Wednesday " Word"... Sugar

I came across this article http://www.foodmatters.tv/content/5-more-reasons-to-quit-sugar  and it brought sugar back to my attention. Talking about "Sugar" can not be mentioned enough. It is a very subtle and seductive ingredient in our food. I wrote about it earlier this year http://whole-food-living.blogspot.com/2014/02/thursday-3-tips-to-cut-down-on-sugar.html but I thought it worth mentioning again with the holidays approaching. Sugar is a hard thing to avoid and with Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas coming one month after the next, the choices are difficult.

A good tip to help bring awareness to the sugar that your consuming on a regular bases, is to read the label and just notice the amount of sugar per serving. And maybe go a step further and write down on a piece of paper for one day the amount of sugar and then add it up. This is not meant for a guilt trip, only to bring awareness, because we can't begin to change what we are not aware of.

Here are a few words to look for when reading a food label - looking for sugar:

• white sugar
• brown sugar
• raw sugar
• high fructose corn syrup
• corn syrup
• corn syrup solids
• malt syrup
• maple syrup
• pancake syrup
• fructose sweetener
• liquid fructose
• honey
• molasses
• anhydrous dextrose
• crystal dextrose

~ Look for more tips and ideas in the coming months to help with your  "sugar awareness" 

Tuesday "Try"... Gluten/Dairy Free Cornbreads

A few years ago I found (on Google) a really good homemade gluten/dairy free cornbread recipe. It has become a family and friends favorite. I have altered the recipe as I often do to accommodate my families dietary restrictions and/or to make it healthier. I made a big batch to bring to my sisters house for Thanksgiving last year for the many family members that had not tried it yet and "again" - it was a big hit!!! I wasn't able to leave until I handed over the recipe.

One day while at the grocery store, I came across this gluten/dairy free box mix of cornbread and wanted to see how it compared to mine and the kids wanted to give it a try. It was delicious and would probable use it again if I wanted the convenience, but for me personally it still had too much sugar. (The very first ingredient is sugar). But when something is homemade I have control over how much of an ingredient is used or not.

My Homemade Gluten/Dairy Free Cornbread Recipe

1/2 cup (non-GMO- if possible) cornmeal

1/4 cup ( or slightly less) sugar

6 TB rice flour

1 1/2 TB Tapioca flour

1TB cornstarch

1/4 tsp xanthan gum

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup dairy free milk

4 TB Earth Balance - natural buttery spread - softened

1/2 tsp vanilla (generous tsp full)

1 egg ( warmed)

Add dry ingredients ( first 7) in a medium size bowl

Add all wet ingredients ( last 4 ) to dry ingredients

Mix until all combined

Pour in 8x8 pan or make muffins

Bake 350 degrees for about 20 - 30 min.

( time will vary depending on what you cook it in and your oven)

* The recipe is easily doubled and can be frozen.

* I once made corn bread croutons with the leftovers

http://glutenfreerecipebox.com/gluten-free-croutons/

( This recipe used gluten free bread I just substituted corn bread cut in cubes )

ENJOY

You won't be disappointed!!!

Monday Mention ... Egg Substitutes

There are times when I'm low on eggs and want to conserve them so I don't have to go out to the store right then (or the farmers market that is only once a week) or I don't have enough eggs for a recipe, or I just want to experiment with other nutritional ideas that are available. The more you play with ideas the easier it becomes second nature when you want to create something with leftovers or needing to substitute for whatever your making/baking. There are other reasons to not use eggs, like eating vegan, you have a allergy or sensitivity to eggs or you have trouble with soy ( see my post on soyfree eggs http://whole-food-living.blogspot.com/2014/09/monday-mention-soy-free-eggs.html )

*Here is a link for eggless recipes - http://www.egglesscooking.com/egg-substitutes/

*The original source of the list below - http://www.theholisticingredient.com/blogs/wholesome-living/13568994-easy-egg-substitutions-a-how-to-guide

1 Egg Equals:	Best in:	Notes.
1/2 banana, mashed	Pancakes, cakes, breads	Very ripe bananas will add sweetness
1/4 cup applesauce or 1/4 cup ripe mashed pears	Breads, cakes, brownies	Avoid using more than 1/4 cup total in any recipe
1/4 cup natural or Greek yoghurt	Brownies, smoothies	Can cause final product to be heavier
2.5 tablespoons ground flax mixed with 3 tablespoons water, set in fridge for 10 minutes	Granola bars, smoothies	Adds earthy, nutty taste and chewy texture
1 tablespoon coconut oil mixed with 2 teaspoons baking powder & 2 teaspoons water	Gluten free baking	Adds fat to the recipe, can be tricky to work with
1 tablespoon chia seeds mixed with 3 tablespoons water, set in fridge for 10 minutes	Smoothies, baked goods	Binds and thickens
1/4 cup pureed prunes (or any high pectin fruit)	Breads, cakes, brownies	Adds sweetness to recipe
1/4 cup pumpkin, mashed (canned works well, choose BPA free cans)	Breads, brownies	Can be heavy
1/4 cup potato, cooked and mashed (sweet potato might be yum!)	Savoury dishes	Can be heavy
1 tablespoon agar mixed with 1 tablespoon water, whipped and chilled	Gluten free baking	Used to replace egg white only
1 tablespoon gelatin dissolved in 1 tablespoon cold water, add 2 tablespoons boiling water, beat vigorously until frothy	Gluten free baking	Binds and thickens