Once again, I have asked Dawn Beals to address some alternative food options for those of you who prefer the organic or may have food allergies that need to be addressed. Thanks Dawn for giving us insight to these products. The products that Dawn writes about today are available at Cascio's!
With the holiday season fast approaching, most of us are opening up our recipe boxes and pulling out favorite cookie recipes while visions of chocolate chips and pumpkin rolls dance in our heads. This year, when stocking up on baking supplies, instead of reaching for that five pound bag of Domino Sugar, think about trying some natural sweeteners as an alternative. Have you heard of Agave? No, not 100% Blue Agave Tequila. Although, I did hear that Don's interested in opening a liquor store once privatization goes through. Maybe in the room where the fruit baskets are assembled. Truly a one stop shopping experience! But I digress...
The agave I'm talking about is a yummy product already available on Cascio's shelves. It's Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Raw Blue Agave and one of my favorite sweeteners. I try to avoid refined sugar whenever possible and agave is a delicious alternative with lots of benefits.
It's a natural sweetener, extracted from the heart of the agave plant. The flavor of raw agave is very sweet with undertones of molasses. Because it has a low glycemic index (GI), it is absorbed slowly into the body, preventing spikes in blood sugar. If you're familiar with glycemic index then you know that the higher the glycemic index the bigger the impact on blood sugar. Table sugar has a GI of 92, raw agave has a GI of 27!
Agave easily replaces sugar in most recipes. Just be sure to reduce the amount called for by 25%. Yes, I said reduce! Agave is 25% sweeter than table sugar so it's not only good for you but you save calories too!
Check out my recipe for Agave Nectar Margarita's - who knows you may soon be able pick up the tequila at Cascio's too (just kidding)!
Another natural sweetener available at Cascio's is Brown Rice Syrup by either Lundberg or Sweet Cloud. The flavor is very mild and buttery and can be used to replace refined sugar for baking or desserts. When substituting for sugar, use 1 1/4 cup rice syrup for one cup sugar, using 1/4 cup less of another liquid in the recipe. Although you use a little more syrup than sugar, it's digested slower giving you more energy over a longer period of time. Many vegans prefer brown rice syrup to refined sugar because sugar is sometimes refined using bone char from animals. Like all sweeteners, brown rice syrup has both calories and carbohydrates. However, it is usually organic, always natural and one of the healthiest sugar substitutes available. I've used it for years and love the taste and thick, honey-like consistency. When baking, using liquid sweeteners instead of sugar takes a little getting used to but it's worth the effort. The flavors and benefits will have you hooked in no time! Try my Rice Crispy Treats with brown rice syrup for a unique alternative to the usual marshmallow base.
Agave Nectar Margarita
2 ounces silver tequila
1 ounce fresh lime juice
1 ounce agave nectar
Directions:
1 Place all ingredients in a drink shaker.
2 Add ice.
3 Shake to cool and mix the ingredients.
4 Add salt to the rim of a glass if you'd like and then pour in the drink.
5 Enjoy.
Rice Crispy Treats with Brown Rice Syrup
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon light olive oil
1 cup brown rice syrup
2 tablespoons almond butter (or peanut butter)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 cups dry natural brown crispy rice cereal
1/2 cup peanuts (optional)
1/2 cup raisins (optional) or 1/2 cup currant (optional)
1/2 cup unsweetened carob chips (optional)
1/2 cup chopped almonds (optional)
Directions:
1 Put oil in a large pot and heat.
2 Add rice syrup and nut butter. Stir and heat until bubbles form.
3 Turn off heat and add vanilla extract.
4 Add cereal and mix well. Stir in any optional items and mix lightly.
5 Put mixture into a 9 x 13 pan. With slightly wet hands, press mixture flat.
6 Let set to room temperature. Slice and serve.
"sweet stuff" Dawn!! :-)
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