthy Granola Bars

~This granola bar recipe is extremely versatile, and can be made to suit any diet. Gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and, of course, sugar-free!

Makes 30 bars

Ingredients

  • 1 cup of squash puree (ex. pumpkin, butternut squash, or just throw in a baked sweet potato!)
  • 1/2 cup nut butter (peanut butter, almond butter, walnut butter, coconut butter…)
  • 2 eggs or egg substitutes (I used a mix of flax egg and chia egg. Mix chia or flax with water and let sit for 20 min)
  • 2 cups grains (oats, puffed millet, dry cereal…)
  • 2 cups of extra add-ins (dried fruit, chopped nuts, chocolate, spices…)

Preheat oven to 375*. In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients. Feel free to add whatever you want to it. The mixture should stick together when raw. If it does not stick together, simply add more nut butter and squash. You may halve, double, or triple the recipe at your pleasure.

 

Spread on a cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until golden and firm. Let it cool for 5 minutes until cutting into bars.

 

For those stuck on granola bar add ins, try these ideas:

  • PB&J bars: peanut butter, chopped peanuts, dried blueberries and strawberries, oats. Eat sandwich style with jelly.
  • Elvis Bar: Substitute mashed banana for the squash. Peanut butter, and bacon bits.
  • Carrot Cake Bar: oats, shredded carrot, raisins, coconut.
  • Alex’s Bar: My favorite combo. Bananas, unsweetened chocolate, and peanut butter. Must I say more?
  • Apple Crumble Bar: oats, almond butter, sliced almonds, cinnamon, apple chunks
  • Fudge Bars: Take all the chocolate and cacao you have in the house and dump it into the batter with cocoa powder.
  • Reese’s Bars: Chocolate and Peanut butter.
  • Gingersnap Bars: almond butter, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg.

Your children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, friends, and adorable siblings will love creating their own healthy, sugar-free granola bars! Let them search through the grocery store for their favorite ingredients, and help them learn the difference between healthy and unhealthy foods. If your child can read, teach them how to identify “bad” ingredients from the ingredients list.

 

 

They will have so much fun using their hands to mix the ingredients together. Just make sure they wash their hands first! While the granola bars are baking, help them create labels to individually wrap their bar creations. They will have fun with naming their own special bar and creating a fun label with paper, crayons, markers, pencils, stickers, and tape. I named my first batch “Crazy Bar” because I literally tossed in any nut, grain, fruit, or unsweetened chocolate piece I could find in my cupboard!

 

These granola bars are the perfect snack for the young and old. Instead of reaching for a candy bar, grab this tasty, unsweetened treat to satisfy your hunger cravings. Kids will more likely eat their own creations anyway 😉

My little brother is so excited to make granola bars!

Now you go have fun, and make some healthy granola bars while teaching the little ones around you how to be healthy! If they start forming good habits now, they can stay healthy throughout their life.

Note: it is best to keep the bars refrigerated because they will last longer.

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

Is there a little kid in your life who you would make granola bars with and teach them healthy eating habits?

Also, what is your favorite granola bar flavor (if you like granola bars)?