today I was playing a little game in my brain. I thought about the notion of coming up with 10 treat-esque foods or common dessert ingredients that don’t have sugar. Could I do it? Hmm…..as my mind wandered down the grocery aisles of my imagination, here is a list I came up with. Granted, I’m not saying all of these are fat free or dairy free, but they are sugar free. I even upped the antey and gave an example of how you could use it to make a treat:
#1: real whipping cream. Here’s a thought: whip it up with cinnamon and stevia. Place 1-2 tbsp over berries and you have a really low sugar dessert with NO sugar in the topping.
#2: cocoa powder. I LOVE cocoa powder. I’m talking about Chatsfield’s, Wonderslim, or other high quality baking cocoas. Mix with No sugar almond milk and you have low sugar hot cocoa.
#3: Almonds – they are naturally sweet in essence. I like them lightly toasted and sprinkled with a little cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg. Yum!
#4: Greek yogurt. This type of yogurt doesn’t have any sugar grams at all, but watch the fat, as it can be really dense. There are low fat versions, which I think are the best. You can mix some cocoa powder and almonds into your yogurt for a really low-sugar treat. Sweeten with stevia and you are still at ZERO sugar grams
#5: Coconut – the milk and the flesh are sugar free. You can blend coconut milk with ice for a smoothie, or even just eat the flesh as is and enjoy a natural sweetness.
#6: Egg whites: no, not normally a dessert, but whipped up with a little orange zest and cream of tartare (what is that exactly – check here for the answer), they make a nice meringue topping. I like the taste of meringue by itself, even without a pie. Just like whipping cream, you can put it on berries for a really low sugar dessert option
#7: Buckwheat pancakes: Okay, this one has 2grams of sugar, but that is nearly nothing. I prefer Bob’s Redmill Brand because I only need to add water, an egg, and some oil or butter. You can add vanilla, cocoa, or spices for added flavor and still stand at just 2 g of sugar, plus you are getting a boatload of fiber in.
#8: Good Earth tea: this can seriously satisfy, especially on a chilly night. It really doesn’t even need any sweetener, and this is coming from a girl who ALWAYS loves to sweeten her tea. 9
So, I would just love to come up with a couple more options that don’t have sugar. Any ideas, folks? Even items that have just a few grams of sugar would be beneficial.
I will leave you with this chocolate pudding recipe to inspire your creativity!!
Happy Off-White eating,
Rebecca
Chocolate Pudding
2 cups fresh coconut meat (young coconut if available
¾ cup coconut water; at room temperature.
(Use the water from the inside of the coconut. *Coconut water is now available at most natural foods stores too.)
1/3 cup agave nectar
½ cup cocoa powder
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon sea salt
In a high speed- blender or food processor, puree all ingredients until completely smooth; stopping to scrape the sides as necessary. Transfer to a bowl and chill for firmer pudding, or eat straightaway. Try this with raspberries and fresh mint, or chopped nuts.
Off White Living 