That’s what my friend Katharine asked me the other day after reading this weblog. “More even blood sugar, energy and mood,” I answered, “These sweeteners are digested more slowly and offer some nutritional value.”
Check out this chart for more information on alternatives to white sugar. You’ll like the wholesome taste with less buzz than white sugar. I keep maple syrup, rice syrup, rapadura sugar and Wholesome Sweeteners organic turbinado sugar on hand. I use maple syrup primarily for topping pancakes and in the cookie recipe below. Rice syrup works well for sweetening liquids. It creates a sticky, rubbery texture in baked goods that I don’t enjoy. I’ve been mixing rapadura and Wholesome Sweeteners organic turbinado 50-50 with nice results in baked goods. The mixture offers a pleasant sweetness that is milder than turbinado alone, but cuts the molasses taste of Rapadura.
I’m unclear about turbinado. Some web resources say it’s no better than white sugar, with 2/3 of the molasses removed. However, my body tells me that turbinado is better than white sugar. Turbinado does not create an acid taste in my mouth, nor the spaced out jittery feeling I get from white sugar. This is why I specified the brand I use, Wholesome Sweeteners. I suspect their product is superior to others. If anyone has more information on this, I will appreciate you sharing it with me via email or the comment section.
Sugar season began with Halloween and will continue through Valentines Day. Over-indulgence is sweets reduces your immunity and makes you more prone to illness during this season. Here’s an alternative to white flour and white sugar based treats that we enjoy on occasions when sweets are in order.
Thumbprints (Adapted from The American Vegetarian Cookbook
1 cup raw almonds
1 cup rolled oats
1 ¼ cup oat flour or 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup maple syrup or brown rice syrup
½ cup grape seed oil
½ cup fruit jam, preferably all-fruit or naturally sweetened
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place almonds in a food processor and grind to a meal. Place oats in food processor and grind into a meal. Add flour, cinnamon, maple or rice syrup and oil. Pulse just to combine. Avoid over-mixing the dough.
Wet hands and form dough into walnut-size balls. If you used the brown rice syrup, avoid over handling the dough. This will avoid a rubbery texture. Place on an oiled cookie sheet. Press an indentation in center of each with your thumb. Fill with jam. Bake for 10 – 15 minutes or until golden. Yields approximately 24 cookies.
Variation: For a healthier version of the cookie of my and perhaps your childhood, skip the jam filling and bake. Then add a large chocolate or carob kiss right after removing them from the oven. You'll find dairy free dark chocolate and carob versions in the bulk section of your health food store or at gourmet shops. Yum!
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