Desserts

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Recommendations for Baking with Stevia and Replacing Sugar in Recipes

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It is absolutely possible to replace sugar in conventional recipes with stevia.  The main thing to remember is that it’s important to replace the bulk of sugar with something else when using stevia- applesauce works very well for this. 

When replacing a cup of sugar, it is helpful to add 1/3 to ½ cup of applesauce to the recipe to make up for the bulk lost from the sugar.  Canned pumpkin, yogurt, or fruit purees can also be used in place of the applesauce.

Stevia does not taste exactly like sugar, and can have a slight aftertaste, particularly when used in large amounts.  For this reason, I would err on the side of using less stevia than a recipe calls for when replacing stevia for sugar.  Also, most recipes taste better when only part of the sugar in a recipe is substituted for stevia.

 

Here is a sugar substitution chart for how many stevia packets to use in place of sugar in conventional recipes:

2 tsp. sugar: 1 stevia packet

1 tbs. sugar: 1.5 to 2 stevia packets

½ cup sugar: 9-12 stevia packets

1 cup sugar: 18-24 stevia packets

 

As an alternative to using stevia packets in baking, Sweetleaf brand stevia has a ready to use stevia baking blend that we have at the store called Sugarleaf.  It can be substituted for sugar at a rate of 1/3 of a cup of stevia baking blend to each 1 cup of sugar called for in a recipe.

 

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Crustless Cardamom Sweet Potato Pie with Stevia

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This awesome (and low calorie) recipe uses NuNaturals Stevia Baking Blend.  It's a great product that is naturally sugar-free that substitutes very well for sugar in recipes.   

Ingredients:

  • 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1/2 c. NuNaturals More Fiber Baking Blend
  • 1/2 c. light coconut milk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
  • 2 tbsp. cornstarch
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • cooking spray
  • 1/4 c. chopped crystalized ginger (optional)


See the complete recipe and directions at Oh My Veggies.

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RAW CARROT CAKE WITH CASHEW VANILLA FROSTING

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This is such a neat recipe, and it's perfect for fall!

  • 3 cups shredded carrots (about 1 lb.)
  • 8 oz. (about 1 cup) pitted dates (you could also use raisins for a less expensive option- there's a recipe here for using raisins instead of dates)
  • 1 cup raw walnuts
  • 2/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
  • pinch of salt
  • (optional) 1/2 cup raisins

RAW CASHEW VANILLA FROSTING INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 cups raw cashews, soaked overnight
  • 2/3 cup coconut oil, melted
  • 1/3 cup water (use more or less to achieve desired consistency)
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • pinch of salt

See the entire recipe and directions at Gimmie Some Oven.

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Apple Muffin in a Mug

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I love mug cooking- it's an awesome way to make a quick single serving snack, without heating up the house since they're cooked in the microwave.  I'm not going to say this is gourmet cooking, but being able to whip up a fresh apple muffin in two minutes sounds pretty great!

Ingredients: 

Muffin:
1 tablespoon grass fed butter (or coconut oil)
2 tablespoon unsweetened applesauce 
1 egg  
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon maple syrup 
3 tablespoons almond flour or 2 tablespoons coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon baking powder  
Pinch of salt

Streusel Topping:
1 tablespoon apple, finely chopped
pinch of crumbled walnuts
pinch of cold butter

See the entire recipe and directions at Civilized Caveman Cooking.

 

3 Ingredient Pineapple Whip

It truly does not get any easier than this amazing dessert.  It's a fantastic alternative to conventional ice cream, and did I mention- just 3 ingredients??  It's dairy free too!  

Ingredients:

  • 1 whole pineapple – cut up and frozen overnight
  • 1 cup of coconut milk (or milk of choice)
  • 1 tablespoon honey (optional, for authentic sweetness)

See the entire recipe and directions at Detoxinista.

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Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookie Mug Cake

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This is a great recipe that from start to finish takes only 3 minutes.  It's healthy too, and makes a perfect single serving treat!

Ingredients:
1 Large Egg
1 Tbsp. Coconut Flour
1 Tbsp. Almond Flour
2 Tbsp. Chocolate Chips (Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips are gluten, soy, and dairy free)
2 Tbsp. Maple Syrup
1 Tbsp. Vanilla

Read the entire recipe and directions at Paleo on a Budget.

Healthy Snow Lemon Sorbet

With the insane amount of snow, we've been eating a lot of snow "ice cream", so I wanted to look for a healthier alternative.  I thought this "snow sorbet" turned out quite well, and it's ready in minutes,.  What could be better?

Ingredients:

  • 1 large bowl of fresh snow
  • 1/4 c. lemon juice
  • 1/4 c. cold water
  • 4 packets stevia
  • 1-2 tbs. sugar (optional)

Directions:

  1. Combine lemon juice, water, stevia, and sugar (if using) until stevia and sugar are dissolved.  I used a shaker bottle that I usually use for a protein shake and it worked really well.
  2. Collect a bowl of fresh snow.
  3. Add lemon juice mixture to the snow a little at a time, stirring until you reach the right consistency.  If it gets too soupy, add more snow.
  4. Eat immediately, snow sorbet does not keep!

Note: if the sorbet is too tart, add more water or stevia/sugar.

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Gluten Free Double Chocolate Mug Cake

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The last mug cake I posted on our blog has been very popular, so I wanted to share another amazing one I came across.  This recipe is gluten free and grain free, and if you use dairy free chocolate chips, it's dairy free too.  It uses coconut flour too, which I especially love.

Choco-Mug-Cake.jpg

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp. coconut flour
  • 1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ¼ tsp. baking powder
  • 1 Tbsp. sweetener (honey, maple syrup, cane sugar, etc.)
  • ¼ cup of milk (any kind will do)
  • 1 egg
  • Optional: 1 heaping Tbsp. chocolate chips

 

Read the entire recipe and directions at Running with Spoons.


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Gluten Free Lava Mug Cake

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This is an invaluable recipe to have on hand if there’s anyone with a gluten sensitivity in your household;  an individual serving-sized cake that takes three minutes to make and is reasonably healthy- what could be better?

lavacake

2 Tbs. coconut flour

2 Tbs. cocoa powder

1/4 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. raw honey

1/3 c. coconut milk

1 egg

3 oz. dark chocolate

Read the complete recipe and directions at nummyformytummy.com

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Slow Cooker Fudge

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This recipe was super easy and turned out great. Warning: it's very rich.  This isn't particularly healthy, but it's a nice alternative dessert for people with allergies.

A nice basic fudge recipe.  Cooking it in the slow cooker ensures it doesn't burn.  For a dairy free recipe, choose dairy free chocolate chips.

fudge

2-1/2 cups Chocolate Chips

1/2 cup full fat coconut milk

1/4 cup raw mild honey

Dash of sea salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Read the complete recipe and directions at piarecipes.com