6 Simple Recipes to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth…Without Sugar!


Sugar. You love it and you hate it.

Sure it’s tasty, it's instant gratification, and makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside, but then there’s the crash, the cravings, and it sure isn’t helping your jeans fit any better.

If you’d love to find a way to eat healthy without sacrificing your sweet tooth… today is your lucky day.

As a former pastry chef, I know how hard it is to cut down on sugar. And as a health coach, I know how important it is to make the switch.

I’ve put together some of my favorite recipes that offer a healthy, delicious alternative to sugar. Each of the following recipes was tested and perfected for your cooking (and eating) pleasure! 

Here’s a peek of what’s coming…

  • Sweet Plantains with Black Bean Salsa and Lime Crema
  • Tangy Braised Red Cabbage
  • Warm Cinnamon Apple Dessert Bread (GF)
  • Raspberry Coconut Smoothie
  • Berries and Cream
  • Double-Chocolate No-Bake Brownies
 

Sweet Plantains with Black Bean Salsa and Lime Crema

Ingredients

  • 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 2 medium tomatoes, diced small
  • 1 clove garlic, smashed
  • ¼ c. yellow onion, finely diced
  • 2 T. fresh cilantro, chopped
  • Sea salt
  • Pepper
  • 1 lime, zested and juiced
  • 1/2 c. sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 – 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large ripe plantain
  • 1/2 avocado, diced

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, combine black beans, tomatoes, garlic, onion, and cilantro. Season with sea salt, pepper, and lime juice, to taste (reserve some lime juice for the crema).
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together lime zest, remaining lime juice to taste, and sour cream or yogurt. 
  3. Heat heavy skillet on med-high. Halve plantains crosswise, then cut lengthwise into ¼”-thick slices. 
  4. When skillet is hot, add olive oil and plantains (salting to taste) in a single layer, working in batches if necessary. Pan-fry until caramelized, 3 – 5 minutes per side. 

To serve: place plantains on plate, spoon bean salsa on top, and finish with avocado and a dollop of lime crema.

Tangy Braised Red Cabbage

Ingredients

  • 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium red cabbage, shredded
  • 1 t. sea salt
  • 3 T. apple cider vinegar


Instructions

  1. Heat pan on medium-low heat. 
  2. Add oil, add cabbage. Cook until wilted, stirring occasionally.
  3. When cabbage is wilted (7 – 10 minutes), add salt and apple cider vinegar.

Warm Cinnamon Apple Dessert Bread (gf)

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ GF AP flour blend
  • 1 t. baking soda
  • 1 t. baking powder
  • 1 ½ t. cinnamon
  • ½ t. sea salt
  • 2 eggs, pastured
  • 1 c. applesauce
  • ¼ c. raw honey
  • ½ c. evoo, coconut oil or butter, melted
  • 1 T. vanilla extract
  • 1 c. carrot, grated, or dried fruit, chopped
  • ½ c. nuts (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine GF flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and sea salt. 
  3. In a medium bowl, combine eggs, applesauce, raw honey, oil or butter, and vanilla. Whisk thoroughly, and add wet mixture to dry. Stir until combined. 
  4. Fold in carrots or dried fruit and optional nuts. Pour batter into a greased loaf pan and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a knife inserted in the loaf comes out clean. 

RASpberry coconut smoothie

6 simple recipes smoothie.jpg

Ingredients

  • 10 macadamia nuts
  • 8 raspberries
  • ¼ papaya
  • 2 pitted dates, chopped
  • ¼ banana
  • 1 t. coconut manna (optional)
  • ¼ c. coconut water
  • ¼ c. yogurt
  • Ice

Instructions

  1. In a blender, blend macadamia nuts, raspberries, papaya, dates, banana, coconut manna, and coconut water.
  2. Add yogurt and ice. Blend to desired consistency.

 

Berries and cream

Ingredients

  • 1 c. berries
  • ¼ c. cashew cream (recipe below)


Instructions

  1. Place berries in bowl and top with cashew cream.


cashew cream

Ingredients

  • 1 c. raw cashews
  • 1 pitted date, chopped
  • ½ c. water
  • ½ t. vanilla extract
  • ¼ t. sea salt

Instructions

  1. In a food processor or high-speed blender, process cashews and date 1 minute.
  2. Add water, vanilla, and sea salt, and process until smooth.

Double-chocolate no-bake brownies

Ingredients

  • 1 c. raw walnuts
  • 1 c. pitted soft dates (if not soft, add water)
  • ½ c. raw cacao powder
  • Pinch sea salt
  • 1 T. cacao nibs

Instructions

  1. In a food processor, process walnuts to a coarse flour.
  2. Add dates, cacao powder, and salt and process until a moist, crumb-like dough has formed.
  3. Spread mixture evenly into an 8″ x 8″ pan. Sprinkle with cacao nibs and press firmly into a solid brownie layer.