Spoonful of Sugar Free

Registered Dietitian

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Day 6: Sweet or Savory

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Welcome to day six of the Sugar Free Challenge!

I received a comment the other day that provoked me to think more about sweet and savory. I believe that eating “savory” foods like salads and stir-fries makes me crave less “sweet” tasting foods. My usual day of eats, however, combines the two. Some sweet some savory.

Here’s today’s “Sweet and Savory” sample menu:

Breakfast: Savory Mini Frittatas in any flavor you choose! Vegan Option: Pumpkin Spice Latte Granola

Lunch: Savory Fresh Salad with Ginger-Miso Dressing

Snack: Sweet Bowl of Slow Cooker Cinnamon Applesauce

Dinner: Savory Garrick Stuffed Steak with side of salad or sauteed vegetables. Vegan Option: Homemade Spring Rolls

Dessert: Sweet Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Cream Frosting

Exercise Option: For those of you who chose to take part of the exercise challenge, your challenge today is to do 10 crunches, 5 squats, 5 pushups, 10 calf raises. 

THOUGHT-PROVOKING, MIND-PRODDING QUESTION OF THE DAY:

What are your thoughts on sweet vs. savory meals? What does your normal day of eats entail? What do you crave?

Remember that you can track what you eat on the printable Challenge Checklist. 

Day 5: PBC Bars

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Welcome to day five of the Sugar Free Challenge!

My favorite food combination is Peanut Butter, Banana, and Chocolate. You can find many, many recipes with this combo in my recipe page. However, it is rather long to say, “Peanut Butter, Banana, and Chocolate (name food),” so I shortened it to simply, PBC.

Today’s sample menu will focus on my favorite flavors, and give you my new favorite recipe at the end! (Please note that I don’t suggest eating PBC all day long for all your meals. Although it is tasty, it is better to balance your menu with food other that PBC! Here are some ideas to eat on different days).

 

Breakfast: High Protein Cookie Crisp Cereal topped with sliced bananas.

 

Lunch: Open-Faced Chocolate Pancakes with Bananas and PB

 

Snack: If Elvis Liked Chocolate Bites

Dinner: Chocolate Banana Cream Pie with Peanut Crust –ok, fine. This really doesn’t qualify as a “dinner,” but in it’s defense, it is made with only whole food ingredients! 

Dessert: PBC Bars

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PBC Bars

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

PBC Bars

~These Peanut Butter, Banana, Chocolate Bars are gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, vegan, soy-free, and sugar-free!

Ingredients

  • 4 large, ripe bananas, mashed
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 6 Tablespoons ground flax
  • 3 Tablespoons chia gel (mix 1 teaspoon chia with 3 tablespoons water and let sit for 15 minutes so it can “puff up”)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/3 cup peanuts
  • 3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • pinch salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350*.
  2. Mix all ingredients together until well-combined.
  3. Lightly grease a 8×8 inch baking dish. Pour batter into dish and bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  4. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before cutting and serving (because the bars contain no flour, this rest time is essential for proper setting).
https://www.spoonfulofsugarfree.com/2012/01/05/day-5-pbc-bars/

 

These are incredibly easy to make. Simply mix the ingredients and bake. I have made them probably 5 times already since I created the recipe-they are that addicting! They make a great snack, breakfast on-the-go, or dessert. They are made with only whole ingredients, so they’re healthy for anytime of day!

 

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!

 

*This recipe is linked to Wellness Weekend February 9-13.

Exercise Option: For those of you who chose to take part of the exercise challenge, your challenge today is to do 10 crunches, 5 squats, 5 pushups, 10 calf raises. 

THOUGHT-PROVOKING, MIND-PRODDING QUESTION OF THE DAY:

Do you enjoy PBC combo as much as me? If not, what is your favorite food combo?

Remember that you can track what you eat on the printable Challenge Checklist. 

Day 4: A Day of Oatmeal

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Welcome to day four of the Sugar Free Challenge!

Did you know January is National Oatmeal Month? In order to celebrate, today’s sample menu will be full of….you guessed it….OATMEAL!

Breakfast: Start of the day with a refreshing bowl of Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal.

Lunch: Pack yourself a few Oat Cakes, endless flavor combinations.

Snack: Need some munchies? Grab a handful of Pumpkin Spice Latte Granola.

Dinner: Baked Banana Oatmeal, topped with more fruit.

Dessert: Peach Crisp for One, which is topped with oats and takes mere minutes to prepare.

Why should we enjoy oats? Not only are they tasty and versatile, but full of health benefits:

  • Lowers cholesterol
  • Burns fat
  • Reduces risk of Type 2 diabetes
  • Regulate bowel movements
  • Reduce blood pressure
  • Reduce risks of cancer because of Oat’s phytochemicals
  • Reduces risk of heart disease

Oats are surprisingly cheap, too. I buy my rolled oats in bulk, and 1 serving costs me approximately 17 cents. And how much does the college staple, Ramen noodles cost? 17 cents. So let’s see, would I rather eat a nutritious bowl of oatmeal, or a processed bowl of Ramen? I think I’ll stick with Oats.

Exercise Option: For those of you who chose to take part of the exercise challenge, your challenge today is to do 10 crunches, 5 squats, 5 pushups, 10 calf raises. 

THOUGHT-PROVOKING, MIND-PRODDING QUESTION OF THE DAY: 

What are your favorite ways to prepare and eat oats? Feel free to include links and recipes in your comments below!

Day 3: Exercise Challenge

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Welcome to day three of the Sugar Free Challenge!

Here is today’s sample menu:

Breakfast: Grain-Free Pumpkin Pancakes. Vegan Option: Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

Lunch: Salad with Dijon Dressing 

Dinner: Pesto Socca Pizza with Grilled Veggies

Dessert: Fluffy Banana Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Exercise Option: For those of you who chose to take part of the exercise challenge, your challenge today is to do 10 crunches, 5 squats, 5 pushups, 10 calf raises. 

Here are some helpful links for those who need assistance on how-to perform these exercises:

This option is for those who do not exercise regularly and would like to jump start their new year with an easy exercise routine. Each round of exercises take just a few minutes to complete. It would also be wise to add a bit of cardio to your day like walking, jogging, bike riding, or jump roping. When you get up in the morning, during lunch breaks, or before bed would be an excellent time to complete this routine.

THOUGHT-PROVOKING, MIND-PRODDING QUESTION OF THE DAY: 

Have you changed your exercise routine for the new year? What are your favorite exercises?

New Year’s Eve Reminder

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Happy New Year’s Eve Everyone! 

I hope you all have a fabulous day, full of good food and fun with friends and family. Maybe your day will include some of these?

~Roasted Chili Lime Nuts are sure to start your New Year’s with a BANG!

Just a quick reminder to let you all know that the New Year’s Resolution Challenge starts tomorrow, so please sign up if you haven’t already. It will be great fun, and you will have a support group of others to help you along. Here are some of the comments others left after finishing the last challenge:

  • “I thought the challenge was extremely easy. Your recipes, ideas and encouragement made it very easy to complete.”
  • “I seem to be less hungry between meals not eating anything sweet.”
  • “So much energy, and my skin completely cleared up. I felt that my hunger was more reflective of what my body truly needed and not just what it wanted.”
  • “Since I cut down on processed sugar I have noticed an increase in my complexion, energy level and overall mood, I feel happier and healthier.”

Common reports from the last challenge was definitely increase in energy, less mood swings, an being more calm. Some reported clearer skin and slight weight loss, too!

You can join the challenge HERE. 

THOUGHT-PROVOKING, MIND-PRODDING QUESTION OF THE DAY:

Do you have any New Year’s traditions? What do you have planned for the day?

Roasted Chili Lime Nuts

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About a month ago I had a last-minute guest come for lunch. After throwing a few things together for lunch, I wanted to create something special to snack on. Since I was crunched for time, roasted nuts popped into my mind.

From the few roasted nuts recipes I made before, I knew they were quick and easy to make. However, I didn’t want to make any ordinary roasted nut, but something full of flavor that would stand out.

I thought of Averie and her love of a Chili Lime Nut she found in Mexico and Trader Joe’s. Since I have neither been to Mexico or bought Chili Lime Nuts at Trader Joe’s, I have no idea what those versions taste like. But…I think the way they disappear of the plate makes me believe they turned out pretty well.

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Roasted Chili Lime Nuts

Roasted Chili Lime Nuts

~These nuts are very simple to make and take less than five minutes to prep. Dairy-free, gluten-free, paleo, vegan, and sugar-free.

Ingredients

  • 4 cups raw mixed nuts (can use just one type of nut as well. I used a mix of walnuts, almonds, and peanuts)
  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • dash hot sauce, optional to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400*.
  2. Toss all ingredients together an spread on a baking sheet. Hot sauce is optional, but if you like extra spicy things you might want to add a few splashes.
  3. Bake for 15-20 minutes, stirring halfway through. You will know if they're done by the smell and the way the crackle. They should be golden-brown.
https://www.spoonfulofsugarfree.com/2011/12/30/roasted-chili-lime-nuts/

The tang of the lime and salt combined with the spicy chili powders make them highly addictive-you are warned!

These make the perfect gift. I gave these to my friends and neighbors for Christmas this year by packaging them in a glass jar (a recycled and cleaned jelly jar to be exact), decorating with a bow, and hand-drawing a label on top. This would also make a fabulous New Year’s gift! 

Health Benefits:

  • Lime: This citrus is full of vitamin C and can help aid in digestion. The acids in this fruit can help break down the food molecules in your stomach, making it easier for your digestive system. The vitamin C also helps you have healthier eyes.
  • Nuts: Rich in fiber, minerals, phytonutrients, and antioxidants. They are also high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats which can help lower cholesterol. They also might help reduce your risk of heart disease. The fats can also keep your skin healthy and your hair shiny!
  • Chili: This spicy food can help lower blood sugar levels, improve heart health, reduce inflammation, helps clear congestion, and aids in digestion.

THOUGHT-PROVOKING, MIND-PRODDING QUESTION OF THE DAY:

What are your favorite flavored nuts? Do you roast your own or buy store bought?