Spoonful of Sugar Free

Registered Dietitian

Fruit

Breakfast Bread

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I used to buy a delicious bread at my local grocery store called Breakfast Bread, but it was full of white flour and sugar.

Fast forward to now when I don’t eat gluten or sugar. Does that mean I can’t have my beloved Breakfast Bread? No! I can make my own that tastes even better!

 

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Breakfast Bread

Breakfast Bread

~This whole grain, energy-dense bread makes a great addition to lazy weekend brunches or for busy, on-the-go weekday breakfasts. Full of healthy fats, fiber, and complex carbohydrates to keep you energized through the morning. Whole grain, yeast-free, dairy-free, vegan, and, of course, sugar-free!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup spelt flour*
  • 1 cup oat flour (simply blend oats in blender until smooth)
  • 1 cup chopped nuts (I used a mix of pecans, walnuts, and almonds. Any kind will do)
  • 1 cup chopped dried fruit (I happened to have apricots and dates in my pantry, but use whatever you like. I'm sure dried tart cherries, prunes, and blueberries would make a wonderful addition!)
  • 1 large apple, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup ground flax, optional
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/4 cup rolled oats, to top

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375*.
  2. First, place the chopped apple in a small saucepan with a splash of water. Cover and simmer on medium-low heat for five minutes or until the apples are tender. Once tender, smash with a fork until it resembles a chunky applesauce.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and flax, if using. Then add the water and mix until smooth. Fold in the chopped nuts and fruit until well-combined.
  4. Pour the batter in a greased bread pan and top with rolled oats. Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  5. Cool for five minutes before removing from pan. Slice and serve warm.

Notes

*Spelt flour is not gluten-free. Some with gluten intolerances may be able to handle it, though. It is a whole grain, non-hybrid ancient wheat that dates back 9,000 years. It has a nutty flavor and can be substituted in most recipes calling for wheat flour, and vise versa.

https://www.spoonfulofsugarfree.com/2011/08/02/breakfast-bread/

Don’t be afraid of the long ingredient list because it is extremely easy to make. It is basically just flour, nuts, fruit, and spices.

Isn’t it gorgeous? Do you see those beautiful specks of fruit and nuts? It would make a great gift. Then again, it tastes too good, so I might just keep it for myself!

It makes a great afternoon snack, too. It can stay out of the fridge for a couple days, but I recommend keeping it refrigerated if you don’t eat it right away. Simply throw a slice in the toaster or eat it cold. The bread is dense, so it stays together in the toaster. Use a sharp knife when slicing to make a clean cut.

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

What kinds of nuts and fruit would you throw in this bread?

Next time, I would love to buy some tart cherries and pair it with hazelnuts.

Patriotic Pancake Sunday

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Sunday means Pancake day! Since tomorrow is Independence Day, that means it is Patriotic Pancake Sunday!

One Size Fits all Pancakes topped with Peanut Butter Frosting. Blueberries and strawberries complete the Red, White, and Blue look.

Peanut Butter and Jelly is an original American flavor, anyway.

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

Did you celebrate Pancake Sunday today?

Sugar-Free Independence Day Treats

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Looking for something to make for the Fourth of July? Here are some ideas to help you along:

Red, White, and Blue Fruit Salad

Raw Cheesecake

Homemade Barbeque Sauce (to top all of your burgers, pulled pork, brisket, or vegetarian BBQ?)

Berries and Coconut Cream

Pick-a-Fruit Crisp (or make an Individual version)

Healthified Chicken Salad-not exactly red, white, and blue, but Fourth of July=picnics, right?

Really, anything with strawberries and blueberries can be made into a Fourth of July meal! I have plans to mix around and adapt THIS recipe for the Fourth this year 😛

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

What are your plans for the Fourth of July? To my international readers-do you have any fun plans for the weekend?

We are having a party at my house! Food, swimming, games, ping pong, and, of course, Fireworks!

Nature’s Goods

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I am a part of an organic co-op. Every other Wednesday I receive a huge basket of fresh, organic produce. This week’s:

What do we have in there? Maybe some…

  • Tomatoes
  • Blueberries
  • Romaine lettuce
  • Raspberries
  • Bananas
  • Cucumbers
  • Squash
  • Strawberries
  • Peaches
I’m going to have fun with these! Fruit Crisp anyone?
Also, check out this sunrise. I woke up to a HUGE red sun beaming through my windows. Wow.
Reflection off the water:
Pictures do not do it justice.
Thought-provoking, mind-prodding question of the day: 
What are you appreciating from Nature today?
“To sit in the shade on a fine day and look upon the verdant green
hills is the most perfect refreshment.”
                                                                                            – Jane Austin   

Red, White, and Grey?

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Happy Flag Day!

Did you know it was flag day? Honestly, I never really know these things until I look at my calendar in the morning and say, “Hey everyone-It’s Flag Day!” (In the United States atleast)

I never knew this before, but Flag Day is the day that the United States adopted the flag Betsy Ross made in 1777. Wave those flags high! And eat ’em, too!

~One Size Fits all Pancakes with frozen strawberries, melted.

I tried to make the pancakes “blue” by adding some concord grape juice, but they ended up turning grey. It would be better if I had some blueberries, but I didn’t have any at the time. I need to fix that!

Grey, yet delicious!

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

What was the last cooking oops you did?

I’m always experimenting with different ideas and recipes. One time I tried to make banana waffles in a panini maker instead of a waffle iron. Well…let’s just say I ate some caramelized goop for breakfast that day and spent the rest of the morning cleaning the panini maker.

 

Pick-a-Fruit Crisp

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Apples, blackberries, blueberries, figs, grapes, pears, plums, raspberries…

Do you know what I am listing?

The fruits of Autumn!

Like I have said before, I love fall! I also love the fruits the season gives, too. I remember going apple picking a couple years ago at a friend’s farm. She grows the most delicious apples, and makes her own apple cider vinegar with the bruised apples! Her trees were full of apples, and it took my family of five people 2 hours to pick just one tree! Crazy, but it was so much fun! She also gave us two huge bags of apples for our hard work.

 

My little sister’s depiction of fall. Isn’t she a fantastic artist?

Anyway, I started listing fall fruits because they are the base of my sugar-free fruit crisp!

Pick-a-Fruit Crisp

~This recipe is very versatile, and any fruit can be used. The fruit makes it naturally sweet! The fruit crisp is vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and of course, sugar-free!

Ingredients

  • 5 cups of fruit (frozen or fresh works! I used a mix of frozen mixed berries and 2 fresh peaches for the picture above.)
  • water or juice if using only fresh fruit
  • 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • 1/3 cup chopped nuts (I used a mix of almonds and walnuts)
  • 2 tablespoons butter or margarine (it is only vegan if you use margarine)
  • optional: spices. I used 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 teaspoon of fresh minced ginger

Preheat oven to 375*. If using frozen fruit, first thaw the fruit in a 2-quart baking dish. If you are using fresh fruit, chop the fruit and place into the baking dish. Then add a bit of water or juice to the fresh fruit.

Next, mix together the oats, nuts, and spices. Then, chop the butter into small pieces and mix with the oat-nut topping. Place the topping on the fruit, and spread over the top. Bake the crisp for 30-35 minutes or until the fruit is tender and bubbling. If the top is not golden brown, you may wish to broil it for a few seconds until it has that nice golden coloring.

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

Have you ever gone apple picking or other-kind-of-produce-picking? Along with my apple-picking experience, I am a huge fan of going to the pumpkin patch! It feels so much better than picking out a pumpkin at the grocery store!