Sugar Free Desserts are Possible

When people are faced with certain health issues, it's imperative to avoid foods that will proliferate their condition.  For some, this can be the hardest thing. Many people resort to foods that are convenient... not paying any attention to what they are putting in their bodies. When told they must avoid these foods, they are clueless on what to eat. This is how I felt two years ago when I was told I had a sensitivity to soy and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a type of yeast. Also having candida, I had to give up sugars. My diet was healthy at the time except for all the sweets I was eating. Desserts are my favorite. When I look at menus online for restaurants I want to try, the dessert section is where my eyes wander first. Okay, I needed to follow a diet free of yeast, sugar, and soy. The yeast seemed easy to avoid but the soy and sugar not so easy. These are two ingredients that are added to what seems like everything. 

Stevia and yacon syrup became my two new favorite ingredients. I needed to get my sweet fix somehow and these two alternative sweeteners made it possible. Many know about stevia but yacon syrup isn't that commonly used. The only place I've found it is at Whole Foods or online. Yacon contains a healthy type of sugar called fructooligosacharides or FOS. It is not digested by the body so it doesn't spike blood glucose levels, making it safe for diabetics, people with candida overgrowth, or even people who just want to watch their weight.

As of now I can include small amounts of soy into my diet. I've been on and off sugars for the past two years and recently went sugar free again. I do feel so much better eating this way and it allows me to be much more creative in what I prepare for myself.  When you can't have sweets all you want is something sweet, right? Which brings me to the photo above. The other night after dinner all I wanted was something sweet. I'm a sucker for cookie dough so I've been playing around with different variations. I based the idea off this recipe found on spark recipes. I love the idea of this recipe because it's the perfect portion size and you won't be tempted to overindulge. Here's my most recent variation.

Gluten free Sugar free cookie dough

2 heaping Tbsp blanched almond flour

2 tsp yacon syrup

1tsp grapeseed oil

1 tsp soy free Earth Balance

pinch of salt

a few drops of vanilla extract

mix everything together and you have a delicious cookie dough. 

I topped this with a little bit of peanut butter and unsweetened carob chips. It was just like eating a chocolate chip peanut butter cookie.

Breakfast

Happy Monday! I love Mondays because I get to sleep in and spend my morning in bed drinking tea and catching up on writing. Once my appetite set in I had to get out from under my cozy blankets and make my way to the kitchen. Now I'm back in bed working on this. I swear my whole day won't be this lazy. I always feel like I'm craving something in particular in the mornings but once I see what I have to work with, I create something entirely different. This morning I made steamed apples with cinnamon, almond butter, Greek yogurt mixed with flax seeds, and topped with chopped apple peel. There were a lot of different textures in this dish but that's what makes food so interesting.

Bamboo steamers are probably my favorite thing to cook with. I use them at least once a day. Chinatown is a good place to find them.

I have to share this photo. On Friday we had a really busy day in the kitchen. I was filling our syrah cupcakes with fudge and as I pulled away the pastry bag this little face was smiling back at me. It  happened completely by chance and totally made my day. It's definitely a reflection of how I feel when I'm there. Having a job that you love and enjoy is the best feeling in the world.

A Healthy Lunch

I feel like those fashion bloggers who post photos of their daily outfits. Instead, I post about what I cook and eat. For my lunch today I made an almond cheese omelette and veggie hash sprinkled with hemp seeds.

Veggie hash consisted of broccoli florets and stems, zucchini, onions, garlic, kale, red chili flakes, dried oregano, and ground chipotle powder which I found here, The Secret Garden Organic Herb Shop. This cute little shop in San Luis Obispo has so many interesting herbs, spices, and tea blends. I need to make another trip up there soon.

Hope everyone has a lovely weekend : )

Experiments in the Kitchen

One of my favorite things about food and cooking are the endless possibilities of creativity. I once heard someone say "let food be your canvas." This rings true for me. I love throwing together ingredients and seeing the end result. Using different flavors and textures can create many interesting dishes. Rarely do I follow recipes. Every once in a while I will make a dish that my brother turns his nose up to but that's what experiments are all about, trial and error... I still eat it and generally like it.

After work this morning, I was craving some of the fresh fruit I purchased at the farmers market yesterday. This time of year is awesome for all the stone fruit in season. I made myself a salad consisting of an apricot and peach, feta cheese, and mint. I also added a little lemon juice. This recipe is something I want to recreate and work on a dressing that would pair well with it... maybe with some basil too. I just had to post the photo because I thought it looked so pretty. Hope everyone is enjoying their summer and staying cool.

Kettle Corn... With a Kick

 

I would like to share my version of healthy kettle corn. I thought up this recipe out of desperation for something sweet tonight. It was sweet, spicy, and satisfying for my sugar craving without actually giving in to eating sugar. This snack is also suitable for vegan and gluten free diets.

Yesterday was the first time I made popcorn on the stove. I can't believe I've never made it before. It's so easy and fun. I found a recipe online which I based mine off of from NovelEats

Samantha is a vegan food blogger and shares lots of yummy recipes. 

For my version, I cut the quantities in half using 1 Tablespoon grapeseed oil, 1/6 cup organic popcorn kernels, and a pinch of salt.

Add one packet of truvia sweetener to the oil and salt.

Once the popcorn is popped and ready, transfer into a bowl and sprinkle with cinnamon and cayenne. I used generous amounts of both. Toss to mix well and enjoy your sweet treat.

A Day of Indulgence

Yay for food trucks in Santa Barbara! Thank you O Street Truck for gracing Santa Barbara with your delicious food. This truck offers French, French-Vietnamese, and French-Mex inspired dishes using locally sourced ingredients. I had read about them in the Independent a few months back and couldn't wait to try them. Yesterday I finally did. My mom and I had to go down to Santa Barbara in the morning so for lunch we found them parked in Goleta and enjoyed their delicious fare. With the prices being so reasonable and everything sounding so amazing we ordered almost half the menu. It was definitely a day of indulgence but was well worth it.

 

Everything tasted so yummy and fresh I can't wait to go back. The quality of ingredients they use is quite impressive.

Pesto French Pastry Pizza

Pommes Frites served in a cute newspaper cone. The rosemary-garlic sauce was absolutely amazing. My mom had the wasabi-mayo and that was really good as well.

Chicken Banh-Mi Taco - This was my favorite out of everything. My mom ordered the sandwich version of this. It was served on a fresh baguette.

Summer Salads... Plus Some

Salads make a great summertime dinner option... especially if you want to have a little ice cream for dessert.  The possibilities are endless when it comes to creating salads depending on what veggies, nuts, fruits, or cheeses you want to add. It was a bit warm here today so the idea of eating raw crunchy fresh veggies sounded so yummy. I started my salad off with two handfuls of mixed greens. I added some cooked ground turkey I had leftover in my fridge and topped the rest of the salad with sliced onion, green bell pepper, carrots, feta cheese and salsa. I drizzled a little olive oil and fresh lime juice on top. This salad reminds me of a taco salad without the chips. Although that probably would have been a tasty addition.

 

I recently started reading A Life of Balance by Maya Tiwari. It's a complete guide on Ayurveda. Ever since I had hypnotherapy sessions with an ayurvedic practioner I've been interested in the practice. There is a lot to understand and I feel like I'm underlining almost everything I read. There are lots of recipes towards the back of the book which I will definitely be making and sharing soon.

I had to post this picture because I love this girl so much. Her name is Liona and I get to feed and hangout with her when her masters are away. Tonight we went for a nice walk in the beautiful neighborhood she lives in. My favorite part of our walk was when we passed a house with honeysuckle bushes along the fence. The smell is simply intoxicating and makes me smile.  I feel like this post got a little on the rambling side. I have been up since 4:30 am and worked in the kitchen as well as the shop today but this blog is called happy and healthy. Along with healthy food I want to share what makes me happy.