Spoonful of Sugar Free

Registered Dietitian

recipes

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 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?

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?

 

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!

Day 2: Apple Crisps and Peanut Butter Hummus Dip

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Welcome to day two of the Sugar Free Challenge! Here is today’s sample menu:

Breakfast: Bitter Chocolate Waffles with Sliced bananas and peanut butter whip.

Lunch: Socca with a spinach salad topped with fresh bruschetta. Served with a hard-boiled egg.

Snack: Apple Crisps with Peanut Butter Hummus Dip (recipe below).

Dinner: Brown Rice Stir Fry with carrots, onions, leftover chicken, bell pepper, ginger, soy sauce, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

Dessert: Chocolate Almond Cookie Dough Bites.

 

Apple Crisps with Peanut Butter Hummus Dip

~This recipe is from my Apple a Day Dinner menu. They were inspired by my High-Protein Cookie Dough. Gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, grain-free, vegan, and, of course, sugar-free! 

Apple Crisp Directions

Thinly slice your apples, and leave the peel on. I used a mandolin slicer to have even slices. You may slice in rounds or halves. If desired, sprinkle with cinnamon.

Dehydrator Method: Lay slices flat on food dehydrator and dehydrate for 24 hours. Let cool in a dry area before serving or covering.

Oven Method: Lay slices flat on baking sheet. Do not overlap. Preheat oven to 225* nd bake for two hours, turning halfway through. Let cool in a dry area before serving or covering.

Peanut Butter Hummus Dip Directions

  • 1 can chickpeas (1 1/2 cups)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 1/3 cup nondairy milk

First, drain and wash chickpeas well. Make sure they are well-washed so that the cookie dough doesn’t taste like beans. Add all the ingredients into a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Adjust liquid as needed.

Health Benefits

 

 

  • Chickpeas: Click HERE for a post I did about all the benefits of chickpeas.
  • Peanut Butter: 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.
  • 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.

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

How was your second day of sugar-free?

Also, what’s your favorite dish to bring to parties? Please share! I would love some more ideas.