Spoonful of Sugar Free

Registered Dietitian

grain-free

Day 24: National Peanut Butter Day

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Welcome to day twenty-four of the Sugar Free Challenge!

Did you know today is National Peanut Butter Day? Yes! My favorite food has its own holiday. So I declare today to be a day full of finger-lickin (literally. try dipping your finger in peanut butter. Tastes way better than on a spoon) Peanut butter-goodness.

Here is today’s Peanut Butter-Filled sample menu:

Breakfast: Bitter Chocolate Waffles topped with Peanut Butter and Banana Slices. Also try High Protein Cookie Crisp Cereal and PBC Bars.

Lunch: How about a good ol’ PB&J?

Snack: Apple Crisps with Peanut Butter Hummus Dip

Dinner: Homemade Spring Rolls with Spicy Peanut Sauce

Dessert: I have plenty of peanut-butter filled options for this course. Above, the Grain-Free Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Cream Sauce is a for sure winner. Also try Peanut Butter Cups and Banana Cream Pie with Peanut Butter Crust.

Exercise Option: For those of you who chose to take part of the exercise challenge, your challenge today is to do 50 crunches, 10 squat jumps, 15 pushups, 20 1-legged calf raises (10 each leg).

Personal Note: Today I get the stitches out of my mouth, so hopefully I will be able to move my mouth more easily. I feel better and better each day, and was able to do a bit of light exercise yesterday. I’m still on a liquid diet, but hopefully having the stitched removed will help me be able to eat more.

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

Do you love peanut butter as much as me? What are your favorite ways to eat it, and what are your favorite recipes?

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

Day 20: Liquid Diet

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Welcome to day twenty of the Sugar Free Challenge!

I’m still on a liquid diet and my cheeks are still huge, but at least the chills went away. I’m completely craving a hot Grilled Cheese and Ham sandwich right now, which is crazy because I never crave bread or cheese…Maybe watching the food network channel’s “Best Grilled Cheese Sandwich” show wasn’t the smartest choice since I cannot eat anything but liquids.

Here is today’s Liquified sample menu:

Breakfast: Liquid Chia Pudding. Kind of like the Tropical Chia Pudding Parfait pictured above, sans fruit and coconut. Simply mix some chia seeds with Almond-Coconut Milk and let sit for 15 minutes.

Lunch: Fresh Squeezed juice. I used 1 apple, 1 bell pepper, 1 lemon, and a few stalks celery. In case your curious, the picture above is the Spicy Tomato Soup Cure (along with a fresh-squeezed juice). I’m staying away from spicy foods so that it doesn’t aggravate my wounds; however, if you have a sore throat or cold, I would definitely give the recipe a shot!

(Pic Source)

Snack: Baby Food. Yes, I just said baby food, but hear me out! It is full of fruits and veggies in a soft form, it has a lot of vitamins and minerals, it’s organic and made from just fruit and veggies (no added dairy/sugar), and it comes in an easy to use pouch that I can save in the refrigerator if I don’t finish it. I simply squirt a bit on my tongue and swallow! The spinach mango pear (pictures above) has been my favorite so far.

Dinner: Butternut Squash Soup. I love it thick and creamy, but I had to water it down a bit so I could swallow it.

Dessert: Magic Banana Ice Cream (sans the cacao nibs in picture).

Exercise Option: For those of you who chose to take part of the exercise challenge, your challenge today is to do 50 crunches, 10 squat jumps, 15 pushups, 20 1-legged calf raises (10 each leg).

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

Do you have any other ideas for my liquid diet? Have you ever been on one?

Also, do you ever eat “strange” foods like baby food? Laugh all you want, but they are actually pretty tasty!

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

My Nutcracker Ate My Cookies!

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Once upon a time there was a little girl who was baking cookies for Santa. It was Christmas Eve, and the stockings were hung by the Fireplace. The tree was decorated and the smell of chocolate drifted through the air.

 

The little girl was making chocolate-mint crinkle cookies, and she had just finished making all the dough. She turned around to turn on the oven; but when she returned to her cookies dough, the bowl was empty! In it’s place was a wooden man, with her cookie dough in his mouth.

There’s the culprit:

 

She was furious with the wooden man for eating all her cookie dough! Now she had no more cookie dough to make cookies for Santa! There were only a few minutes left until Santa arrived, and there was no time to make another batch. She started to cry.

Then the clock struck Midnight and a clatter came from her living room. It was Santa coming down the chimney! He came over to the little girl to see what was the matter; after all, how could she be sad on Christmas Eve?

The girl told Santa Claus the whole story, and showed him the wooden man who ate her cookies.

 

Santa popped the cookie dough out of the wooden man’s mouth and placed it into his own mouth. He declared it was the best cookie dough he had ever tasted.

However, since the wooden man simply took the cookie dough without asking, Santa condemned him to only cracking nuts and never eating cookies again.

So that is how Chocolate Mint Crinkle Cookie Dough came to be, and how wooden men became Nutcrackers.

Don’t believe me? Ask Santa himself!

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Chocolate Mint Crinkle Cookie Dough Bites

Chocolate Mint Crinkle Cookie Dough Bites

~These cookie dough bites are unbaked. Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Soy-Free, Dairy-Free, Vegan, Paleo, and Sugar-Free.

Ingredients

  • 5 dates
  • 1 cup walnuts
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/8-1/4 tsp peppermint extract
  • pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. First, process the dates in a food processor or strong blender until smooth.
  2. Then add all other ingredients process. I like the walnuts to stay a bit chunky, but this is up to you. Shape the dough into balls or cookies and enjoy!
https://www.spoonfulofsugarfree.com/2011/12/10/my-nutcracker-ate-my-cookies/

Whatever you do, keep it away from wooden men.

 

Health Benefits:

  • Walnuts: This nut is a rich source of Omega 3’s. It can help lower cholesterol and protect the heart. Full of vitamin E, B, and fiber.
  • Mint: Besides simply freshening your breath, mint can help aid in digestion and remedy nausea. The strong aroma is also very helpful in clearing congestion and relieving sore throats.
  • Chocolate: Click HERE for a post I did about all the benefits of chocolate.
  • 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:

What is your favorite Christmas cookie?

When I was little, I loved making sugar cookies for Santa. Although they weren’t my favorite flavor, I liked making different shapes and decorating them.

This post was a part of my Operation Beautiful Food. Original recipe here: Christmas Cookies

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites

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As you all know, peanut butter and chocolate (and banana!) is my favorite combination of all time.

Something about it makes my mouth water. Makes my dog drool, too, but I can’t share with him (no chocolate for dogs!).

 

I’d rather not share this treat with anyone, but ’tis the season of giving.

And Cookies. And Cookie Dough. And Pumpkin Pie. 

And Peanut Butter apparently (at least in my mind).

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Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites

Yield: 2 dozen bites

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites

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

Ingredients

  • 5 dates
  • 1/2 cup roasted, salted peanuts (or use unsalted peanuts and add your own salt)
  • 1 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
  • optional: 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder for extra chocolate flavor

Instructions

  1. Using a food processor (I have also had success with a magic bullet), chop the dates first into a date-paste.
  2. Then add nuts and chop.
  3. Finally, add chocolate chunks and stir.
  4. If the dough is too powdery, add a small dash of water. If it is too sweet, add more peanuts. If it is not sweet enough, add more dates. The recipe is extremely versatile.
  5. Note: It is best when the peanuts are chunky, so don’t over-chop the peanuts!
https://www.spoonfulofsugarfree.com/2011/12/07/peanut-butter-chocolate-chip-cookie-dough-bites/

Health Benefits:

  • Chocolate: Click HERE for a post I did about all the benefits of chocolate.
  • 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.
  • 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.

 

Thought-Provoking, Mind-Prodding Question of the Day:

Cookies or Cookie Dough? What do you choose?

This post was a part of my Operation Beautiful Food. Original recipe here: Faux Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Larabars

Grain-Free Pumpkin Pie Bars with Creamy Frosting

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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:

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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.

Thanksgiving Recipe Ideas

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Thanksgiving Countdown: 1 day left

Are you ready? Do you know what you will be serving? Here are some ideas to help you out.

Guests are in town, and they all need breakfast! You can whip up a batch of Baked Banana Oats, Grain-Free Pumpkin Pancakes, or some Pumpkin Spice Latte Granola. All are quick and easy to whip up, and can be served with some fruit and coffee.

Now let’s get down to the nitty gritty: the real Thanksgiving Meal.

First you’ll need to give your guests something to drink. How about a Apple Cider Spritzer? Simply mix equal parts apple cider with sparkling water.

For Appetizers you can serve

Apple Crisps with Peanut Butter Hummus
Antipasto Sausage Skewers

For the main dish, I am having a spiral ham this year. Personally, I like ham better than turkey. What do you prefer?

For sides, mashed potatoes (made with almond milk), sweet potatoes, applesauce, and brussels sprouts are in order. Try some of these recipes:

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Apples and Pecans
Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Rosemary Wild Rice
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Apples and Bacon
Crockpot Cinnamon Applesauce

Dessert will, of course, be Pumpkin Pie with Whipped Cinnamon Cream.

 Not a fan of pumpkin pie? Well, you’re crazy.

Just kidding! How about Apple Pie, Sweet Potato Spice Cookies, or even a Fig and Plum Crisp?


I might have a post up on Thanksgiving, or I might not. If not, here is a Happy Thanksgiving wish from me:

Have a fantastic holiday! Fill yourself up with good food, cheerful conversation, and love from family and friends. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! 

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

What is your favorite Thanksgiving dish? Please share your recipes!

Mine is, hands down, the pumpkin pie. Always has been. However, that spiral ham and the Roasted Sweet potatoes sure do give the dessert a run for its money!