Spoonful of Sugar Free

Registered Dietitian

healthy

Lessons Learned From Family

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I see my family only once or twice a year. My grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins live all over the country, thousands of miles away. I’d love to have Sunday night dinners with them every week, but it just isn’t practical to drive or fly 1200 miles every week! If only we could teleport…

Every minute of our time together is special, though, and it is sad to see it pass. So I soak up the millions of smiles, laughs, hugs, and words of wisdom I receive that week.

Lessons Learned From Spending Time with Family

It’s called a family tree for a reason.

Don’t throw a football into the sea unless you are ready to swim a long distance through murky waters (or you’re tired of the football and want to get rid of it).

Keep your camera on hand. Always. You never know when something amazing is going to happen, and you’ll want to save the moment for later.

Dog beaches are way cooler than regular beaches.

Always keep extra futons or mattresses around. You never know when someone will drop by and need a bed to sleep in!

Overeating or under eating every once in a while is not going to harm you.

If you want to meet new people, bring a baby or dog. People will swarm!

Word games can be hilariously funny…especially when everyone is exhausted from a long day of walking, and you’ve gone half loopy from being tired!

Fresh air and sunshine can fix all problems.

Chia is seriously the breakfast of champions. Keeps you hydrated and is a great source of fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants. It also fills me up for energy all morning. I can’t wait to share a new chocolate chia pudding recipe with you!

The world has shrunk since the last time you said “it’s a small world after all.”

Some of the best deals can be found at small, local stores. Last weekend I found a beautiful sweater for $20! (originally $85).

(Pic Source)

Cucumber White Tea is very tasty and refreshing. Especially when iced. With Lemon. Speaking of lemon, it goes with everything and is great for digestion!

Dressing up every once in a while just because is fun ad keeps life exciting. So does dressing down. it doesn’t really matter what others think anyway.

Mugs of coffee disappears faster than chocolate!

I would give up anything for my family and spending time with them. And yes, that includes my kitchen.

To my family: It’s been great spending time with you! I love you all very much. Can’t wait to see you again soon!

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

What is the most important thing you’ve learned from your family? Do you see them often?

P.S. I will be in Chicago this weekend, and will not be posting. Go out and enjoy some green food while I’m away!

Coconut Flour Winners

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The three randomly chosen winners of the coconut flour giveaway are…

Janice E. H, teabagginit, and Chrysta

Thanks to everyone who entered! The winners will receive an email from me shortly.

So sorry for my lack of posting lately. I’ve been having lots of fun with my family in town. I’ll post more about this on Friday. Until then, take a look at the top 5 coconut flour recipes I want to try!

Top 5 Coconut Flour Recipes to Try

1. Chocolate Coconut Donuts from Multiply Delicious

(already sugar-free! Uses dates to sweeten)

2. German Apple Pancakes from Civilized Caveman

I want to make this sans the maple syrup and honey (because apples are plenty sweet on their own!).

3. Banana Cinnamon Bun Muffins from Multiply Delicious

Instead of the maple syrup topping, I would substitute pureed dates like these Pecan Buns.

Chocolate cake for Valentine's Day with berries and carob chips

4. Chocolate Oatmeal Pudding Breakfast Cake from Family Fresh Cooking

Uses a mix of coconut and oat flour, and adds a dash of stevia to sweeten. Or omit the stevia altogether to make a bitter cake!!

5. Grain Free Apple Pancake Cobbler from Healthful Pursuit

Omit the honey to make sugar-free. I’m sure the sweetness of the apples is perfectly sweet!

You can find more of my favorite coconut flour recipes on my pinterest board.

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

What is your favorite coconut flour recipe? Feel free to add links!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Birthday Cake

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Happy Birthday to Me!

What better way to celebrate than with cake and presents?

Presents for you! Bob’s Red Mill sent me a few gluten-free flours mixes to try out (coconut flour,  hazelnut meal/flour, and teff flour), and to giveaway. Bob’s Red Mill is a great company, and I use many of their products for my baking.

Coconut flour has to be one of my favorite gluten-free, grain-free flours. Made from  the fiber of coconuts, it has a light sweetness without the carbs. This cake and my brownie recipe are my favorite ways to use it. Check out my coconut flour pinterest board for more ideas.

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Grain Free Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Cream Frosting

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Yield: 1-layer cake, 9 servings (double or triple recipe for a layered cake)

Serving Size: 1 slice

Calories per serving: 165

Grain Free Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Cream Frosting

~This cake is too good to be true. My whole family enjoyed it. Gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, grain-free, and, of course, sugar-free! Inspired by my Grain-Free Fudge Brownie Recipe.

Ingredients

    Cake Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 eggs
  • 5 dates
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 1/4 cup milk-substitute (I used unsweetened almond milk) whisked with 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar to create vegan buttermilk.
    • Frosting Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
  • 1/3 cup dairy-free milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)

Instructions

    Cake Instructions:
  1. Preheat oven to 375*.
  2. Blend the dates into a paste. Add wet ingredients and stir until well-combined.
  3. In a separate bowl combine all dry ingredients and stir until lumps are gone.
  4. Combine wet and dry until well combined. Mix very thoroughly to ensure there aren’t any date chunks. The dates are the natural sweetness in the recipe. Feel free to add more dates if needed to suite your sweet tooth. The 5 dates make a dark chocolate cake, more may be needed for more sweetness.
  5. Lightly grease a round 9" cake pan (I used coconut oil), and pour batter into dish. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
    6. Frosting Instructions:
  6. Blend peanut butter and milk until creamy and fluffy. You may add dates to the frosting as well if desired. Adjust liquid to suit your frosting thickness preference.
  7. Once cake is cooled, spread frosting on cake and top with Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups, like this cake. Or mix a small amount of coconut oil with cocoa powder, and drizzle on top of cake (as shown in pictures).
https://www.spoonfulofsugarfree.com/2012/03/03/chocolate-peanut-butter-cake-giveaway/

Health Benefits:
  • Chocolate: Click HERE for a post I wrote earlier about the health benefits of chocolate.
  • 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.!
  • 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.

 

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!

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“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”   -Dr. Seuss, Happy Birthday to You

(pic source)

My favorite childhood author? Dr. Seuss. No doubt about it.

Today would be his 108th birthday! What better way to celebrate than reading your favorite Dr. Seuss books like…

(Pic Source)

And eating Green Eggs and Ham for breakfast! (without the green food coloring, though).

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Green Eggs and Ham

Green Eggs and Ham

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss! These "green eggs" are actually just scrambled eggs full of vitamins! I promise you don't taste the spinach at all.

Ingredients

  • Eggs
  • Big handful of spinach
  • Sliced Ham

Instructions

  1. Put your eggs and spinach in a blender, and blend until smooth and green.
  2. Heat a skillet to medium heat and lightly grease to keep the food from sticking.
  3. Pour the egg mix on the pan and scramble until cooked through. Place on serving plate.
  4. Lightly brown the sliced ham until warm, and place next to eggs on plate.
  5. Read some Dr. Seuss books while enjoying your festive breakfast!
https://www.spoonfulofsugarfree.com/2012/03/01/happy-birthday-dr-seuss/

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go…”  –Dr. Seuss, Oh the Places You’ll Go!

In elementary school, we always celebrated Dr. Seuss’ birthday. The cafeteria served their own green eggs and ham (thinking back now, that sounds disgusting! and rubbery!). We dressed up as Dr. Seuss characters with crazy hats, hair, and socks, and then read a few of his books. His birthday is a day I like to celebrate every year (my birthday is the day after, so it is double the celebration).

My favorite Dr. Seuss book:

(pic source)

“Oh the places you’ll go! There is fun to be done! There are points to be scored. There are games to be won. And the magical things you can do with that ball will make you the winning-est winner of all.” –Dr. Seuss, Oh the Places You’ll Go!

My little brother likes green eggs and ham, too!

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

What is your favorite book by Dr. Seuss?

Flourless Banana Bread

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Happy National Banana Bread Day!

What better way to celebrate banana bread day than by, well, making and eating banana bread?

Whenever I go to the grocery store, I look in the produce aisle for bananas. It isn’t necessarily that I need bananas (in fact I have about 15 sitting on the counter right now), but I look to see if the store is giving away brown bananas for a very discounted price. Then, I peel them and add them to my freezer bag full of bananas. These can be used for smoothies, PBC Bars, Smacaroons, or, of course, Banana Bread!

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Grain Free Banana Bread

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Yield: 1 loaf

Grain Free Banana Bread

~This recipe is gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, soy-free, paleo, and sugar-free!

Ingredients

  • 3 ripe bananas
  • 1/2 cup almond butter
  • 3 eggs
  • 3 Tablespoons Ground flax
  • 3 Tablespoons Chia Gel (mix 9 tablespoons of water with 3 teaspoons chia seed and let sit for 15-20 minutes. The chia seeds will puff into a gel)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Optional: 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350*.
  2. Mash the bananas. Then, mix all ingredients together in a bowl.
  3. Pour batter into a lightly greased bread pan-or even try a muffin tin!
  4. Bake for one hour, or until toothpick comes out clean.
  5. The bread will rise while in the oven, but will sink when taken out. Let the bread cool for fifteen minutes in the pan (this is necessary for the bread to set since it has no flour in it), and then plop it onto a plate or cutting board and enjoy!
https://www.spoonfulofsugarfree.com/2012/02/23/flourless-banana-bread/

*This recipe is linked to Allergy Free Wednesday.

This is not your typical banana bread. However, it is surprisingly moist, and it works! Tastes great toasted with a smear of peanut butter. I also like to keep it cold so I can take it with me to-go. Combine this with a cup of coffee or tea, and you are ready to tackle Banana Bread Day!

Health Benefits:

  • 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!
  • 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.
  • 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 your favorite ways to use up brown bananas?

This post is a part of my Operation Beautiful Food Project. My original recipe was posted here. 

Paleo Breakfast Burrito

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After having some stomach problems last year, I decided to take grains out of my diet. My body felt great without it, and my stomach problems went away.

A couple months ago, I had a bowl of oatmeal. “One bowl won’t hurt.” And it didn’t. One bowl turned into brown-rice pancakes, oats thrown in my PBC bars, and sides of rice and quinoa. Then the stomach problems started coming back last week. It’s time to go off grains again.

It’s not really a drag giving up grains. I love eating grain-free food. I’m excited to try new recipes again like my coconut flour Fudgy Brownies and these Paleo Breakfast Burritos. They have great flavor, and I never really enjoyed the floppy, flavorless white flour tortillas any way.

Print
Paleo Breakfast Burrito

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Serving Size: 1

Paleo Breakfast Burrito

This Breakfast Burrito is fit for a day of hard work! Full of protein and antioxidants from the veggies. Dairy-free, gluten-free, grain-free, paleo, nut-free, soy-free, and sugar-free.

Ingredients

  • Sliced Ham (choose a ham that is large enough to fold and medium-thickness so that it doesn't break when wrapped. You may need more than one slice)
  • 2 eggs (or egg whites)
  • 1/4 cup chopped veggies (spinach, black olives, bell pepper, tomato, etc)
  • Optional: Salsa, Guacamole, Cilantro

Instructions

  1. Saute the veggies in a small bit of oil over medium high heat.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and poor over the veggie mix.
  3. Using a spatula, scramble the mix until cooked through. Take the eggs out of the pan.
  4. Roll the ham around the eggs and place back onto the skillet. Grill for a few seconds each side until the ham is slightly brown.
  5. Serve with salsa, guacamole, and a sprig of fresh cilantro on top.
https://www.spoonfulofsugarfree.com/2012/02/21/paleo-breakfast-burrito/

Health Benefits:

  • Eggs: Great source of protein, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fat. They are great for your eyes because of the carotenoid content. Also great for your nervous and cardiovascular system because of the choline content. Contrary to previous belief, moderate consumption of eggs does not have a negative impact on cholesterol, and it is one of the only foods with naturally-occurring vitamin D.
  • Tomato: Best known for its high lycopene content. Lycopene is a carotenoid that may reduce incidences of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and macular degeneration. Tomatoes are especially high in vitamin C and A as well.
  • Ham: Preferably bought organically, ham is a good source of protein, iron, and B12. It is low in calories and is a lean meat.

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

What are your thoughts on grain-free  and paleo diets?

I could never go completely paleo, because then I would have to give up legumes as well. Which takes away my beloved peanut butter! I also think that if I have the occasional bowl of oats or pancakes made with a gluten-free flour, it won’t hurt me too much.