There’s plenty of space for delicious sweets and treats in your family’s healthy eating plan – the trick is to steer clear of pre-made sweets and empty calories where you can. Here is a recipe for biscuits to get you started, but first, let’s talk about natural sweeteners.
The sweet stuff
Remember the guideline? Natural is better than processed, and it’s just as true when it comes to sweetness. Refined sugars and syrups have had most of their minerals and other nutrients stripped away. There are too many bad effects of processed sugar, it suppresses the immune system; feeds candida and other pathogens and causes a rapid rise in adrenaline, anxiety, hyperactivity, concentration and crankiness in children…. so always opt for the following:
- Raw organic honey which naturally boosts the immune system due to its anti fungal, anti viral, anti inflammatory, anti allergic and anti bacterial properties. It has been used for centuries in the treatment of burns, eczema, wounds, rashes, gut issues, bronchitis, soar throats, bleeding gums, morning sickness. and the darker the honey the more minerals it has in it.
- Maple syrup that is made from the sap of red, black or sugar maple trees and has antioxidant and immune boosting benefits. The key is to always check that the ingredients are 100 % maple syrup and always choose the B Grade as it’s the darkest and the richest in nutrients.
- Black molasses has a sticky maltiness full of iron, manganese, copper, potassium, B6 and calcium. It is a dense, viscous by product obtained from the processing of sugar cane and sugar beet into table sugar and serves very well as a potent healer.
Coconut cookies
You’ll need:
- 1/2 vanilla pod
- 2 egg whites
- 3 tablespoons of maple syrup
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- A baking sheet and some baking parchment paper
- Preheat your oven to 160 C
- Put all your syrup, egg whites and vanilla into a jar and shake them until foamy, or beat them together in a bowl.
- Add the shredded coconut and mix together until all blended in.
- Line your baking shed with the baking parchment paper, and them drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto the sheet – be sure to space them apart!
- Poke holes into the biscuit batter with a fork, and then bake for 25 minutes or so – until they are golden brown on the edges.
Brownies
You'll need:
- 500g of sweet potatoes (about 2 medium)
- 12 medjool dates
- 6 tablespoons of pure maple syrup
- 100g of ground almonds
- 2 tablespoons of melted coconut oil
- a pinch of salt
- 100g of ground oats
- 6 tablespoons of raw cacao powder
- 2 tablespoons of coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons of almond butter
- 1 tablespoon of maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons of cacao powder
1. Start by pre-heating the oven to 180C
2. Peel the sweet potatoes, cut them into chunks and place into a steamer for about twenty minutes, until they become really soft.
3. Once they are perfectly soft and beginning to fall apart remove them and add them to a food processor with the pitted dates.
4. Put the remaining ingredients into a bowl, before mixing in the sweet potato date combination. Stir well.
5. Place into a lined baking dish and cook for about forty-five to fifty minutes, until you can pierce the brownie with a fork and bring it out dry. Remove the tray and allow it to cool for about ten minutes – this is really important, as it needs this time to stick together!
6. While the brownies are cooking make the icing by simply melting all the ingredients together and stirring well, then place in the freezer for 15 minutes and then the fridge for 15 to firm up a bit.
7. Remove the brownies from the tray and leave to cool completely before icing otherwise your icing will melt! Spread the icing on top, cut into squares.
Meringue kisses
You'll need:
- 4 egg whites
- 1 cup maple syrup
- Preheat oven to 120C
- In a medium pot combine egg whites and maple syrup
- Turn flame on stove to lowest setting possible or use a double boiler.
- Using a hand blender with whisk attachment, whisk meringues in pot on stove
- Whisk 4-5 minutes total, until stiff glossy peaks form
- Fit a pastry bag with a ⅜-inch round tip and fill bag with meringue
- Pipe meringue kisses 1-inch in diameter onto parchment-lined baking sheets
- Bake at 120C for 1hour 30 mins
- Allow to cool for 1 hour
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