I have a sweet tooth, a really BIG sweet tooth. It used to be so bad that I could put away a gallon of "Light" ice cream without blinking (the thought of it now makes me sick to my stomach). My point is, once I put sugar into my mouth, I couldn't concentrate until I could get another bite in....and so the painful cycle began. Things got better when I moved in with my now husband, because he could at least distract me from the sugar cravings. After my son was born, I was spoiled with an increased metabolism and got re-hooked on having sweets on a regular basis because I could get away with it. But as I began to find alternatives to cooking with flour, I discovered a world of healthier baking and cooking. A world that used no gluten, no dairy, a rare egg or two, and no refined sugars. Because I love to bake, I was willing to try any new recipe, but secretly I was wondering how on earth something could taste good without sugar. Little did I know about what I was going to discover...
Maple Syrup: You have to use the real stuff, none of that pancake syrup loaded with high fructose corn syrup. Grade B is the best and offers a higher mineral content that refined sugar and also contains low levels of anti-oxidants. One of the minerals is manganese, which supports overall body function and lowers trigylceride levels. Zinc acts as both a mineral and antioxidant and strengthens the heart by repairing and replenishing endothelial cells. Together, Manganese and Zinc support the immune system (they are also both important for male reproductive health).
Stevia: I have always been skeptical of Stevia, just as I have been skeptical of Splenda and Nutrasweet, but turns out it is rather quite safe and been around for forever. It comes from the Stevia plant and is available in liquid or powder form. I have mainly used Stevia in my cookie and banana bread recipes and really like the added sweetness it gives baked goods that are made without refined sugars. I have also occasionally thrown it into a smoothie that I can't get quite sweet enough.
Honey (especially raw honey): Raw honey is anti-fungal, antibacterial, and anti-viral. Raw honey also contains many anti-cancer fighting properties, phytonutrients, and anti-tumor properties. When raw honey is extensively heated, it's amazing properties disappear, so try for the raw varieties when you can. There are so many local beekeepers here in the PNW, so look to buy local on this if you can.
Coconut Sugar (or palm sugar): this is a great substitute when you can't substitute liquid sweeteners for dry; I use it in a 1:1 substitution for brown sugar in my cookies. Palm sugar is definitely not as sweet as sugar and will give your baked goods a dark hue, but it won't raise your blood sugar like refined sugars do. Don't make the assumption, like I did, that if palm sugar is a healthier option that palm oil is too; as far as I can tell, it's not and it is better to stay away from palm oil when you can.
Brown Rice Syrup: This is a great alternative to sugar and one that I love using in my banana bread. It is not really that sweet to the taste, but when baked, creates a nice subtly sweetness that makes baked goods yummy. If you stay away from gluten, make sure you find a gluten-free variety as some brands are made with barley.
Agave: I saved this one for last because I recently changed how I feel about this sweetener. It is touted as being a great alternative to sugar because it doesn't raise your blood sugar like white sugar does. I recently found out that agave has higher levels of fructose than high fructose corn syrup. Granted, it is not processed or fake like HFCS is, but such high levels of fructose can be hard on our bodies. I will still use agave (made from the same plant as tequila), but I'm not using it as much, and trying to use raw honey more.
Since discovering and only using these sweeteners, my sweet tooth has diminished. I still love my sweets at the end of the day, but I don't feel out of control like I can't get enough, and I feel very satisfied with a much smaller serving. Additionally, when I now eat something that has processed sugar, it tastes WAY too sweet and is unappetizing. I thought that would NEVER happen!
Let me know if you have any questions about using these sweeteners.
Showing posts with label gluten free. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gluten free. Show all posts
Friday, September 16, 2011
Friday, July 8, 2011
Two New Recipes to Try
So I have never in my life come up with my completely own baking recipe. Ever. I have only a few times adapted a recipe to make it healthier, and this usually meant just swapping whole wheat flour for white. Well it's been a big week. I was looking over several ice cream recipes deciding which one to make when I decided to get creative and try to concoct my own. Oh man did it taste good. Do you like peanut butter? How about chocolate? Then this is the recipe for you:
Chocolate-Peanut Butter Coconut Ice Cream
2 c. unsweetened coconut milk (in a box)
1/2 c. unsweetened peanut butter
1/4-1/2c. unsweetened dark cocoa powder (depending on how chocolate-ty you want it)
1 c. hemp milk (or other non-dairy milk)
1/4 c. agave or honey
3 drops of Vanilla Stevia
1Tbsp gelatin disolved in 1/4c boiling water
Add all ingredients except for gelatin in a blender; blend until smooth
Once gelatin has set, add it and blend a few more seconds
Pour into an ice cream machine and run for 25-30 min. Since I was having a serious chocolate craving, I also threw in two handfuls of chocolate chips during the last few minutes.
You can substitute whole or 2% milk for the coconut milk, but the coconut milk gives is a richness and thickness to it you can't get with the dairy milks. If you don't have a non-dairy milk to use for the hemp milk, you can substitute any dairy milk (although nonfat won't give you great consistency). If you don't have Stevia, just use a little extra agave or sweetener of choice.
My second major brainstorm came during my last craving for cookies. I again was reading over several recipes I'd tried, but hadn't been quite happy with, when I decided to be adventurous. Here's what I came up with:
Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 stick of butter or dairy-free margarine
1/4 c. honey
1/4 c. brown rice syrup (you can play with these proportions)
1 egg or egg substitute
1 tsp vanilla (optional for added sweetness, but I don't think the recipe really needs it)
3/4 c. + 2 Tbsp brown rice flour
1/4 c. coconut flour (this is really what makes the cookie amazing)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp xanthan gum or guar gum
1 1/2-2 c. chocolate chips
Blend softened butter and sweeteners until thick and creamy. Add egg or substitute and vanilla if using and blend briefly. Then add the flours, soda, gum and blend. Then stir in chocolate chips. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes, checking before you take them out of the oven. They should be puffy and soft to the touch, but not mushy. They need longer cooking if they are mushy. If you don't want to use the gluten free flours, you can probably just substitute white or whole wheat flour and omit the xanthan gum, but I can't promise anything since I haven't tried it, but I can't see why it wouldn't work.
So this is what the hubby and I are enjoying tonight as we sit down to watch the second to last episode of Friday Night Lights...sigh....but at least our tummies will be full of delicious goodness!!
Chocolate-Peanut Butter Coconut Ice Cream
2 c. unsweetened coconut milk (in a box)
1/2 c. unsweetened peanut butter
1/4-1/2c. unsweetened dark cocoa powder (depending on how chocolate-ty you want it)
1 c. hemp milk (or other non-dairy milk)
1/4 c. agave or honey
3 drops of Vanilla Stevia
1Tbsp gelatin disolved in 1/4c boiling water
Add all ingredients except for gelatin in a blender; blend until smooth
Once gelatin has set, add it and blend a few more seconds
Pour into an ice cream machine and run for 25-30 min. Since I was having a serious chocolate craving, I also threw in two handfuls of chocolate chips during the last few minutes.
You can substitute whole or 2% milk for the coconut milk, but the coconut milk gives is a richness and thickness to it you can't get with the dairy milks. If you don't have a non-dairy milk to use for the hemp milk, you can substitute any dairy milk (although nonfat won't give you great consistency). If you don't have Stevia, just use a little extra agave or sweetener of choice.
My second major brainstorm came during my last craving for cookies. I again was reading over several recipes I'd tried, but hadn't been quite happy with, when I decided to be adventurous. Here's what I came up with:
Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 stick of butter or dairy-free margarine
1/4 c. honey
1/4 c. brown rice syrup (you can play with these proportions)
1 egg or egg substitute
1 tsp vanilla (optional for added sweetness, but I don't think the recipe really needs it)
3/4 c. + 2 Tbsp brown rice flour
1/4 c. coconut flour (this is really what makes the cookie amazing)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp xanthan gum or guar gum
1 1/2-2 c. chocolate chips
Blend softened butter and sweeteners until thick and creamy. Add egg or substitute and vanilla if using and blend briefly. Then add the flours, soda, gum and blend. Then stir in chocolate chips. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes, checking before you take them out of the oven. They should be puffy and soft to the touch, but not mushy. They need longer cooking if they are mushy. If you don't want to use the gluten free flours, you can probably just substitute white or whole wheat flour and omit the xanthan gum, but I can't promise anything since I haven't tried it, but I can't see why it wouldn't work.
So this is what the hubby and I are enjoying tonight as we sit down to watch the second to last episode of Friday Night Lights...sigh....but at least our tummies will be full of delicious goodness!!
Friday, June 3, 2011
Fighting Acne and Going Gluten Free (or at least trying)
I am so exhausted tonight...it's been a really long week but it's too early to hit the hay, so I decided to share with you an amazing experience I had this week. If you read this blog, you know that I've struggled with food and weight for years. I finally feel like I have a handle on that, but continue to struggle with my face, specifically acne. Many people probably wouldn't call it that, but I have no better word for it. I have lots of splotchy patches with constant breakouts along my jawline and cheek. I have completely switched over to all natural, chemical free product and have even been making my own lately. I gave up sugar briefly, but more or less was really unsuccessful at completely giving it up.
Then on Tuesday night, I headed to PCC with my dearest friend and old college roommate for a class on Gluten Free Italian cooking (I know, seems like an oxymoron). She tries to go gluten free when she can and I was along for support and to learn a few new recipes. Let me tell you, this class rocked my world.
The instructor is a local Chinese Medicine practitioner who shared her story of how she became interested in the power of foods. Her brother had an episode of joint inflammation when he was four and was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis and was prescribed antibiotics by the doctor. His mother was not convinced that this was the best course of action, so she took him an early day naturopath who told her he was having a reaction to the foods he was eating. They took him off all dairy, eggs, and gluten and his JRA cleared up within weeks and he has never had a recurrence AND the best part is that he was able to add these allergens back into his diet in moderation.
How does this affect my acne? Well, our instructor spoke on the many things that gluten can cause. One of them is acne because gluten causes inflammation in the body. It has also been tied to thyroid cancer/disease and it is the number one cause of autoimmune disorders. This was enough to keep me listening. Here are some other really interesting facts on gluten and healthy eating in general:
--gluten foods have not been in our diets that long; most people of European, Alaskan, or Irish descent are gluten intolerant (70%).
--wheat has been hybridized over the years to have a high level of gluten (which is unnatural) which is why we are seeing more sensitivities to it. It has 8x more gluten than it did only 20 years ago. Plus we overeat wheat, especially the processed kind.
--wheat is stored in steel drums and a specific kind of mold forms on it and people have a reaction to this mold (apparently the same goes for peanuts: a certain mold forms in the storage containers and so people are more likely having reactions to the mold than the peanuts).
--she recommended using sea salt for seasoning over other salts because of the mineral content
--Italy is 1/3rd gluten intolerant! Who knew! Apparently you can ask for a gluten free menu in any restaurant and the noodles are amazing!
--New Zealand is 100% gluten free (according to a few recent travelers in the class).
--Olive oil helps to decongest the gall bladder; gall bladder removal is the #1 performed surgery
--processed (non virginized oils) have been chemically altered so that the ingredient that makes the smell bad when they go rancid is gone. This means most cooking oils (unless you use them often) will go bad and you'll never know. Look for "virgin" and "unrefined" oils. Olive oil is apparently best in your body when it is eaten raw, without heating.
--research shows that if you follow a gluten heavy diet during your life, by the time you are 45 the odds are against you that you will have a sensitivity (even if you don't know it)
--gluten is toxic to everyone's small intestine.
--Alcoholics and those that crave sugar are often sensitive to gluten and by going gluten free, will eliminate those cravings (an aha! moment for me!)
--if you tend to cook with extra virgin olive oil, you should never use it when cooking higher than "medium" on your cooktop or when the oven is hotter than 375 because the high heat turns the olive oil into a trans fat.
--she recommended taking a break from sugar in the spring and often it will lead to less allergies.
--there is a 40% false negative when testing for Celiac Disease
So, this was enough for me to reassess how much wheat we eat in my family. Our instructor's recommendation was to give up gluten for six months and then be able to add in just a little bit when necessary. If you have the gene for Celiac Disease, she stated that you should never consume gluten. And since I'm not going to pay $200 to have my poop tested, we are going to try to significantly cut down on our gluten consumption. I spent a little too much money yesterday on gluten free baking flours, pastas, and grains, but when it comes to healthy eating, a dear friend always says, "pay now or pay later." So here's to paying now. I'll let you know how the journey goes.
Here's our instructor's website: community.eatingforevolution.com
another resource that oddly enough was sent to my inbox on the night I was in the cooking class...I think someone is trying to tell me something :)
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/05/31/simple-secrets-to-eliminating-acne-for-good.aspx
Then on Tuesday night, I headed to PCC with my dearest friend and old college roommate for a class on Gluten Free Italian cooking (I know, seems like an oxymoron). She tries to go gluten free when she can and I was along for support and to learn a few new recipes. Let me tell you, this class rocked my world.
The instructor is a local Chinese Medicine practitioner who shared her story of how she became interested in the power of foods. Her brother had an episode of joint inflammation when he was four and was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis and was prescribed antibiotics by the doctor. His mother was not convinced that this was the best course of action, so she took him an early day naturopath who told her he was having a reaction to the foods he was eating. They took him off all dairy, eggs, and gluten and his JRA cleared up within weeks and he has never had a recurrence AND the best part is that he was able to add these allergens back into his diet in moderation.
How does this affect my acne? Well, our instructor spoke on the many things that gluten can cause. One of them is acne because gluten causes inflammation in the body. It has also been tied to thyroid cancer/disease and it is the number one cause of autoimmune disorders. This was enough to keep me listening. Here are some other really interesting facts on gluten and healthy eating in general:
--gluten foods have not been in our diets that long; most people of European, Alaskan, or Irish descent are gluten intolerant (70%).
--wheat has been hybridized over the years to have a high level of gluten (which is unnatural) which is why we are seeing more sensitivities to it. It has 8x more gluten than it did only 20 years ago. Plus we overeat wheat, especially the processed kind.
--wheat is stored in steel drums and a specific kind of mold forms on it and people have a reaction to this mold (apparently the same goes for peanuts: a certain mold forms in the storage containers and so people are more likely having reactions to the mold than the peanuts).
--she recommended using sea salt for seasoning over other salts because of the mineral content
--Italy is 1/3rd gluten intolerant! Who knew! Apparently you can ask for a gluten free menu in any restaurant and the noodles are amazing!
--New Zealand is 100% gluten free (according to a few recent travelers in the class).
--Olive oil helps to decongest the gall bladder; gall bladder removal is the #1 performed surgery
--processed (non virginized oils) have been chemically altered so that the ingredient that makes the smell bad when they go rancid is gone. This means most cooking oils (unless you use them often) will go bad and you'll never know. Look for "virgin" and "unrefined" oils. Olive oil is apparently best in your body when it is eaten raw, without heating.
--research shows that if you follow a gluten heavy diet during your life, by the time you are 45 the odds are against you that you will have a sensitivity (even if you don't know it)
--gluten is toxic to everyone's small intestine.
--Alcoholics and those that crave sugar are often sensitive to gluten and by going gluten free, will eliminate those cravings (an aha! moment for me!)
--if you tend to cook with extra virgin olive oil, you should never use it when cooking higher than "medium" on your cooktop or when the oven is hotter than 375 because the high heat turns the olive oil into a trans fat.
--she recommended taking a break from sugar in the spring and often it will lead to less allergies.
--there is a 40% false negative when testing for Celiac Disease
So, this was enough for me to reassess how much wheat we eat in my family. Our instructor's recommendation was to give up gluten for six months and then be able to add in just a little bit when necessary. If you have the gene for Celiac Disease, she stated that you should never consume gluten. And since I'm not going to pay $200 to have my poop tested, we are going to try to significantly cut down on our gluten consumption. I spent a little too much money yesterday on gluten free baking flours, pastas, and grains, but when it comes to healthy eating, a dear friend always says, "pay now or pay later." So here's to paying now. I'll let you know how the journey goes.
Here's our instructor's website: community.eatingforevolution.com
another resource that oddly enough was sent to my inbox on the night I was in the cooking class...I think someone is trying to tell me something :)
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/05/31/simple-secrets-to-eliminating-acne-for-good.aspx
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