Super Easy & Terrific Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

My mouth is saturated with the aftertaste of cinnamon, honey and molasses. I am still savoring little bits of sticky cranberries and raisins in my molars. The cookie I just baked is amazing. It is so simple and perfect. Thanks to Jamison Studio for this delicious oatmeal cookie recipe.

Rule #58 in Michael Pollan's book, Food Rules says, "Do all your eating at a table." I am breaking that rule right now as I type this post with a plate of hot cookies to my left. I pray I have the willpower to stop at two.

I am so happy with these cookies because a) I experimented by using brown rice flour b) they are so easy to make it's ridiculous c) I used less sweetener than is called for in the original recipe and they are still incredibly sweet. Not only are they sweet, they have a perfect texture. I worry a little about using applesauce in cookie recipes because sometimes the cookie ends up dense and rubbery. Not these. These little gems are perfect. If you would like to see the original recipe, click on the blog above. Otherwise, what I provide below is the exact recipe I used, with all my fudging arounds. As with any recipe, substitute to your liking. Try different flours, dried fruit, spices, sweeteners, etc. The following is what I consider the perfect oatmeal cookie.

Super Easy & Terrific Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

1/2 C. white whole wheat flour
1/2 C. brown rice flour
1 C. whole oats
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 C. raisins
1 handful dried, apple juice-sweetened cranberries
1/4 C. raw honey*
1/4 C. oil**
1/4 C. applesauce
1 Tbsp. molasses
1 egg***
1 tsp. vanilla





Preheat oven to 335 degrees F. Combine dry ingredients and wet ingredients in a separate bowl and then combine. Add in nuts, dried fruits, etc. Drop spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden colored.

*I found a jar of raw Wee Bee Honey at TJ Max, of all places. It is an east coast, raw honey all completely pesticide free. I tasted it before adding it to my recipe and it is the sweetest honey I have ever tasted. Fragrant, too. I recommend this stuff.

**You can use 1/2 C. applesauce instead of any oil, but I wanted to try using both this time.

***Jamison used 1/2 a banana instead of an egg and she said it turned out great.

Enjoy!

Now that I'm done writing this, I realized I stopped at 3 cookies. I was hoping for only two but at least I didn't get into that over-indulging state of mind that would have beckoned me to happily have more than 3.

Natural Sugars are Still Added Sugars

Anyway I look at it, I have been eating too much sugar, albeit in the form of natural sugars. Women should eat no more than 6 teaspoons of sugars, and for men it's 9 teaspoons. Lucky I don't eat added sugars. At least that's the way I saw it, since my sugars are mostly natural and hardly processed.

My latest revelation is based on information I read in CSPI's Jan/Feb 2010 Nutrition Action Healthletter. The cover story is SUGAR OVERLOAD, Curbing America's Sweet Tooth. Read it!

I was happy to see my favorite subject broached, but I thought to myself, 'This doesn't pertain to me anymore. I quit sugar over two years ago.'

What I read, however, turned my perfectly ordered world of natural sugars upside down.

I was not ready to have over two years of my work be thrown out the window by one statement. "[Added sugars] include high-fructose corn syrup, ordinary table sugar, honey, agave syrup, and all other sweeteners with calories."

Then I discovered a list in the article that brought me to tears. The list titled, Sugar by Any Other Name, broke down what is considered an added sugar, which just made me grimace. Why? Because my beloved list of natural sweeteners that I held high and mighty and above all reproach found themselves in the same category as the horrible sugars that I have not touched in over two years. How in the world could my raw honey be rubbing elbows with corn syrup? Or table sugar even compare to grape juice? Were not my beloved natural sugars in an entirely different class because they're, er, natural?

Apparently, folks, my head has been in the clouds. I thought I had found redemption in honey and juice concentrates and maple syrups. The sad news is that these are added sugars. That's not an opinion. That's a fact.

And that, my friends, breaks my heart.

An added sugar is an added sugar, no matter what the source of that sugar is. The verdict is in, the science is clear, and the AHA is bold enough to tell us that unless we keep all of our added sugars in the 6-9 teaspoon range (9 for males, 6 for females), we may be headed for medical troubles including increased risk of heart disease, high triglycerides, diabetes, visceral fat, gout, overeating, high blood pressure and obesity.

Added sugars do not include fruit, dried fruit, vegetables and other whole foods.

I'm angry for giving natural sugars an exception in my kitchen and in my diet. I thought I was free to eat as much "sweet" as I wanted, as long as my sweet was natural and barely processed. Now I see that I confused science and philosophy. Because I believe philosophically that honey is a better sweetener than sugar (raw, local, not processed, etc.), I made the mistake in believing that it is healthier, too. It may or may not be healthier, (honey has about 300 more calories per cup than white sugar) but as far as all those medical diseases are concerned, I have to limit honey as much as I have to limit white sugar because they are both added sugars.

I don't want to play by the rules of the AHA (6 teaspoons, approximately 100 calories, is not very much sugar, especially if you drink sweetened beverages or alcohol), but I also don't want to be suffering from heart disease or diabetes in the future, trying to convince myself that natural sugars are off the hook.

Benefits of Natural Sweeteners

White sugar is devoid of ALL nutrients.

The only thing it offers is carbohydrates and calories, but even so, sugar is 100% nutritionally deficient. Weren't we meant to eat food for nutrients and health? Why do we eat white sugar?

Thinking about using natural sweeteners to replace sugar? Here some benefits to consider:

• Molasses is high in nutrients like potassium, calcium and iron. Its rich flavor works well in sauces and baked goods.
• Brown Rice Syrup contains complex carbohydrates as opposed to simple sugars and has a low glycemic index.
• Date sugar is made by grinding dehydrated dates. Minimal processing means that all the nutrients and fiber remain intact. Date sugar contains folic acid and potassium.
• Barley Malt is made from sprouted barley and is high in fiber, complex carbohydrates and potassium, and has a low glycemic index.
• Maple sugar is dehydrated maple syrup, which contains amino acids, potassium, calcium, niacin, riboflavin, and folic acid.
  

(-GloryBee Foods, 2009-2010, pg.32)

My mother-in-law sent me a bee-keeping magazine/catalog, knowing that I would be interested in the recipes, information about honey and other natural sweeteners inside. More to come!

Honey Toffee Walnuts and Lollipops

I've been eating whole oats every morning for breakfast. In the past I've taken the time to make hot oatmeal, but now that it's summer I crave cold morning eats. I just throw together oats, raspberries, nuts and sometimes a milk of some kind or yogurt. This morning, after seeing a recipe for Honey Toffee Lollipops on the Straight Into Bed Cakefree blog I ran to my kitchen immediately inspired. Well, my husband has been reorganizing our kitchen cupboards this morning and I found a warning sign addressed to me:



Totally worth it, as look what he did to my spices and tea cupboard:



But anyway, he acquiesced to my presence in "his" kitchen only when I promised to be quick. No time for lollipops but I had a minute to throw some walnuts in a pot with a dash of vanilla bourbon extract, a pinch of cinnamon and a small spoonful of honey. It candied the walnuts very quickly, which I threw onto my oatmeal and ran out of the kitchen with! The walnuts are so good I am going to make them again tonight for a green salad. My only problem with walnuts is that they make my mouth sore. Does anyone else have this problem? I can only eat a few at a time, which is good because the candied walnuts are a little too good. I highly recommend them with fresh fruit for your cereal or with any kind of salad.

Looking forward to trying out the lollipop recipe, especially for when friends and their children visit. "Auntie" Nicole will have something for them, just secretly sugar-free!

Honey Toffee Lollipops:

1/4 cup water
1 cup runny honey (or melt set honey and measure it when soft)
1/2 tsp cider vinegar
1 tsp bourbon vanilla extract (or a couple of drops of peppermint or lemon essential oil)
1 dessert spoon butter

Grease a large tray or chopping board (that does not smell of onions) and lay out lolly sticks about 3 inches apart. I used chopped up wooden skewers but you can buy the real thing in cook shops. I think this amount of mixture will make about 20 lollies, maybe...roughly...

Heat water, vinegar and honey in a deep sided saucepan as the mixture will froth up when it boils. Allow it to boil gently, not a rolling boil or you will scorch the honey - until a firm ball forms when you drop some into cold water. To do this, just have a glass by the pan and drip a little in. You should be able to roll the ball between your thumb and forefinger.

Plunge the bottom of the pan into some cold water to stop the mixture from continuing to cook and add the butter and vanilla extract stirring until smooth.

Then spoon one or two spoonfulls of the mixture over each stick, covering the top by about an inch. You want your lollies to be about 2 inches diameter. Any that is left over can be rolled into balls and wrapped in cellophane or you could stir in some chopped nuts first and roll into little logs. I made balls by dropping a small spoonful onto a greased tray and then rolling when it had started to set a little. Or you can pour the rest into a small tray, freeze till hard and break with a hammer and sharp object (not a small persons teeth).

These toffees go soft if you don't keep them cold and they must be in an airtight container or they will pick up the taste of the fridge or freezer.

Sugar Versus Corn Syrup

It's funny to read an article about how sugar is making a major comeback into our food products. And how that is a good thing. People are excited about this. Really? Things of this nature truly depend on which way the wind blows. Today it's blowing in favor of sugar. Almost 30 years ago corn syrup was the more favorable of the sugary choices. To researchers and doctors, there is not much difference between the two when it comes to how it affects the body.

(Though there are many health-related problems arising from our consumption of sugars, I am going to focus on obesity for this article because it is a particularly alarming national epidemic.) 

Obviously, sugar has been studied longer than high fructose corn syrup, but so far, the research shows that both have a lot to do with obesity. Obesity has a lot to do with diabetes and heart disease. And we are supposed to be excited about our old friend sugar? 

Thank you to a reader who forwarded me this article from the New York Times. "Sugar, the nutritional pariah that dentists and dietitians have long reviled, is enjoying a second act, dressed up as a natural, healthful ingredient."

It made me giggle and cringe at the same time. I feel like the point is lost on people. There are those who have a vendetta against corn syrup, and those who have a vendetta against sugar. I started my blog because I had a vendetta against sugar. But, as I wrote about earlier, I realized that sugar is not evil. Read more about that here. Corn syrup is not evil. It is the food corporations and media and advertisers and people who push for sugar in our food products who are screwing with our minds and best intentions. Best case scenario is that no matter what is in our foods, we would eat in moderation. 

The problem is Americans have a very hard time with moderation. Moderation is not a motto we live by. (I just deleted an entire paragraph about restaurant buffets...)

Sugars are found in more food products today, I will speculate, than 50 years ago. I'm guessing because it is now so cheap to add to our food, why wouldn't a company add this simple, cheap sweetness, which will make a product stand apart from another. We like things that are sweet. We love a perfect balance between sweetness and saltiness. They know this and are preying upon our senses. The sugar industry folks and corn syrup folks have something in common. Neither of them care about our health individually, or the health of our nation as a whole. Rates of obesity are at an alarming, all time high. Not only are more people considered obese, but those once considered obese are now being considered morbidly obese. The money the United States spends on obesity and overweight issues is estimated to be about $90 billion annually. Billion.

The sugar industries: cane, beet and corn continue to market and sell their products because somehow we have been convinced that "in moderation" is okay. Really? I am an expert on one thing. Going without sugar for one year. It was one of the most challenging things I have ever done. Sugar/Corn syrup was in practically everything. How do those industries propose that we eat it in moderation, when they serve a disproportionate amount of sugar in their "suggested serving size?" 

Though the pendulum swings back towards an increase in sugar consumption instead of corn syrup, I believe that we still have the same problem on our hands. That is, our addiction to sweet things and our "need" for sweets in greater and greater amounts. Since going without sugar, I've come to realize that eating too much sugar and corn syrup is a problem, but so is eating too much honey and agave and brown rice syrup and dried fruit. They are all carbohydrates which our bodies turn into glucose and if we eat more calories than we burn in a day, our glucose is stored as fat. Our bodies don't care what the source of the carbohydrate is. If it's a carb, it turns into glucose (with the exception of some fiber). Obviously, if a type of natural sweetener is less likely to spike our blood sugar, it is probably better for us for that reason, but when it comes to carbs, calories and weight, we are pretty much comparing apples to apples. 

I don't typically make generalizations like this. However, I have to make the distinction between choosing something based on morals versus choosing something based on health. When it comes to white sugar and corn syrup, I don't eat either one because of health and moral reasons. Morally, I won't eat corn syrup because most corn is grown using GMO's and pesticides. I just don't support that kind of farming. Morally, I don't eat white refined sugar because I don't support the organizations selling it. It has no place in our food supply. It is empty calories, which means that it offers no essential nutrients but is extra calories in our diet that most of us don't need. I can't support the sugar and corn industries that are fattening us to death. 

Morally and for health reasons I don't eat artificial sweeteners or the new stevia products (I eat pure stevia, but not the new products of processed stevia.) Most of these products have not been around long enough to have long-term research studies done to determine their safety. I feel good about eating natural sweeteners, but I have to be careful not to overindulge. Yes, honey is natural, but to be completely grass roots and organic about it, if I were living out in nature, the fact is that I would probably only be able to swipe a finger full of honey from a bee hive before getting chased out of the area by a swarm of territorial bees. It would not be possible to eat a large amount of honey at one time. Yet, because of the industrialization of food, I can go buy a jar of honey and sit with a spoon and eat to my heart's content. But I have not evolved to eat honey in those kinds of proportions. 

I would not have the facilities to make agave or brown rice syrup or molasses in nature. I am currently questioning my consumption of these products, as well, in an effort to be eating how I was meant to be eating, not what the media or latest fad would have me believe. In my perfect world, I would dry my own fruit, squeeze my own juice by hand and collect honey in moderate amounts before the bees got to me. These sweet items would satisfy my sweet tooth, and because of all the whole foods I would be eating, only, I wouldn't have insane cravings. In my perfect world. I am working on making this a reality, but to participate in society, I am faced with difficult food choices--eating with friends, family and going out to eat. So, in my perfect world, everyone else figures out that eating healthy is the secret to happiness and longevity and we all thrive happily. One must dream...

A Night of Decadent Abandon

I am currently under the spell of a pear tart. Sweet pear brandy combined with honey is lingering on my breath. It's a holiday for my mouth and a romantic interlude between the senses. Brief sips of wine cleansed my palate between each morsel. Each bite of tart was delivered on a magic carpet ride of fresh, home-made whipped cream. I'm thirsty but I don't dare wash away the flavors dancing in my mouth right now.

My evening began with a drive into town for pizza. I had to pick up Jeff's favorite. (Consequently I parked too close to a car in the parking lot and hit the side of it with my car door. I pretended to not notice the small scratch/dent it made when all of a sudden I noticed activity inside the car. Somebody was inside! I played dumb and walked away. No integrity there!) He would not be joining me in my vegetable experimentations. As he satiated himself on cheese, sauce and thick doughy crust, I conjured up a recipe for my left-over quinoa from the day before. I began by chopping up fresh kale, red chard and turnips and throwing them in a little stir-fry pan with coconut oil and some water. I let that steam for about 10 minutes and then set that aside.



I got out the loaf of tempeh that I have been saving and cut several thin slices. I threw them in the stir-fry pan and let them sizzle a bit before I realized that I would do anything to add BBQ sauce. Well, everyone knows that there is no such thing as sugar-free BBQ sauce, so I decided to try making my own. I got out my agave-sweetened ketchup and then grabbed a bottle of Jeff's BBQ sauce to look at the ingredients. Then, I put some ketchup in a little bowl and added red wine vinegar and molasses. Those seemed to be the most prominent ingredients on the label of the BBQ sauce. I mixed it all together and tasted. Wow. Very.....strong. Spicy. It was delicious. I ladled it atop of my tempeh and let it sizzle for a few minutes. It didn't take long to carmelize on the pan and cover the tempeh. I was ready to chow.



I added the finished BBQ tempeh to my plate of vegetable quinoa and just sat staring at it. It looked so good and I didn't want it to go away. I knew even before I took a bite that this was going to be one of the best dinners I've ever made. And it was so quick to make. I tried experimenting a little with different types of vinegars to make the BBQ sauce, but nothing tasted as good as the red wine vinegar.

The result was that I ate my entire dinner with my eyes closed. It was heavenly. Instead of having any thoughts during dinner, I experienced a kind of nirvana. A zen of nothingness but one of my senses. My tongue was pleased and I felt quite satisfied. I did not get a sweet tooth attack after dinner. I felt perfectly satiated without feeling overfull.

That was just the beginning of several culinary experiences tonight. After dinner I joined my husband outside in the freezing cold to observe a new favorite past time: making giant soap bubbles. They are particularly neat in the dark with a flashlight shining directly on the bubble. We had fun practicing making those for a while and then brought our chilly bodies inside.



I was still nice and full from dinner but wanted to sample a new chocolate bar I found a few days ago at a little local co-op. The chocolate bar was made with raw ingredients: cocoa, vanilla, himalayan salt crystals and amber agave nectar. I broke off a small piece and popped it in my mouth. Not expecting heaven (sugar-free afterall!) I was pleasantly surprised at the mild flavor. It was very dark chocolate but sweet. There was a nice balance of sweet to salty. For being sugar-free and only having four ingredients, it was wonderful. I broke off another tiny piece and savored the cocoa as it melted slowly on my tongue. What a perfect ending to a delicious evening of vittles.

Then the doorbell rang. Audrey our neighbor was standing in the dark on the front porch carrying a basket of something and a bottle of wine. We invited her in and she set out the pear tart that she had made earlier today in preparation for her dinner party this evening. She had an uneaten tart leftover. She also brought a little dish of sliced pears floating in pear brandy, made locally here in Oregon at Clear Water Creek distillery. The last dish contained her home-made, honey sweeted whipped cream. I pulled out the wine and poured a small glass.

Horse Heaven Hills is a local Washington winery. Audrey's dinner party tonight was themed "Local Ingredients." She spent all day yesterday searching for local ingredients and came back with a plethora of food items and information about farms, co-ops and locally milled flours. As I sipped the cab, she told me about her dinner party. Everyone brought homemade food made with local ingredients. The farthest location of an ingredient was a cream cheese made in Sierra Nevada. It helped form the perfect crust for the pear tart.



Audrey's pear tart was so beautiful I hated to cut into it. Two seconds later I was slicing a piece for myself. I added a few dollups of whipped cream and the rest is history. I sat on cloud nine savoring the delicate flavors of pear, cinnamon, brandy and a resonating honey after-taste. She had substituted whole wheat flour for white, and the results were perfect. The crust is indescribable. Pear brandy mixed with a bit of honey had crystalized on top of the thinly sliced pears and it tasted like caramel.

I was not expecting to indulge in decadence like this tonight. My plan was to sip herbal tea until I began to feel tired. Instead, I got surprised with an evening of delectable flavors and great conversation.

Here are the recipes from tonight:

My Homemade BBQ Sauce (really good, but you could probably do better)

Mix these together and enjoy: About 1/4 C. agave sweetened ketchup, less than 1 tablespoon molasses and less than 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar.




Quinoa & Vegetables Lightly Steamed with Coconut Oil

Cook quinoa normally. Chop red chard, kale, turnips and throw in stir-fry pan. Add about 1 tablespoon of virgin coconut oil and add about 1/2 C. of water.

Cover and steam for about 10 minutes or so. Add pre-cooked quinoa for the last few minutes. Remove from pan and add sea salt. Enjoy!


BBQ Tempeh

Slice thin pieces of tempeh from tempeh loaf. Throw into stir-fry pan and sizzle on medium-high. Flip them once while sizzling. Throw on BBQ sauce until it bubbles. Remove from pan and enjoy!


Audrey's Pear Tart

Whip heavy cream with honey and a little pear brandy to accompany tart.

2 ounces cream cheese
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 C. whole wheat flour, plus extra for your hands
1/2 C. plus 1 1/2 tablespoon honey
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons pear brandy
1 Bosc or Red Bartless pear
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees with rack in center. Line an air-cushioned baking sheet with parchment. Combine cream cheese and butter in a food processor. Add flour, 1/4 C. honey and the salt and process until combined. Dough will be sticky. Turn dough out onto prepared baking sheet. With lightly floured fingers, pat dough out into a flat 8-inch circle.

2. In medium bowl, combine 1/4 C. honey with lemon juice and brandy. Halve pear lengthwise; core; leave skin on. Cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices; transfer to lemon-juice mixture; coat well. Place slices in strainer to drain liquid. Arrange lengthwise around border of dough, overlapping slightly. Arrange remaining slices in center. Drizzle tart with a little pear brandy-honey mixture. Dust pears with cinnamon. Bake until golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Enjoy!

(recipe alterations courtesy of Audrey of course; original recipe: Martha Stewart Living, Oct 97)



Alas, as I write this the last of the sweet flavors have dissipated into enzymatic digestive juices. I sip herbal tea and prepare for a night of dreams about more dessert. It was a most fun evening. Thank you Audrey!

Peanut Butter Rice Crispie Treats

After looking through a million different sugar-free rice crispie recipes, I decided to venture out on my own and use ingredients I already had in the pantry.

These treats are delicious. They are nice and chewy with a balanced blend of sweet and salt.

Peanut Butter Rice Crispie Treats

1/2 C. peanut butter
1/2 C. brown rice syrup
1/2 C. honey
1/4 C. organic, non-hydrogenated shortening (or butter)
a couple dashes of finely ground sea salt
5-8 C. brown rice sweetened rice crispies (the brand I found is called "Erewhon")

Melt first four ingredients in large pot. Stir until bubbly. Add salt. Take off stove and add as many rice crispies as you want. For chewier consistency, don't add as much. For a little drier treat, add more crispies. I eyeballed it, but used almost an entire, 10oz. box of rice crispies. Press into a greased 9x13 pan. They are tasty right away, but even better the next day after they've set.

These are perfect for your sweet tooth, and easy to cut into small pieces for travel.

Cranium Question

We played Cranium the other night and I got asked this question, "Who is credited with creating the first frozen dessert?"

Eskimos, I wondered immediately?

Here were the multiple choice answers:

a) Emperor Nero
b) Arthur Sorbet
c) Napoleon
d) the Eskimos

Believe it or not, Eskimos is not the correct answer, according to Cranium. Personally, I think they were making igloo pops long before anyone else came close to inventing frozen dessert.

Cranium's answer is Emperor Nero. Nero's dessert was a mixture of fruit pulp, nectar, honey and snow. His Roman slaves retrieved the snow from the mountains.

Silly, I know, but hey this is sugarless dessert history. Gotta know this stuff.

How Much Sugar is Too Much?

I have to wonder how much is too much because I've been given different answers from....everybody. As a kid, my dentist used to say, "Eat ALL of your Halloween candy right away and cut down on soda." I never drank soda, but I did used to stash my plastic pumpkin full of candy under my bed for months. You read in the news how "over-consumption" of sodas, desserts and other sugary goods may lead to obesity, type 11 diabetes and heart disease. What is "over-consumption?" To me, more than one glass of pure juice a day would be over consumption, but if I told that to anyone in line at the supermarket, I would be laughed out the door and their liters of soda on the check-out belt would explode.

I ask not only about white refined sugar, but all sweeteners, even the good ones. Even the raw honeys and maple syrups and dried fruits can be eaten in excess....so, how much is too much? How much were we meant to be eating? Does a craving ever justify what I do with a craving? Is my craving physical, like my body needing more balance, or is it a learned response to the thought of sugar, which begins producing endorphins and increasing the pleasure portion of my brain, thus rewarding me for having the thought in the first place?

In most cases, I have learned to trust my intuition when I eat. What I eat and how much is mostly obvious to me now because I have taken extreme efforts to see past what's marketed at me. Though the junk food at the grocery store sings like a siren for my attention, I have learned to trust the quiet fruits and silent vegetables. This being said, I can say now while I am not in the middle of a freak sugar craving, that yes, I should carefully limit even my natural sugar intake. However, when the sugar-craving-moment strikes, I often have no gauge as to how much is too much. I've never seen it in writing and I don't give myself a limit because I am usually in such control of things like that. It's those days when I am feeling awful and stressed beyond belief that it would be helpful to have this problem of how much is too much issue solved once and for all. It would be nice to have something in writing to fall back on when I am not sure that I can trust myself.

Here are some samples of what I found. I am sharing this because I find it interesting that there are so many different ideas roaming around out there. To me, it's obvious that we would all be better off if we didn't eat ANY sugar (well, maybe sometimes something natural like dried fruit or raw honey...) but the way for most people is to try to moderate their over-consumption of white table sugar. A great blog that I enjoy reading, A Life Less Sweet, is all about cutting out high fructose corn syrup. It is very informative and most recently someone has blogged as a guest, regarding, "How much sugar is too much for kids?" I highly recommend reading this article.

Andrew Weil, M.D. has this to say about eating sugar in moderation:

• "Your own response to sugar is the best test of how much you can handle. In some people, sugar triggers mood swings - it brings on a rush of energy followed later by a "crash" into lethargy and depression. Others don't get the rush; they just feel logy and sleepy after consuming sugar. And, of course, some people don't notice any physical or mental effects at all.

• I recommend cutting down or eliminating sugar if you experience mood swings, fluctuating energy levels, suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, or have frequent vaginal yeast infections. You may notice an improvement in your moods, a lessening of your arthritis symptoms and the frequency of yeast infections when you reduce or eliminate the sugar in your diet."

The American Heart Association has a great take on why to reduce our intake of sugars:

"The primary reasons to reduce the intake of beverages and foods with added sugars are to lower total calorie intake and to get enough of the nutrients your body needs. People who consume large amounts of beverages with added sugars tend to consume more calories. Some experts believe that calories consumed as liquid are not as satisfying and filling as calories consumed as food. This may have a negative effect on people who are trying to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight."

How much sugar is too much? Is there a way to justify or support your answer? I would love to hear from you on this.

Toasted Almond Toffee

I've never made candy before. Last night I used a very simple recipe with three ingredients.

No refined sugar!

I had no idea that I would be standing over the stove for so long stirring the butter and honey. Luckily my husband came wandering into the kitchen right when I needed him to hold the thermometer while I stirred the mixture vigorously. And stirred. And stirred...

Okay, if you've made candy before, you're thinking, "So, yeah, it takes forever, but what's your point?" If you haven't made candy, just make sure you have 20 minutes to stand over the stove, because this toffee is well worth it.

Toasted Almond Toffee

1 and a half C. butter
1 C. honey
2 C. toasted chopped almonds

Melt and cook butter and honey on medium heat stirring constantly to soft cracking stage (found on your candy thermometer, I'm not sure you can wing this one without the thermometer...). Add toasted almonds and cook 1 minute more. Spread onto buttered cookie sheet. Store in refrigerator. **When I try making this again, I am going to add either a few drops of vanilla or caramel extract.

There is about a foot of snow outside...and still snowing. It feels so wonderful to be warm inside, reading and cooking, cooking and reading. This is my favorite season. (Whatever season I'm experiencing is my favorite.) Everyday I've been outside either playing in the snow or tromping through the snow with my dog.



This is the biggest snowman I have ever built. It took serious superhuman strength to lift Frosty's middle onto his lower portion. Jeff and I thought it would be funny to build this snowman on our neighbor's back porch, facing inside her house. She was working all day and had no idea that Frosty the Peeping Tom would be there to greet her when she came home. Here is a picture of Frosty before his head rolled off.

Tips on How to Quit Sugar

Here are tips for those of you who would like to quit sugar for a month, a year, or forever. I find it hard to make forever plans, so I take things one year at a time. I'll probably do this forever.

So, you want to quit white, refined sugar. Maybe you've tried before, maybe you think it's impossible. Maybe you don't want to quit, but you are still curious what the process of quitting looks like. Maybe you need a year to think about quitting. For me it's cold turkey or I won't do it. I realize this isn't the tactic for everyone, but even if you quit sugar slowly, weaning yourself from the addiction day by day, I think these pointers will work for you, as well. If you have any pointers of your own or suggestions or comments, please let me know, as I will most likely re-post on New Year's Eve. What works for you? Do share!

* * * How to Quit Sugar * * *

• Make a grocery list and visit a local health food store. If you don't have a health food store in the area, try to find these items anyway, or do some online ordering.
  
• Stock your kitchen with all kinds of naturally sweetened goodies. Here are some examples for when that sweet tooth comes a'callin:
• 100% fruit juice (I'm not a wine snob, I'm a grape juice snob. I drink R.W. Knudsen)
• Dried fruit, fresh fruit, frozen fruit (smoothies)
• Naturally sweetened cookies and ice cream
• Ingredients to bake with: natural sweeteners, grain-sweetened chocolate chips, pure cocoa, unsweetened almond or rice milk, honey, molasses, agave, brown rice syrup, etc.
  
• Buy some flavored tea that you wouldn't normally get. Get cream and make sure you have honey. You won't believe how wonderful some of those hot teas are with a drop of cream and a spoonful of honey. My favorites are the spicy flavors and the vanilla/nut flavors. Buy plenty. Treat yourself. Spend more money than you normally would on tea. This may be what it takes to keep off of sugar. It sure beats the price of hypnosis.
• Make sure you buy naturally sweetened breads, chips, crackers, salad dressings, etc. These normally have hidden sugars and you don't want to cheat just because all of your salad dressings have sugar, do you? Also, remember to get cereals and other snacky foods that are naturally sweetened. If you don't have a health food store, there is one huge commercial brand of cereal that consistently keeps sugar out of its ingredients: Post Grape Nuts.
  
• Double-check your kitchen. Is it stocked? Make sure it's full of naturally sweetened goodies.
  
• Keep junk food in your kitchen. Yes, you read that right. It's good practice to have junk food available, because then you can practice turning it down and choosing something healthier. I was going to throw out all of our junk food last year, but not only was that not fair to Jeff, but if I didn't see junk food on a daily basis, how would I react when I did see it? You'll have to think about this. Even if you live alone, you want to have junk food available to your guests, right? You still want to have visitors, and they certainly want their junk food. They don't want to go on your sugar-free diet! However, if you are an excellent cook, it is possible to make naturally sweetened goodies for your guests, but keep in mind that it usually takes white sugar to satisfy the sweet tooth of those on a white sugar diet. Honey will not satisfy. It takes a couple of months to change your palate and train your sweet tooth to like natural sweeteners. If you know yourself well enough to know that you will sneak treats if they're around, then by all means, clean out your kitchen. Just ask guests to bring their own goodies.
  
• Do not buy "Sugar Free!" labeled goodies. These are tricky gimmicks usually found in the regular cookie aisle, and they are sweetened with a laxative otherwise known as Maltitol. It's the worst sugar substitute I've ever experienced. If you read the fine print on the label, there will be a disclosure statement warning against eating too many. Well, I don't want to worry about a laxative affect. Sometimes I just want to eat the whole box of cookies, thank you very much. Anyway, name brands like Oreos will have a "Sugar Free" variety of their product right next to the original variety. Beware, I have checked the labels and they contain maltitol.
  
• Do buy "naturally sweetened" and "No Sugar Added", as these terms usually mean what they say. Read the label to be safe, but these are terms that usually identify good products.
  
• Check for "Sucralose" which is a generic term for Splenda. You can make your own decision about Splenda. I don't touch it.
• Decide how dedicated you are to eating sugar free--are you focused mainly on quitting desserts? Drinks with sugar? Breads and cereals? If you are just trying to stay away from "sweets", that's one thing. It is another issue to go without white sugar entirely, because it is included in so many ingredients. Now, before you start, is a good time to decide how far you are going to take this. Keep in mind that sugar is in just about everything packaged and hidden in foods at restaurants. If taking your goal to this extreme seems too hard, don't give up. Start with sweets/cookies/obvious no-nos. Consider going 100% sugar free later. You have to find your starting point. Something that is realistic. For me, because I had practiced going weeks at a time without sugar, it wasn't a huge deal to do it again for a year.
• Set a realistic starting point/goal for yourself!

Hot Holiday Drinks

Spicy Mulled Cider
3 C. apple cider
4 whole star anise pods
1/2 tsp. whole allspice berries
1 tsp. whole cloves
1-4 cinnamon sticks
4 white cardamom pods, cracked
2 slices of orange, quartered
2 slices of lemon, quartered

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a low simmer. Lower the heat and continue to simmer gently for 30 minutes. Ladle into four mugs, add a slice or two of orange and a cinnamon stick, and serve steaming hot. Serves 4. Enjoy!
(-courtesy of Guideposts, December 2008)

Delicious Hot Chocolate
1-2 C. unsweetened almond milk
2 Tablespoons honey
1 heaping scoop of pure cocoa

In saucepan combine milk and honey and heat on medium to medium high while stirring. Whisk in cocoa until all lumps dissolve. Serve right away and enjoy!
(I made this up. Feel free to use any substitutions to your liking. As is, this is very thick and sweet!)

My Sugar Confession: Part 2

So, you think it's pretty neat that someone has gone this long without eating sugar. It gives you hope and encourages you to cut out sugar yourself. You may even think that I'm a superhero.

Here's the dirty truth:

• I eat way too much honey and jam
• I still occasionally drink wine and beer (after all, the "sugar" that is used in the fermentation process gets "eaten" by the yeast so that the end product contains no white refined sugar--open to argument, here!)
  
• I bake too many goodies and eat them all
• My sneaky little sweet tooth still appears out of the blue
  
• I imagine all the ways I can gorge myself with cake and donuts on January 1st, 2009
• While most people fanticize about material things, I fanticize about whip cream, greasy donuts, gooey caramel and sinking my teeth into a mudd pie
• I am basically a sugar addict in a sugar-free body...or should I say I'm sugar-free in a sugar addict's body...
  

My Sugar Confession: Part 1

After all I've shared about sugar, the consequences of eating it, the health risks and addictive aspects of it, I am about to share something that may shock you:

IT'S IMPORTANT TO EAT SUGAR!!

Let me explain. I am not talking about the white stuff (did you really think....?!). Nor am I talking about all (though some are included) of the natural sweeteners out there that I have been very much enjoying (bummer!). I am talking about essential sugars. The "sugars" found in raw, whole foods. Fruits and vegetables and seaweeds and mushrooms, etc. These sugars are good for us! In fact, they have healing properties, anti-cancer and anti-viral properties, too.

You know there are natural sugars, right? However, what may seem obvious was absolutely news to me. I knew about natural sugars in fruit and some vegetables (it's been arbitrary to me thus far!)--but what I did not know is what kind of sugars those are, and the huge list of foods that contain essential sugars. In fact, I hesitate as I write this because I have put an entire year's worth of effort into my year without, and now I wonder if I went about it the right way. I mean, now I am second-guessing my plight. With all of the natural sweeteners out there, it's been a cake-walk for the most part, when it comes to satisfying my sweet tooth--but here is my point:

WHY AM I STILL CATERING TO THE KING INSIDE MY MOUTH, MY NASTY LITTLE TYRANNICAL SWEET TOOTH??!!

Some of you are too kind and I know what you are thinking, "But you've given up refined sugar which is hard to do and is found in everything!" That is true, but I have a confession that I am about to tell you.....

Um......

Well.......

Okay....I haven't really felt a heck of a lot different than I did before I gave up sugar! There! Now you know. The changes I have experienced are relatively minor, and I expected to lose some weight (I thought that extra 15 lbs. came from all of the donuts we would chow together as free-spirited, newlyweds...and if I gave those up, the weight would naturally slide off....NOPE!).

For those of you who would like a quick re-cap of the changes that I have experienced, here they are:

• I don't experience the blood sugar ups and downs like before. About an hour or so after people have eaten dessert and everyone gets sluggish and sleepy, I am bouncing off the walls and wanting to hang out.
• I don't have quite the same problem with cravings like I did before. When I was eating white sugar, the only thing that would satisfy my sugar cravings was white sugar. Now, honey or other natural sweeteners can satisfy that little hellion--my sweet tooth.
• My immune system has been going strong, but it actually has been for the past 3 years. My only bout with being sick in the last 3 years was a week-long cold--this year. I am pretty sure that in trying a series of hot yoga, my body was ridding itself of hidden toxins in the form of a cold.
• I feel better about myself.
• I feel superior to those around me gorging themselves on desserts. (Sorry, this is the truth--and I think anyone would feel the same in my shoes.)
• I have an awareness about sugar that I will have for the rest of my life. I also have renewed faith in myself that I can do anything if I put my mind to it.

This is a small list of what came to me as I sit here thinking about it. I may be leaving some things out, but these are the biggest changes. Anyway, my point is that I wonder if I should have given up all sweeteners that are not in the form of whole foods. In other words, I wonder if I should try another year of only eating fruits and vegetables for my sugar needs. Could I go without honey on toast...for an entire year?

In conclusion, I am saying that I have kicked white refined sugar, but I am unsure if I have really kicked the "sugar habit". When I crave sugar, I pour on the honey, or make a batch of naturally sweetened cookies or muffins. And dare I confess that often I eat just as many goodies in a row as if they were filled with white sugar. My cut-off point to eating sweets may not be in any better shape than before, if looked at under a microscope. Dang!

I had no idea that today would be this confessional-like forum. I would love feedback. Not the pat-me-on-the-back kind of feedback, but whatever comes to mind as you have been reading this.

Okay, here is what you have been waiting for. This is the article that got me thinking in this direction this morning. I have the first part quoted here, but please click on the author's name below to read the rest of the article.

"Sugar seems to be related to all things sweet in life. We call our loved ones "sweetheart," "sugar plum," "honey," and "sweety pie." Life without any sweet flavors would be challenging at best and extremely disappointing at worst. Sugar is the great reward of life and we know that people and animals perform consistently better when rewarded.

Because the term is used so loosely, sugar has become an ambiguous word. When one states the word "sugar" it could mean one of a dozen things such as high fructose corn syrup, refined cane sugar, white sugar, brown sugar, maple sugar, beet sugar, fruit juice, dried fruit, etc.

For purposes of this article, sugar is defined as a natural hydrocarbon compound (such as honey, agave, fruits, dried fruits, etc.) and refined sugar is an unnatural hydrocarbon product (such as high fructose corn syrup, brown sugar, white sugar, etc.) made through human engineering, plant breeding, and heat processing...." --by David Wolfe, JD

Pamela's Products: Incredible Cookies, But Not All Sugar-Free

Have you ever heard of Pamela's Products? They make delicious, gluten-free and wheat-free cookies, some of which are also sugar-free. However, in the last year or so, Pamela's has changed some of their cookie recipes to include sugar as an ingredient. It's been terrible! My favorite cookie, the Lemon Shortbread cookie, was so good. I used to graze right through an entire box in one evening (not good), because it was hard to stop eating them. Anyway, I wrote to the company a while back to inquire about the ingredient change. I received a quick reply back from Pamela's, explaining that due to the Hurricane Katrina disaster, their honey supply has been inefficient and too expensive to continue buying.

I did not understand that very well, but left it alone. Recently, however, I was craving those Lemon Shortbread cookies again, and thought I would recheck the ingredients at the store. Sadly, they are still using sugar, and are using sugar in other cookie recipes, as well. While they do offer a small selection of sugarless cookies, I can't help but wonder why they don't make all of their cookies sugar-free. After grazing through my box of sugar-free Ginger cookies, I decided to write to Pamela's again. Here is the letter I sent:

"11-6-08

Hello. I have contacted Pamela's before to ask about the disappointing ingredient change in the cookies. I consume no refined sugar and have had to stop buying most of Pamela's cookie products. If you have noticed a decrease in sales of the Lemon Shortbread cookies over the last year or so, it is because the ingredients now contain sugar, and I have discontinued buying this product. I received a response about this months ago, which explained that it has become difficult to find a honey supplier to sweeten the cookies. However, there are so many natural sweeteners that could be used in place of sugar! Agave, molasses, honey, stevia, brown rice syrup, date sugar, etc. I really miss the lemon shortbread cookies, and some others, and have had to resort to the ginger cookies only--which I LOVE, by the way. They are absolutely heavenly and sweetened only with molasses. Is it possible to reformulate your cookie recipes at some time and go back to using natural sweeteners? What can I do to help?

I had a habit of recommending Pamela's cookies to people, but now do not feel comfortable recommending a product with sugar. There are a lot of people looking to cut out all refined sugar, and there are few packaged products out there that offer a delicious and naturally sweetened goodie. Please bring back your naturally sweetened cookies!

Thank you.
Sincerely..."

I'm anxious to hear from them!

The Best Sugar-Free Banana Muffins

On your mark...
Get set...
Go!

The world's most fluffy, delicious, sweet, well-balanced in texture and flavor, banana muffins are here! I've eaten plenty of banana muffins, cookies and breads over the years, and this is THE BEST batch of banana muffins I've ever had. I'd say that maybe I'm biased because these days I don't know what white refined sugar tastes like in comparison (it's been too long!), but I'm not the only one freaking out about these muffins. They are a favorite around here and I can't wait for you to try them!

Banana Muffins

½ cup slightly softened butter

½ cup honey

¼ cup maple syrup

2 eggs

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

½ cup chopped walnuts

3 ripe bananas

2 tsp vanilla

Cream butter, honey, syrup, and eggs. Add mashed bananas and vanilla. Stir in soda, salt and finally fold in flour. Lastly, fold in walnuts. Spoon into well greased muffin tins or baking cups. Bake at 325 for 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Coconut Oil, Milk & Macaroons

I'm on a weird coconut kick. I've been stir-frying and baking with raw, virgin coconut oil. I've also been using it in my no-bake recipes. I've been using a lot of coconut milk with brown rice, heated with a fresh, locally made mixture of red curry paste. Delicious for breakfast, lunch and dinner! I've also been adding unsweetened (they are already sweet!) coconut flakes to things for flavor and texture, and last but not least, on a whim, I bought a can of coconut macaroons! The kind I happened to get were sitting with some other health foods I was looking for. When I noticed the macaroons I read the label and to my great surprise, they had no sugar! The only ingredients were: unsweetened coconut flakes, honey and egg whites. I tore into them on the way home and have been addicted ever since. They are incredibly moist and chewy. They are a little bigger than bite-sized and two or three will quench your thirst for something sweet. They are absolutely delicious! The brand is Jennies.

Oh, and have I already mentioned that I keep coconut ice cream (Luna & Larry's) in my freezer at all times? It now quenches my thirst for something sweet AND fulfills my strange coconut urges. It makes me wonder if I am deficient in some nutrient and it is coming out as a coconut craving.... I have always liked the flavor of coconut, but lately, I want it all the time. Hmmm!

Brown Rice Milk Recipe

Sorry for the inconvenience, everybody! It was brought to my attention that making my original raw rice milk involves some potential health risks, so I had to take the recipe off for now. I need to try the recipe using cooked rice, but before I post that recipe, I want to make it first and perhaps tinker with ingredients; sugar-free sweeteners like honey, salt, etc.

To assure everyone's absolute safety, for those of you who have already made the raw rice milk, before using any more of it, bring the milk to a boil (while stirring!) and then refrigerate it. Don't freak out if you have had any, I have been drinking it and it's been fine for me. The concern is in bacteria that may form in the rice soaking. Because the recipe did not call for any cooking/boiling, there is no way to "kill" any bacteria that may have had a chance to form in the soaking rice. The fact that our rice is imported also calls to attention different kinds of microscopic bacteria that may have piggy-backed its way into our kitchens. All of these concerns are addressed in cooking the rice, so that is why I will be posting a cooked rice version of this recipe.

Thanks for your understanding and patience with me! I'm learning as I go.

"Mounds" Chocolate Candy

Dark chocolate.....chewy coconut....crunchy almonds.....does this make your mouth water for a Mounds candy bar? I recently discovered a sugar-free recipe for homemade Mounds. They not only taste better and fresher than the store-bought candy, but they actually offer nutrients! They are made with virgin, unrefined coconut oil which makes them especially tasty! (An added benefit to spending $10 on a jar of coconut oil is that you can also use it on your skin. It is extremely moisturizing and smells heavenly, too.)

I tested the recipe last night and gave the little Mounds to several different people and they were a big hit! They are a perfect little disc size that will quench your sweet tooth. I think it would be hard to overeat them because they are so fatty and rich. Unlike cookies where you end up eating a handful straight from the oven, these little chocolate dreams are stored in the freezer to keep the coconut oil from melting, and somehow one is enough! I'm a pretty good judge about things like this because I rarely eat only one of something I love.

Preparing them takes only about 10 minutes, but there is some waiting/freezing time involved. From the time you begin, you will have a finished product in one hour. They are so good. Thanks to The Nourishing Gourmet for the recipe!

"Mounds" Frozen Candy Bars

1 1/3 C. unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 C. coconut oil (unrefined, virgin is best)
1/4 C. honey
1 tsp. almond extract
1/2 C. sliced almonds

• Melt coconut oil and honey over low heat until just melted. Whisk to combine. Add almond extract and coconut flakes.
• Take a 12-compartment muffin tin and evenly distribute the almonds in each. Then evenly distribute the coconut mixture over each of those. Place in freezer on flat surface for 30 minutes.
• Next, you will prepare the chocolate:

3/4 C. cocoa powder (not dutch cocoa)
1/4 C. honey
1 C. coconut oil
1 Tblsp vanilla extract

• Combine these ingredients in a 2-cup measuring glass and place in a pot of simmering water. Heat and whisk until everything is just melted. Remove from heat and continue to whisk until smooth.
• Take out the tin of frozen coconut and evenly distribute the chocolate mixture over it.
• Put back into your freezer and freeze until hard, about 30 minutes.
• To get them out after freezing, simply pop them out with a knife. Keep them frozen as they melt otherwise.
• Enjoy!
  

Honey Pistachio Yogurt Parfait

Do you like yogurt? Even kind of? I'm not a huge fan of yogurt, but I know that the live acidophilus in it is really healthy for our bodies. Also, ever since I found Nancy's yogurt, I have enjoyed eating it fresh and sugar free. It's delicious in smoothies, too, adding a nice twang to a fruit sweetened favorite of mine. My favorite flavor is the organic vanilla.

I have adopted a new way of eating yogurt since I ate breakfast at Besaw's Restaurant. I ordered their "Yogurt Parfait" and have been making it at home ever since-- especially mornings when I wake up with a raging sweet tooth. It's not too often that I get a case of the raging sweet tooths, but when I do, it's really easy to tell my system to shut up. I feed it honey.

The yogurt parfait looks and tastes perfect when you layer yogurt, honey and crunchy pistachios.

There is a high probability that you will not have a sweet tooth after eating this!

The yogurt parfait is also an excellent quick meal for any time of the day. I have eaten it when I needed a filling, quick dinner, or a speedy breakfast. The slowest part about it is cracking open the pistachios! If you are serving guests, it is fun to put it in clear wine glasses and layer the yogurt with honey and pistachios. It looks really pretty and tastes magnificent! Enjoy!