Spoonful of Sugar Free

Registered Dietitian

cinnamon

Get Up and Go Muffins

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After my wisdom teeth saga was over, the baking fever took over. The days of lying around in pain were behind me, and all I wanted to do was bake!

 

Looking around the cabinet, I spied a half-used bag of oat bran. What better way to use up oat bran than by making bran muffins? There was even a recipe for “applesauce bran muffins” on the box. Of course, this recipe used white flour, brown sugar, and lots of vegetable oil, so I needed to make a few changes. I also decided to boost the nutritional content by adding carrots, coconut oil, and a few handfuls of raisins.

 

Most muffins are full of refined sugar, flour, and oil, but these contain none of the harmful ingredients! High in fiber, vitamins, and minerals to jump start your day and…

“Get up and Go!”

Print
Get Up and Go Muffins

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: 12 muffins

Serving Size: 1 muffin

Calories per serving: 125

Get Up and Go Muffins

~Full of fiber and vitamins, these muffins will surely energize you for the whole day. Gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, and sugar-free!

Ingredients

  • Dry:
  • 1 cup oat bran
  • 1 cup oat flours (make your own by simply processing oats in a blender or food processor until smooth)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Wet:
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 Tablespoons coconut oil
  • 2 apples (or 1 cup applesauce)
  • 2 carrots, finely grated
  • 1/3 cup raisins
  • 1/3 cup walnuts, optional

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400* and grease or line 12 muffins cups. I used coconut oil to grease mine.
  2. Mix together dry ingredients in a bowl.
  3. In a saucepan, chop the apples and add a small splash of water. Let simmer and cover for 5-10 minutes, or until soft. Smash with a fork until it resembles a chunky applesauce. Alternatively, you may use 1 cup of pre made, unsweetened applesauce. Mix the applesauce with the rest of the wet ingredients.
  4. Combine the wet and dry, and then fold in raisins and walnuts.
  5. Spoon batter into cup and bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Let muffins sit in tin for one minute, and then cool on rack for five minutes before serving. The muffins continue to cook and set while in the muffin pan for the extra minute, and the cooling rack helps prevent the muffins from becoming soggy.
https://www.spoonfulofsugarfree.com/2012/02/07/get-up-and-go-muffins/

Enjoy with a drizzle of coconut oil, optional.

 

Mmmm…Nice and toasty straight from the oven.

 

Also great in mini-size! The baking time may need to be reduced for 10-12 minutes, though, when using mini muffin tins.

 

Health Benefits: 

  • Oats: Click HERE for a post about the benefits of oats.
  • Cinnamon: Studies have shown that it can help lower LDL cholesterol, help regulate blood sugar levels, has anti-clotting effect on blood, and it can boost cognitive function and memory.
  • Coconut Oil: 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!
  • Apples: 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. The pectin in apples lowers LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, and it supplies galacturonic acid to the body which lowers the body’s need for insulin and may help in the management of diabetes.
  • Carrots: Carrots are best known for their eye-helping benefits. This is because the orange vegetable is full of beta-carotene, which converts to vitamin A in the liver. The antioxidant also has many anti-aging properties that can slow down the aging in cells.  Helps prevent against sun damage, and can keep skin, nails, and hair healthy and vibrant.

 

My whole family devoured this treat. We ate through three batches in three days! I had to hide some of the muffins in order to take pictures. If someone ever tells you no-one likes unsweetened muffins, think again and try these! 

 

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

What is your favorite muffin flavor?

I used to live near a bakery that sold all sorts of different muffins. They specialized in mini muffins, so I was able to pick three mini muffins in different flavors to try. My favorite was the chocolate cheesecake muffin. Now I cringe at the thought of eating a “muffin” full of sugar and cream cheese, much more of a cupcake than a muffin!

Healthy, Homemade Gifts

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I’m glad everyone loved my Holiday Gift Ideas. Now, as promised, are my favorite homemade, food gifts for the holidays:

Chocolate Mint Crinkle Cookie Dough Bites

The favorite holiday cookie turned healthy! No-one can resist these because they taste just like Girl Scout Thin Mints!

Pumpkin Bars with Coconut Cream Frosting

A new favorite of mine that combines the flavor of pumpkin pie with a creamy non-dairy frosting. Perfect for pumpkin pie lovers.

Pecan Sticky Buns

A Pecan Roll made without grains, sugar, or dairy. A great gift to bring to brunches.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookie Dough Bites

Peanut Butter and Chocolate. No more needs to be said.

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Just like Reese’s cups, but with no added sugar. Give this homemade version to a friend and I guarantee they will love it.

Grain-Free Pumpkin Spice Bread

It’s a bread with no grains and no flour. Can you believe it? Wow your guests with this.

Breakfast Bread

Forget the fruit cake and make this tasty bread instead. Full of whole grains, nuts, fruit, and spices.

Pumpkin Spice Latte Granola

This granola combines the favorite flavors of the season: pumpkin, cinnamon, and coffee. It also takes less than ten minutes to prepare.

Ways to Package Treats for Gifts:

  • Save your leftover glass jars to pile in granola or cookies (see the pumpkin spice latte granola above for the idea). Tie a ribbon around the jar and create a homemade label with paper and colored pens.
  • Buy “Chinese Takeout Cartons” (can be found at Michael’s Craft Store). They come in different colors and patterns and can be filled with tissue paper before adding the treats.
  • Paper Bags can be decorated with tinsel, ribbons, and paint.
  • Re-Use small decorated boxes. Fill with parchment paper to line the box.

Extra Package Decorations:

  • You may wish to print off the recipe for the homemade treat you are giving, and then attach the recipe to the gift along with a card.
  • Instead of making the treat, make the “Gift in a Jar.” Layer all the Dry ingredients of your recipe in a jar and attach directions on how to add the wet ingredients. Decorate the jar with ribbons.
  • Make a gift basket that combines homemade treats with fresh fruit (like pears and pomegranates), nuts, coffee, tea, cute mugs, fuzzy socks, or any other stocking-stuffer you can think of.

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

What are your favorite homemade treats to give? Feel free to provide recipes below!

Also, what are your favorite ways to package them?

 

Grain-Free Pumpkin Pie Bars with Creamy Frosting

By

Happy December 1st!

I’m very excited for this Christmas season. My house has already been decorated with cinnamon-scented candles, stuffed snowmen, pictures of Santa, and, of course, the Christmas tree. Now I’m ready to start on the Advent Calendar!

For me, the flavors of pumpkin and cinnamon are not limited to Thanksgiving. I love them all year round. Especially during the Christmas season.

Already tired of Pumpkin and Pumpkin Pie?

Go buy a can of pumpkin anyway. Make this recipe. You will love it.

You can thank me later. After you’ve devoured this:

Print
Grain-Free Pumpkin Pie Bars with Creamy Frosting

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Yield: 8 large bars

Serving Size: 1 bar

Calories per serving: 67 calories per bar (count does not include frosti

Grain-Free Pumpkin Pie Bars with Creamy Frosting

~This recipe was inspired by my Grain-Free Pumpkin Spice Bread, Healthy Pumpkin Pie, and Cinnamon Whipped Cream. Grain-Free, Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Gluten-Free, and Sugar-Free.

Ingredients

  • Pumpkin Bar Ingredients:
  • 1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin
  • 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1/4 tsp cloves, 1/4 tsp nutmeg (or 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice)
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 cup nondairy milk (like almond milk) or water
  • Sweeteners*
  • Coconut Cream Frosting Ingredients:
  • 1 can full-fat coconut milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

  1. Pumpkin Bar Directions:
  2. Preheat oven to 350*.
  3. Mix the dry ingredients together and then the wet.
  4. Mix the dry and wet together and spread mix in a greased 8? square baking dish.
  5. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the edges are browned and a toothpick comes out clean.
  6. Let cool completely before frosting.
  7. Coconut Cream Frosting Directions:
  8. Place your can of coconut milk in the fridge and leave overnight. Open the milk the next morning, and do not shake. The top of the can should be thick, scoop this out. About halfway through you should reach a point where the cream turns to water. Do not scoop out the water.
  9. Whip the vanilla into the cream until well-combined and fluffy.
  10. Spread on bars, cut into squares, and enjoy!
  11. (Make sure to keep the bars refrigerated because the coconut cream will melt in hot temperatures)

Notes

*Sweetener ideas: When I make this for myself, I leave sweeteners out. When baking for others, I suggest adding a sweetener. The following are some options. 1. Blend five dates (or more depending on your sweet tooth) with the milk until completely smooth. Then use the milk as specified above. 2. Use 1/2 teaspoon white stevia powder or liquid stevia drops.

https://www.spoonfulofsugarfree.com/2011/12/01/grain-free-pumpkin-bars-with-creamy-frosting/


The bar itself is very tasty, but the cream on top really makes it fantastic. It’s like pumpkin pie in a portable form! Easier to make than pumpkin pie, too, because you don’t have to make a crust. It’s creamy and dense, sweet and spicy, and very flavorful. It makes a great breakfast bar or snack, and a great gift for the holidays. Make up a batch of these to give to co-workers, neighbors, or friends.

Health Benefits:

  • Cinnamon: Studies have shown that it can help lower LDL cholesterol, help regulate blood sugar levels, has anti-clotting effect on blood, and it can boost cognitive function and memory.
  • 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!
  • Pumpkin: One cup of pumpkin has 7 grams fiber, 2650 IU Vitamin A, 564 mg potassium. It also boasts a truckload of antioxidants like Alpha-carotene and Beta-carotene.

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

Are you as excited for the holidays as I am?

What are your thoughts on baked-goods as gifts?

Personally, they are my go-to gift. There’s nothing like baking a batch of cookies or Pumpkin Spice Latte Granola, and then decorating it with a bow to give to friends.

Healthy Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Crust

By

Time has flown by! I completely forgot to post the recipe I teased you all about a couple weeks ago. Before I knew it, Thanksgiving has caught up with me.

Thanksgiving Countdown: 5 days

Eeek! Time sure does fly. Before we know it, we’ll be popping off firecrackers and watching the Times Square Ball drop for the start of 2012.

Thanksgiving is never complete, however, without Pumpkin Pie. You can try and substitute bread pudding, chocolate souffles, or fruit crumbles, but it’s just not the same.

Pumpkin Pie is the ultimate dessert. It’s always been my favorite. When I stopped eating sugar, pumpkin pie was the one thing I missed. For my first couple years without sugar, the sweet creamy spicy filling and flaky crust was nowhere near my lips.

Until this came.

Pumpkin Pie

~The pie is dairy-free, gluten-free, grain-free, soy-free, peanut-free, and, of course, sugar-free! 

Pecan Crust:

  • 2 cups pecan meal (make your own by finely grinding pecans in a food processor)
  • 4 large dates
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 Tablespoons water
  • pinch salt

Blend dates in a strong blender or food processor until smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients and combine until well-mixed. Lightly grease a 9-inch pie pan and press the mixture evenly to the bottom and sides. Bake at 375* for 10-15 minutes or until browned.

Pumpkin Filling:

  • 1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin
  • 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1/4 tsp cloves, 1/4 tsp nutmeg (or 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 12 oz. can full fat coconut milk (too lessen the calories, substitute up to 3/4 of the coconut milk with almond milk)
  • Sweeteners*

Combine the pumpkin, eggs, milk, sweetener (if using) and spices and beat until combined and smooth. Pour mix into crust and bake, uncovered, at 400* for 10 minutes. Then cover with foil and bake at 350* for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

*Sweetener ideas: When I make this for myself, I leave sweeteners out. When baking for others, I suggest adding a sweetener. The following are some options. 1. Blend five dates (or more depending on your sweet tooth) with the milk until completely smooth. Then use the milk as specified above. 2. Use 1/2 teaspoon white stevia powder or liquid stevia drops.

Serve with Cinnamon Whipped Cream as a truly decadent Thanksgiving dessert.

 

Health Benefits:

  • Pumpkin: One cup of pumpkin has 7 grams fiber, 2650 IU Vitamin A, 564 mg potassium. It also boasts a truckload of antioxidants like Alpha-carotene and Beta-carotene.
  • Pecans: They help boost your immune system, reduce LDL cholesterol, and protect against Breast Cancer because of the high levels of oleic acid. It contains vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc and fiber, as well as antioxidants.
  • Cinnamon: Studies have shown that it can help lower LDL cholesterol, help regulate blood sugar levels, has anti-clotting effect on blood, and it can boost cognitive function and memory.

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

What are you planning for Thanksgiving?

Are you cooking? What’s your meal plan? Spending time with family?

 

An Apple a Day

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An apple a day keeps the doctor away.

We all know this saying. Apples are full of fiber, vitamins, and minerals, not to mention versatile and tasty for recipes and snacking. Fall is known for colorful leaves, colder days, and apples! One of my favorite memories is of picking my own apples from an orchard and bringing barrels of them home to enjoy over the next month.

As soon as Foodbuzz called bloggers to submit their meal ideas for 24×24, I thought of apples. They’re comforting. They’re healthy.

A few friends gathered to share this spontaneous meal, and we gathered on my back porch that looks out over a small lake. We lit a few candles, and the chatting and eating began.

P.S. Ping Pong tables make great buffet-tables. Simply lay a tablecloth over it and serve.

My own rule for the feast: every dish must contain apples. And, yes, I did make all the food without a kitchen. I used the outside table as a prepping station, the laundry room’s sink as a washing station, and a brand-new oven we just plugged in.

Menu

Appetizers: 

Apple Crisps with Peanut Butter Hummus Dip

Antipasto Skewer of Chicken Apple Sausage, Roasted Tomato, Artichoke Heart, and olive

Main Course:

Beer-Braised Apple Cider Pork Chops with Sauteed Onions

Sides:

Homemade Cinnamon Applesauce

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Apples and Pecans

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Apples and Bacon

Spinach Salad with Balsamic Dressing

Dessert: 

Fresh Apple Pie with Whipped Cinnamon Cream

Drink:

Sparkling Apple Cider


Sparkling Apple Cider. Mix Equal Parts sparkling water (unsweetened) with apple cider (preferably organic). Serve with cinnamon stick.

Recipes will be coming soon, and all of them were sugar-free, dairy-free, and grain and gluten-free. Consider this coming week a week of apple recipes!

Apple Benefits: 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. The pectin in apples lowers LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, and it supplies galacturonic acid to the body which lowers the body’s need for insulin and may help in the management of diabetes.

Thanks to FoodBuzz for sponsoring this meal, and allowing me to share it with others.

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

Do you have a favorite apple recipe to share?

Also, don’t forget to sign up for the Sugar-Free Challenge! Each participant is entered to win some Artisana nutbutters.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Apples

By

Are you ready for more cinnamon?

When I think of flavor flavors, all I think of is cinnamon. And lots of it.

Cinnamon in Fruit Crisp, Granola, and Breakfast Bread:

Most of all, though, I think of cinnamon with warm and tender apples and sweet potatoes.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Apples

~This recipe requires minimal effort. The measurements do not have to be exact. Simply throw in the amount of potatoes and apples you have. Dairy-Free, grain-free, gluten-free, vegan, soy-free, and, of course, sugar-free! 

Ingredients

  • 5 medium-sized sweet potatoes, chopped with skin on
  • 3 medium-sized apples, chopped with skin on (any variety works. I prefer a sweeter apple like gala, but tart apples like granny smith work well, too)
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 Tablespoon coconut oil, or oil of choice

Preheat oven to 400*. Toss the apples, sweet potatoes, and nuts with the oil and cinnamon until evenly coated. Spread evenly on a baking sheet. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until soft and golden brown.

You may serve this hot or cold. It tastes great hot on cold days, but I also love snacking on it when cold. It would be a great side dish for a Thanksgiving dinner, or even a main course for a light dinner or lunch.

 

Health Benefits: 

  • Cinnamon: Studies have shown that it can help lower LDL cholesterol, help regulate blood sugar levels, has anti-clotting effect on blood, and it can boost cognitive function and memory.
  • Pecans: They help boost your immune system, reduce LDL cholesterol, and protect against Breast Cancer because of the high levels of oleic acid. It contains vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc and fiber, as well as antioxidants.
  • Walnuts: Rich in fiber, protein, vitamin B, Omega-3s, magnesium, and antioxidants. Walnuts have also been shown to aid in the lowering LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) and the C-Reactive Protein (CRP). CRP was recently recognized as an independent marker and predictor of heart disease. Walnuts have often been thought of as a “brain food,” not only because of the wrinkled brain-like appearance of their shells, but because of their high concentration of omega-3 fats. Your brain is more than 60% structural fat. For your brain cells to function properly, this structural fat needs to be primarily the omega-3 fats found in walnuts.
  • Sweet Potatoes: Click HERE for a post I wrote about the benefits of Sweet Potatoes.
  • Apples: “An Apple a day keeps the doctor away!” 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. The pectin in apples lowers LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. The pectin in apples supplies galacturonic acid to the body which lowers the body’s need for insulin and may help in the management of diabetes.

 

 

When baking this, the smell of cinnamon drifted throughout the house. All I wanted to do was curl up in a soft sweater, drink hot cocoa, read a nice book, and devour this dish!

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

When you think of Fall, what flavors do you think of?