Sweetness in a Bottle

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.

Food Wax

Today was a very busy day in the Larson kitchen. As I prepare to head back to my day job (or the one that earns me a paycheck), I'm trying to get as much baking done as I can because 1) it distracts me, and 2) I've just been having so much fun trying different recipes and seeing how the husband and baby respond. Today was an exceptional day. I started off the afternoon baking Zucchini Brownies from a favorite blog of me: www.athomewithginac.com. I really made these for a friend who is in the hospital, but of course, I couldn't give him ALL of them, so we selfishly kept the rest of them for ourselves. Mine aren't as pretty as Gina's, but they tasted so incredible.  They almost didn't come to be, however, because I nearly ate all the batter :)

As those baked, I cut up eight gala apples to make Crockpot applesauce...can you say, Yes Please!! No peeling, no baking, and no sugar!! You place enough water in the Crockpot just to cover the bottom and then toss in your apples. Cook on low for six hours. These almost leads me to tonight's post, but I'll get to it in a minute, I just want to finish with our afternoon of cooking. 

For dinner, I made burgers from a friend's cow. And when I say 'friend,' I mean a poor college student intern who has had to put up with me the last three months...(yes, her family owns many cows). The cows are all grass fed; the taste is a bit different, but we are getting used to it. It agains reminds me of how important the diet of the animal is that we are eating (they are supposed to eat grass after all, right?) Grass fed beef has higher levels of omega-3 fats which is just another good reason to eat this type of meat. The burger was simple: kelp salt, pepper, oregano, and a few sprinkles of Herbamare seasoning. On the inside of the burger, a surprise piece of smoked mozzarella cheese! Mmmmmm so yummy and Jackson couldn't eat his fast enough!!

And I have to brag that he ate more broccoli than both me and Jeff!!

Okay, on to tonight's blog...so I used to buy my organic apples from Costco. I LOVED that they provided healthy organic produce, until one fateful day they didn't have the organic apples (they ran out). So I ended up at my favorite store, PCC, to buy their much more expensive apples. Right off the bat, I noticed a difference: there was no wax coating the fruit. When I got home and finally tried one, I couldn't believe the taste different. The fruit was much sweeter and more vibrant than any other apple I had eaten at Costco. Since then, I've been meaning to research fruit waxes to see why they are used and if they are harmful. Here's what I have found:

• Waxing primarily helps limit water loss, preserve the look of the fruit, prevent mold growth, and extend shelf life. 
• The waxes on food are similar to those used to shine floors, furniture, shoes, and vehicles. Derived from petroleum and natural sources, they often contain some combination of paraffin, shellac, carnauba, polyethylene and synthethic resins. Due to its high melting temperature, the wax cannot be washed off and often used as a vehicle for applying bactericides, fungicides, growth regulators and dyes.
• The FDA has limited research on the safety of waxes and are labeled "generally recognized as safe." 

As much as I wanted to, I couldn't find any definitive evidence that the waxes are bad for us, but most of it was anecdotal and not based on anything than personal opinion. My opinion is that the wax seems to distort the taste. I also am such a purist, that I don't believe I should be putting chemically made waxes in my body. I did read that using vinegar is helpful to wash off the wax, but I haven't tried it, because I'm now a convert to the local, non-waxed organic variety :) 

I also just added "My Favorites" from Amazon.com. I thought this might be helpful for some of you to find some of my favorite things. I'll keep updating it, but there's a pretty good list of things right now. Full disclosure: I get a little kickback when you use my link to purchase. 

Blessings in the Garden...

So I just have share a quick little story: we found our first tomato this morning!!! Jackson helped pick it right before dinner. I was going to put it on our salad, but then I had a thought. What if I cut it up right in front of Jackson? Maybe my non-tomato eating son will actually want to eat it? Well wouldn't you know, Jackson ate the whole thing! (well, Jeff and I did get a bite or two) But literally I couldn't cut him pieces fast enough. All I have to say is that this is why we have a garden; the power of growing something in your own backyard is truly amazing.

Back to Reality...

So we returned from our sunny, sunny vacation to dreary rain, totally Seattle-style. But, the day was brightened up by picking the many yummy veggies ready to eat from the garden. We picked carrot and sweet onions to make this for dinner tonight and then Jeff and I celebrated our reunion by enjoying the new So Delicious Coconut Ice Cream without added sugar! Oh my gosh, the mint chocolate chip was unbelievable. There was only one ingredient that I didn't know about that I had seen in several places, but never took the time to look up. It's carrageenan. Have you heard of it? Well here's some info: It is a seaweed extract common in the Atlantic Ocean near Britain, Continental Europe and North America.  

Things like liquids and cheese can be even more problematic, because their natural inclination is to separate, foam, melt, precipitate, et cetera, especially after they bounce down the road for a thousand miles.

That's why many foods contain chemicals known as gums. Two gums that are pretty familiar are gelatin and corn starch. If you look at processed food, you see all sorts of other gums like carrageenan, xanthan gum, cellulose gum, locust bean gum, agar, and so on. Food scientists (not cooks -- food scientists make processed foods) use these substances for four main reasons:

1. They thicken things: Ice cream, marshmallow fluff, pancake syrup, etc., all benefit from thickening.
2. They emulsify things: They help liquids to stay mixed together without separating.
3. They change the texture: Generally, a gum will make something thicker or chewier.
4. They stabilize crystals: A gum might help prevent sugar or ice from crystallizing.

Now, there are some concerns with this ingredient, although it does seem to be all natural in that it comes from seaweed. There was a study that connected carrageenan to cancer in mice, although it was a different "grade" of carrageenan than is used in food. But the lead researcher still had concerns regarding the type that is used in food. Dr. Weil reports that it would be a good idea to avoid products containing this ingredient and I have to say that I agree. It will be particularly important to look out for this ingredient if you eat a lot of soy products, as it is very common in these foods. Thankfully, there is an alternative! Larry and Luna's brand of coconut ice cream is so yummy you won't believe that it's not real ice cream. They have fantastic flavors but they do use agave as a sweetener, which is also an ingredient to consume conservatively, and they are a bit higher on the calorie count. However, this brand of ice cream is so creamy and rich, a few bites will do you just fine. 

As we're getting into the house remodel (we just found out that we will be without countertops for two weeks) and I am returning to work, I'm hoping to continue the blogging on a weekly basis...see you soon!

The Hidden (but maybe not so hidden) Dangers of French Fries

Okay, so we all know that french fries are not the healthiest option when it comes to food. But we still LOVE them! Even I, who stays away from greasy, fried foods 99% of the time, is so deeply tempted by french fries on my hubby's plate, that I have to at least try one (or five), ya know, just to make sure they taste good. Well I stumbled across an article on the hidden dangers in this beloved food. It's called acrylamide (sounds healthy, doesn't it?) In my research for this blog, I have to say that for once, the  FDA has taken an appropriate stance on this. Acrylamide is found in foods that are cooked at 280 degree Fahrenheit and greater. Sadly, potato chips and french fries were found to have the highest concentration of this chemical because it is created during high heat baking, roasting, and frying (cigarette smoke is the other big producer--sad to have such popular food lumped in with nasty cigarette smoke). It is also produced industrially for products such as grout and plastics, but it also to make cosmetics (here's my blog on safe cosmetics) At this link, you can find out how it's produced, since I'm going to focus on why it's so awful for us. Acrylamide is regulated in our water system by the EPA to keep it to a safe amount. Wait...hold up. A safe amount? This is a chemical that has links to cancer, and there's a safe amount? And now I'm back to why I despise most of our government programs. Here's my blog on safe water for more information on that. But sad news for the FDA is this: although they took a stance on this chemical and even held some meetings dating back to 2002 through 2005, they never seemed to come to a conclusion as to what to do (according to their website). There was no widespread release of this information. (Did you hear about it? I didn't...) This was a Swedish Study that began the whole discussion years ago. From the FDA:

On April 24, 2002, researchers at the Swedish National Food Administration and Stockholm University reported finding the chemical acrylamide in a variety of fried and oven-baked foods. The initial Swedish research indicated that acrylamide formation is particularly associated with traditional high temperature cooking processes for certain carbohydrate-rich foods. In response to concerns about the potential risk of foodborne acrylamide based on the known toxicity of acrylamide at much higher doses than those seen in foods, the FDA began to analyze a variety of U.S. food products for acrylamide. 

But guess what, no company has to disclose that acrylamide is present in their product...why? Because it's a by-product of processing, not an ingredient (here we go again with why I hate the FDA). This is just another reason why, as a country, we need to get back to our roots and return to eating whole, unprocessed foods whenever possible). Acrylamide can be absorbed through skin, breathing in, or consuming foods. Remember that "regulated water"? 60% of what comes in contact with our skin gets absorbed into our blood stream, so with every shower you are absorbing minute amounts into your body. Another reason to "go green" and shorten your showers (shh...don't tell my husband I said that).

Okay, so back to why this chemical is so awful for us:

Several animal studies have linked it to cancer; albeit in high doses, but there hasn't been any tests at lower doses and who knows exactly how much is a "high dose" let alone how much we're actually exposed to on a regular basis. There was one human study that resulted in a "positive association" between acrylamide in food and breast cancer.

 "The findings show a positive association between an increased acrylamide-haemoglobin level and the development of breast cancer after adjustment for smoking behaviour. The risk of breast cancer doubles with a tenfold increase in the acrylamide-haemoglobin level. A tenfold increase in the acrylamide-haemoglobin level corresponds more or less to the difference measured between the women with the lowest and highest exposure. The study also shows a stronger association for estrogen receptor positive breast cancer."


http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080111231742.htm


So what can we do? Well, for one, avoid fried foods when you can, and of course, don't smoke! But acrylamide also hides in unusual places...I wanted to paste the table the FDA created that lists out the foods and the amount of this chemical that is present in them, but it was just too long. But I STRONGLY encourage you to view this link. Here's just a few of the hidden places acrylamide is lurking: Gerber baby food (even their organic brands), Enfamil Formula, Similac Formula (among other brands), Beech Nut baby foods, Boca Burgers, every brand of potato chip, General Mills and Kellogg's Cereals, certain brands of soy sauce, roasted and smoked almonds (certain brands), Ghirardelli's unsweetened cocoa, Libby's canned pumpkin, and just about every brand of coffee...

I could go on and on, but I'll let you skim through it, as it is truly disappointing. So many "healthy" processed foods were on there, which bummed me out.

The moral of the story, be very careful of what you eat. It will be impossible to avoid this chemical all together unless you are on a raw diet, so moderation is key.

Here's to healthy eating!