So many of the goodies that we’re bombarded with this time of year are loaded with sugar.

And don’t you find that they are everywhere, calling out for you to eat them?!

Here are a few tips to help you keep your sugar consumption down as you enter the holiday season:

  • Bake with whole foods as much as you can – Good choices are dates, applesauce, stevia, maple syrup and coconut palm sugar.  All of these have a much lower gycemic index than processed white or brown sugar.
  • Bring treats you’ve baked (with the above ingredients) with you to holiday events as a contribution to the meal.  Then you can enjoy some decadence too without diving in to all the other sugar bombs.
  • Make your treats in smaller sizes.  I find this very helpful with portion control.
  • Keep them in your freezer between events.  As the saying goes, “out of sight, out of mind”.  Not entirely of course, but I do find it helps me eat less if ithe yumminess isn’t staring at me on the counter.

Some of the sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy-free baking out there fits the stereotype, it’s awful.  Really awful.  But it truly doesn’t have to be!  Here is one of our annual holiday favourites to try.  Super easy to make, free of all allergens, and they are a hit with everyone!

Ingredients:

  • 1½ cups unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 1 tablespoon coconut flour
  • ⅛ teaspoon celtic sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions:

  1. In a food processor, combine shredded coconut and coconut flour
  2. Pulse in salt, coconut oil, honey, and vanilla
  3. Scoop batter 1 level tablespoon at a time onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet
  4. Bake at 350°F for 7-10 minutes
  5. Cool for 1 hour
  6. Serve

Happy baking and be sure to share any of your favourite recipes here too!